During a recent conversation with L’Obs, Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson said he supports Brexit and that he voted “Leave” back in 2016.
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Saying he’s “quite relaxed about the idea” of the UK separating from the European Union, Bruce explained (via Blabbermouth):
“If musicians were running Europe, Europe would run a lot better because we’d all get on with each other and say, ‘Yeah.’
“Iron Maiden music is global music; we have fans everywhere. I don’t see any problem with touring Australia; that’s not part of the EU. There’s no problem with touring in Japan; that’s not part of the EU. I don’t see any problem with touring America; oh, let me see – that’s not part of the EU. Now, do those musicians have problems coming to Europe? No.”
Bruce added:
“There’s a lot of nonsense and scare stories being made up by… both sides, actually, which I think is pretty immature.”
Pointing out he believes that Brexit will ultimately “enable us to be more flexible, and I think that people in Europe will get an advantage from that,” the singer continued:
“What you have at the moment is effectively the European Union obviously not doing a very good job satisfying the democracies of Europe.
“A lot of people – not just Brexit, but all kinds of other people, whether it’s the Italians or the Greeks or the Hungarians or the Catalans, or whoever it is – are all having big populist movements.
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“It’s because their needs – their democratic needs – are not being addressed by Brussels. The right people to address the needs is the democratically elected leaders.”
Referring to the fact that the EU has been accused by some politicians of attempting to humiliate Britain over Brexit, Bruce said:
“It’s absurd to think that the fifth biggest economy in the world is going to be somehow punished for democratic decisions made by its people.
“The EU has always been seen us as basically just a market – a common market – and that has some advantages; it makes sense. But there’s no desire for most people in England – even people who voted to remain in the EU – there’s no desire to become part of a federal system. And I think that’s a big mistake.
“Britain has always been a trading nation with the rest of the world. Only since the 1960s has Britain started to look only at Europe as being a source of trade, and I think ultimately that’s ended up being a big mistake.
“Brexit actually opens our borders; Brexit opens the United Kingdom to the whole of the world.”
Dickinson concluded by pointing out he’s optimistic that the UK will be able to build a new positive future relationship with the EU once Brexit takes effect, saying:
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“Whatever deal is going to be done on Brexit will not change the status of the UK by very much, but I think it will enhance our economic capabilities. And that’s good for us, and it’s actually, in the long run, good for Europe as well.
“‘Cause as the fifth largest economy in the world, Europe would like access to our market. And rapidly after that, people will forget about all this nonsense about Brexit and just say, ‘There is a new relationship with the UK. That’s it. End of story.’
“And we can all get on with doing what we should be doing, which is getting on with each other, trading with each other, making music, making love and making sure that Vladimir Putin doesn’t come and end up ruling our country.”