{"id":5069,"date":"2019-01-14T14:45:51","date_gmt":"2019-01-14T19:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=5069"},"modified":"2019-01-15T09:48:45","modified_gmt":"2019-01-15T14:48:45","slug":"bob-geldof-calls-hardcore-brexiteers-headbangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=5069","title":{"rendered":"Bob Geldof Calls Hardcore Brexiteers ‘Headbangers’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Bob Geldolf with his wife Jeanne Lallemand Geldof before the conferring ceremony at Plassey House, University of Limerick
<\/figcaption><\/figure>Irish rocker, Bob Geldof, described hardcore Brexiteers as \u201cheadbangers\u201d as he picked up an Honorary Doctorates of Letters from University of Limerick, along with best-selling novelist Marian Keyes.<\/p>\n

Both Geldof and Keyes received the honorary awards for their commitment to activism and social justice – Keyes particularly in the realm of gender equality. The author also donated all of the royalties from her best-selling book Under \u2018The Duvet\u2019 to the Simon Community.<\/p>\n

Prior to accepting the award, UK-based Geldof was asked by reporters about his views on his adopted country leaving the European Union.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m passionately against it,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

The outspoken singer and human rights campaigner said the current British government, led by Theresa May were the \u201cworst British government\u201d… \u201cbar none\u201d… \u201cincapable\u201d… \u201cinept\u201d.<\/p>\n

In contrast, the Irish government have handled the impending Brexit \u201celegantly\u201d, in stark contrast \u201cto the chaos and the nonsense\u201d in Westminster, he added.<\/p>\n

The Boomtown Rats frontman, best known for organizing Live Aid in 1985, which at the time raised a staggering \u00a330m sterling for the starving in Africa, said that, in his opinion, Brexit would have \u201cterrible\u201d consequences for both the Irish and British economies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt throws everything up in the air between the two islands,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t think the English recognize this in themselves – There is a big anarchic streak that runs down the spine of being English – whether it\u2019s Francis Drake, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cImagine if France decided to leave (the EU) – how (would) they resolve the border between Germany and France? – and when you say that to the English, they kind of say, \u2018well it\u2019s not the same\u2019…It is precisely the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geldof, (67), told reporters he recently \u201chad a row\u201d with an \u201cextremely senior government politician\u201d over Brexit.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The politician) said, \u2018I thought you\u2019d show more loyalty to your adopted country\u2019, and I had to stand back from this (and think) – do I have to smack him or what, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I said (to the politician), but you don\u2019t understand – what I\u2019m doing is fighting with everything I have for my adopted country, and he was trembling with rage and went off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Geldof said the current Brexit deal is \u201ca properly serious mistake\u201d and \u201can expression of English nationalism\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stand nationalism. In Ireland, we know where it leads to,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the English have had to suborn their natural sense of being a people in a certain place, which is a patriotic notion which misguided men and women can curdle into a dangerous political ideology called nationalism.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dubliner said he believed MPs would reject the Prime Minister\u2019s Brexit plans in the Commons, Tuesday, and she would be forced to rejig the deal.<\/p>\n

“Whether its enough for the headbangers is up for grabs. Their totally cool – they think (Brexit) is not \u2018crashing out\u2019 (of Europe), they think its \u2018freedom\u2019…what?<\/p>\n

\u201cMeanwhile, the actual backstop to this project is Russia who are currently invading Europe. If we do split – if Britain is the loose thread on the EU jumper, and Brexit pulls that thread, then you could see a great unraveling…which will be a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Geldof and Marian Keyes each expressed their delight at receiving their honorary doctorates from UL.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re looking at a man who didn\u2019t get the Primary, never mind the Inter (Junior Certificate) or the Leaving (Certificate). Of course I\u2019m honored,\u201d Mr Geldof added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so delighted. This is the city of my birth and it\u2019s where my dad was from. He died a month ago, and he would have loved today,\u201d Ms Keyes said.<\/p>\n

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