Off Topic Politics Thread

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98 reasons to stay in the EU:
  1. Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDP
  2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
  3. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
  4. With Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighbours
  5. Tariff-free trade within the EU
  6. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members
  7. Participation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU member
  8. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services
  9. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
  10. Cheaper food and alcohol imports from continental Europe
  11. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
  12. 3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EU
  13. Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
  14. Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
  15. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League
  16. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion
  17. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU
  18. No paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single market
  19. Price transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the Eurozone
  20. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
  21. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)
  22. No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)
  23. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU
  24. British banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU
  25. Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
  26. Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)
  27. Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
  28. EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” project
  29. Financial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
  30. EU funding for the British film industry
  31. EU funding for British theatre, music and dance
  32. EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league
  33. Glasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economies
  34. EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
  35. Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU
  36. Human Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
  37. The death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membership
  38. Minority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU law
  39. The right to reside in any EU member state
  40. The freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictions
  41. The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
  42. The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
  43. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU
  44. The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
  45. The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)
  46. The freedom to set up a business in 28 countries
  47. The ability to retire in any member state
  48. Pension transferability
  49. The right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member state
  50. EU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continent
  51. The right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)
  52. Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EU
  53. The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
  54. Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)
  55. Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
  56. Reductions in sewage emissions
  57. Improvements in the quality of beaches and bathing water
  58. EU standards on the quality of drinking water
  59. Restrictions on landfill dumping
  60. EU targets for recycling
  61. Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
  62. The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
  63. EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
  64. Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
  65. Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
  66. Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry
  67. Membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)
  68. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
  69. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
  70. EU funding for UK universities
  71. Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of Euratom
  72. Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
  73. Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
  74. The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime
  75. Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
  76. Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
  77. EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
  78. EU rules governing health and safety at work
  79. The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
  80. The UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen area
  81. Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66%of its net contribution to the EU budget
  82. EU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, ****philes, people traffickers and cyber-crime
  83. The European common arrest warrant
  84. Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
  85. EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety
  86. Improved food labeling
  87. A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
  88. Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
  89. Common EU air passenger rights
  90. Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
  91. Mutual recognition of the common European driving license
  92. The introduction of the European pet passport
  93. The abolition of mobile telephone roaming charges
  94. The EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday Agreement
  95. A frictionless Irish border
  96. The EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of Gibraltar
  97. The EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British tourists
  98. EU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogue
 
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ChilcoSaint said:
98 reasons to stay in the EU:
  1. Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDP
  2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
  3. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
  4. With Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighbours
  5. Tariff-free trade within the EU
  6. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members
  7. Participation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU member
  8. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services
  9. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
  10. Cheaper food and alcohol imports from continental Europe
  11. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
  12. 3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EU
  13. Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
  14. Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
  15. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League
  16. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion
  17. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU
  18. No paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single market
  19. Price transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the Eurozone
  20. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
  21. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)
  22. No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)
  23. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU
  24. British banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU
  25. Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
  26. Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)
  27. Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
  28. EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” project
  29. Financial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
  30. EU funding for the British film industry
  31. EU funding for British theatre, music and dance
  32. EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league
  33. Glasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economies
  34. EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
  35. Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU
  36. Human Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
  37. The death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membership
  38. Minority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU law
  39. The right to reside in any EU member state
  40. The freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictions
  41. The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
  42. The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
  43. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU
  44. The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
  45. The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)
  46. The freedom to set up a business in 28 countries
  47. The ability to retire in any member state
  48. Pension transferability
  49. The right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member state
  50. EU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continent
  51. The right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)
  52. Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EU
  53. The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
  54. Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)
  55. Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
  56. Reductions in sewage emissions
  57. Improvements in the quality of beaches and bathing water
  58. EU standards on the quality of drinking water
  59. Restrictions on landfill dumping
  60. EU targets for recycling
  61. Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
  62. The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
  63. EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
  64. Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
  65. Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
  66. Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry
  67. Membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)
  68. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
  69. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
  70. EU funding for UK universities
  71. Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of Euratom
  72. Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
  73. Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
  74. The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime
  75. Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
  76. Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
  77. EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
  78. EU rules governing health and safety at work
  79. The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
  80. The UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen area
  81. Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66%of its net contribution to the EU budget
  82. EU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, ****philes, people traffickers and cyber-crime
  83. The European common arrest warrant
  84. Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
  85. EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety
  86. Improved food labeling
  87. A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
  88. Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
  89. Common EU air passenger rights
  90. Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
  91. Mutual recognition of the common European driving license
  92. The introduction of the European pet passport
  93. The abolition of mobile telephone roaming charges
  94. The EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday Agreement
  95. A frictionless Irish border
  96. The EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of Gibraltar
  97. The EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British tourists
  98. EU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogue
Click to expand...
92. ah but those German Shepherds coming over here shagging our English terriers?
 
