James O'Brien: "This Is Brexit Britain In A Nutshell"
31 March 2017, 11:17 | Updated: 31 March 2017, 12:24
In this fiery summing up of "Brexit Britain", James O'Brien pleads with Brexiteers to share some of the positives about leaving the EU - he can only see one.
In this epic rant, James O'Brien pleads with the Brexiteers who rejoice in his misery about leaving the EU to explain why they're so happy - because there's only one positive he can see in the referendum outcome.
He said: "But we've also got lots of things to be cheerful about. Namely the basic human decency expressed by people like me, when they are worrying about people like the doctors and nurses quitting, like their wives and spouses unclear about their future, like the workers in the hospitality sector, poised to leave us with a shortfall of about 60,000 staff.
"The one positive from Brexit is, for some people, when you hear people like me expressing basic human decency about people like them, that is a wonderful thing to hear.
"That's a cause for celebration, that's happy days. Drink those liberal tears, when you hear a human being expressing compassion and humanity for other human beings, whom he lives alongside, works with, plays with, breaks bread with, and sends his children to school with, and he's worried about them.
"That's a cause for celebration. That is the only positive, judging by my inbox, that anybody listening to this program has been able to derive so far from Brexit.
"The joy you take in other people's misfortune. That, my friends, is Brexit Britain in a nutshell."
He went on: "Please, don't feel unwelcome. If you want to ring in and tell me why you're loving all the misery and uncertainty that's been inflicted upon your neighbours, why you're absolutely relishing the sound of people expressing compassion and human decency, in your ears like honey.
"If you want to give me a ring and tell me why you're loving this, 'Yeah I love it. I love it, all those foreign nurses who are really worried about their future. I love all those waitresses, and waiters, and people who run businesses, who don't know if they're going to be able to keep afloat.
"That hotel owner who rang in a month ago, who literally can't get staff, of any complexion or colour. It's brilliant, she's going to go bust. 'I love it, James!'.
"Maybe we can sort of, get a sort of, happiness osmosis going on. You take immense pleasure in other peoples' misery and misfortune. It breaks my heart. I want a little bit of what you're on."
