By Michalina Cmoch
Last month Brexit hit a one-year deadline. Around this time next year, on the 29th March 2019, the clock will struck the hour when Brexit will begin. And after two-year transition period, in 2021, Great Britain will officially leave the European Union.
Everyone is discussing big politics and economic changes but what will Brexit mean for local communities, and how will it affect everyday life?
‘Islington in Europe’ – blasts out the slogan of one of the anti-Brexit campaigns held in Islington, a borough which voted ‘to remain’. It is a voluntary and non-party political group, describing itself as a group of pro-Europeans who campaign to keep the UK in or as close as possible to the European Union.
Their first campaign took place in Islington during the EU referendum, and their official banner was ‘Britain Stronger in Europe’ – which later was changed to ‘Islington in Europe’.
According to the organization’s official website, it has about 1,000 local followers. ‘Islington in Europe’ collaborates with Islington Council and local immigration law firms to provide free legal advices to EU nationals living in Islington.
They ran many successful campaigns and protests – starting with a Finsbury Park station protest, several days of action in Islington and the Islington City Hall: Fighting For Europe event.
On the 29th of March, to mark UK’s deadline to leave EU, the organization sent its delegation together with the Islington Labour councilors to Downing Street to deliver a #FullRightIsNow petition. The latest campaign of ‘Islington in Europe’ took place in front of Angel tube station.
One of the locals, Peter Daston, 43-year-old self-employed worker, said: “I live in Islington and I can’t see any changes now but I’m sure that Brexit will affect housing and prices. I voted to remain and I’m scared to see what is going to happen with my borough and the whole country.”
Not everyone though is sure of their status after Brexit. Europeans who are not holders of British passports are afraid that they will lose rights to live in the UK after Brexit becomes reality. According to a government website, Islington is home to about 30,000 European citizens.
Francessca Maretti, 29, works as a waitress in the capital. “I came to London two years ago and Brexit means that my future in this city is unsure. I like it here and I’m scared that I will lose my job.”
Some of post referendum effects are already noticeable. Islington Now online has reported that house prices in Islington have fallen by 3.8% since the EU referendum was held in 2016. “Growth in house prices in the capital is expected to slip below the national average, continuing a slide triggered by the Brexit vote,” it said.
It is not the only issue. Rosalind Miller, Development Director of the Islington Faiths Forum, told Islington Life that an increase of reported racist and religious hate crime in Islington has been noted after the EU referendum.
Brexit remains a mystery for the whole country but Islington seems to be very united and ready to face it. It will turn out next year if the solution to the mystery has been found, for now the clock is ticking and there are 346 days to go!
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