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SaintinSerbia said:
BBC headlining stories about Joe Biden kissing the back of someones head and rubbing noses with someone else. This apparently has ruined his chances as a Presidential candidate. Maybe he should have grabbed their pussy? confused from Serbia.
Click to expand...
There must be someone better than Joe Biden, surely? Joe Kennedy for starters!!
 
Last edited:
Laura Kuenssberg has just reported that 3 separate Cabinet Ministers have told her that Jeremy Corbyn can demand more or less whatever he wants to get the deal through. Apart from anything else this alone will tear the Tory Party to shreds.
 
ChilcoSaint said:
98 reasons to stay in the EU:
  1. Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDP
  2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
  3. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
  4. With Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighbours
  5. Tariff-free trade within the EU
  6. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members
  7. Participation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU member
  8. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services
  9. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
  10. Cheaper food and alcohol imports from continental Europe
  11. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
  12. 3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EU
  13. Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
  14. Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
  15. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League
  16. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion
  17. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU
  18. No paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single market
  19. Price transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the Eurozone
  20. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
  21. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)
  22. No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)
  23. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU
  24. British banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU
  25. Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
  26. Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)
  27. Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
  28. EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” project
  29. Financial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
  30. EU funding for the British film industry
  31. EU funding for British theatre, music and dance
  32. EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league
  33. Glasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economies
  34. EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
  35. Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU
  36. Human Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
  37. The death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membership
  38. Minority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU law
  39. The right to reside in any EU member state
  40. The freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictions
  41. The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
  42. The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
  43. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU
  44. The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
  45. The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)
  46. The freedom to set up a business in 28 countries
  47. The ability to retire in any member state
  48. Pension transferability
  49. The right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member state
  50. EU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continent
  51. The right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)
  52. Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EU
  53. The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
  54. Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)
  55. Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
  56. Reductions in sewage emissions
  57. Improvements in the quality of beaches and bathing water
  58. EU standards on the quality of drinking water
  59. Restrictions on landfill dumping
  60. EU targets for recycling
  61. Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
  62. The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
  63. EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
  64. Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
  65. Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
  66. Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry
  67. Membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)
  68. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
  69. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
  70. EU funding for UK universities
  71. Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of Euratom
  72. Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
  73. Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
  74. The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime
  75. Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
  76. Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
  77. EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
  78. EU rules governing health and safety at work
  79. The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
  80. The UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen area
  81. Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66%of its net contribution to the EU budget
  82. EU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, ****philes, people traffickers and cyber-crime
  83. The European common arrest warrant
  84. Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
  85. EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety
  86. Improved food labeling
  87. A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
  88. Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
  89. Common EU air passenger rights
  90. Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
  91. Mutual recognition of the common European driving license
  92. The introduction of the European pet passport
  93. The abolition of mobile telephone roaming charges
  94. The EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday Agreement
  95. A frictionless Irish border
  96. The EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of Gibraltar
  97. The EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British tourists
  98. EU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogue
Click to expand...

So many important reasons there.

From 72 to 79 strike me as some of the most important things the EU has brought.

'Taking back control' will mean going back to the dark ages of poor worker rights and uneven pay. The EU recognises that workers are the asset in a company, not the buildings etc.
 
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thereisonlyoneno7 said:
So many important reasons there.

From 72 to 79 strike me as some of the most important things the EU has brought.

'Taking back control' will mean going back to the dark ages of poor worker rights and uneven pay. The EU recognises that workers are the asset in a company, not the buildings etc.
Click to expand...
And those rights are exactly what the ERG and other hard-right Tories, UKIP and all those to the right of them want to scrap ASAP.
 
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ChilcoSaint said:
And those rights are exactly what the ERG and other hard-right Tories, UKIP and all those to the right of them want to scrap ASAP.
Click to expand...
Exactly. How many people who voted leave actually realise that their working conditions would be changed?

I, for example get about an extra 40% of my annual income through on call and monthly overtime. Since 2017, under EU law, I also get an amount paid if I take holiday as additional holiday pay so I am not penalised for having contracted time off - which may I add is underpinned in EU Employment law too.

One of my favourite sayings is to be careful what you wish for. Maybe I shouldn't worry as I have a way out to my daughter in Atlanta (though there is the Trump issue there...), but I feel sorry for any worker or person left behind with a Brexit.

...and breathe.
 
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The way the parties are acting at the moment it is no wonder so many people voted to stay. I’m beginning to think they had a better strategy. I’m beginning to think we as a country need someone else to run us. We certainly don’t seem capable at the moment..........
May deciding to talk to Corbyn........ why the hell has it taken 2.5 years for her to realise this?
2.5 years totally wasted on not making arrangements and total waffle. Neither party is going to come out of this with any honour. If ever there was an oportunity for a strong party to be formed it would be now!!

As I feared the lunatics on the Brexit side are starting to raise their ugly heads. Things on railway lines to delay rains.....trouble on so called peaceful marches? .......oh god help us. Is this the beginning of what’s to come? This I certainly didn’t vote for. Why on earth do they think this is the way to go........
 
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Beddytare said:
The way the parties are acting at the moment it is no wonder so many people voted to stay. I’m beginning to think they had a better strategy. I’m beginning to think we as a country need someone else to run us. We certainly don’t seem capable at the moment..........
May deciding to talk to Corbyn........ why the hell has it taken 2.5 years for her to realise this?
2.5 years totally wasted on not making arrangements and total waffle. Neither party is going to come out of this with any honour. If ever there was an oportunity for a strong party to be formed it would be now!!

As I feared the lunatics on the Brexit side are starting to raise their ugly heads. Things on railway lines to delay rains.....trouble on so called peaceful marches? .......oh god help us. Is this the beginning of what’s to come? This I certainly didn’t vote for. Why on earth do they think this is the way to go........
Click to expand...

....And I agree with a Brexiteer ;)
 
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ChilcoSaint said:
98 reasons to stay in the EU:
  1. Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDP
  2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
  3. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
  4. With Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighbours
  5. Tariff-free trade within the EU
  6. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members
  7. Participation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU member
  8. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services
  9. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
  10. Cheaper food and alcohol imports from continental Europe
  11. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
  12. 3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EU
  13. Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
  14. Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
  15. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League
  16. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion
  17. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU
  18. No paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single market
  19. Price transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the Eurozone
  20. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
  21. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)
  22. No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)
  23. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU
  24. British banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU
  25. Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
  26. Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)
  27. Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
  28. EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” project
  29. Financial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
  30. EU funding for the British film industry
  31. EU funding for British theatre, music and dance
  32. EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league
  33. Glasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economies
  34. EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
  35. Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU
  36. Human Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
  37. The death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membership
  38. Minority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU law
  39. The right to reside in any EU member state
  40. The freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictions
  41. The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
  42. The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
  43. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU
  44. The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
  45. The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)
  46. The freedom to set up a business in 28 countries
  47. The ability to retire in any member state
  48. Pension transferability
  49. The right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member state
  50. EU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continent
  51. The right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)
  52. Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EU
  53. The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
  54. Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)
  55. Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
  56. Reductions in sewage emissions
  57. Improvements in the quality of beaches and bathing water
  58. EU standards on the quality of drinking water
  59. Restrictions on landfill dumping
  60. EU targets for recycling
  61. Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
  62. The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
  63. EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
  64. Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
  65. Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
  66. Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry
  67. Membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)
  68. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
  69. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
  70. EU funding for UK universities
  71. Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of Euratom
  72. Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
  73. Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
  74. The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime
  75. Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
  76. Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
  77. EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
  78. EU rules governing health and safety at work
  79. The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
  80. The UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen area
  81. Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66%of its net contribution to the EU budget
  82. EU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, ****philes, people traffickers and cyber-crime
  83. The European common arrest warrant
  84. Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
  85. EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety
  86. Improved food labeling
  87. A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
  88. Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
  89. Common EU air passenger rights
  90. Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
  91. Mutual recognition of the common European driving license
  92. The introduction of the European pet passport
  93. The abolition of mobile telephone roaming charges
  94. The EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday Agreement
  95. A frictionless Irish border
  96. The EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of Gibraltar
  97. The EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British tourists
  98. EU membership has helped facilitate inter-cultural dialogue
Click to expand...
You would have thought this sort of information was a no-brainer for staying within the EU. All this info was available at the time for those willing to look. Instead, a significant few percentage people more didn't use their brains. A different kind of no-brainer. Tbh, I don't know why politicians are so desperate to carry on through with this obvious mistake made by lied-to, and otherwise uninformed, electorate at the time. Now there is clearly no real appetite amongst the majority to carry this through, as the truth has started to hit home. Does anyone really want to go back to the general standards of the 1970's?
 
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Beddytare said:
The way the parties are acting at the moment it is no wonder so many people voted to stay. I’m beginning to think they had a better strategy. I’m beginning to think we as a country need someone else to run us. We certainly don’t seem capable at the moment..........
May deciding to talk to Corbyn........ why the hell has it taken 2.5 years for her to realise this?
2.5 years totally wasted on not making arrangements and total waffle. Neither party is going to come out of this with any honour. If ever there was an oportunity for a strong party to be formed it would be now!!

As I feared the lunatics on the Brexit side are starting to raise their ugly heads. Things on railway lines to delay rains.....trouble on so called peaceful marches? .......oh god help us. Is this the beginning of what’s to come? This I certainly didn’t vote for. Why on earth do they think this is the way to go........
Click to expand...
How these negotiations could be by the (minority) government rather than parliament given the cross party support for staying or going is completely beyond me. The structure and perameters of the negotiation team should have been set before art. 50 was triggered if not pre referendum.

Neddy, your recent posts hint at you leaving the dark side and coming over to the light. Come on nipper you know it's time. Don't forget to bring bro Beddy with you to.<cheers>
 
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ChilcoSaint said:
98 reasons to stay in the EU:
  1. Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDP
  2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
  3. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
  4. With Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighbours
  5. Tariff-free trade within the EU
  6. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members
  7. Participation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU member
  8. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services
  9. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
  10. Cheaper food and alcohol imports from continental Europe
  11. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
  12. 3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EU
  13. Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
  14. Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
  15. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League
  16. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion
  17. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU
  18. No paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single market
  19. Price transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the Eurozone
  20. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
  21. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)
  22. No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)
  23. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU
  24. British banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU
  25. Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
  26. Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)
  27. Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
  28. EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” project
  29. Financial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
  30. EU funding for the British film industry
  31. EU funding for British theatre, music and dance
  32. EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league
  33. Glasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economies
  34. EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
  35. Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU
  36. Human Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
  37. The death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membership
  38. Minority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU law
  39. The right to reside in any EU member state
  40. The freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictions
  41. The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
  42. The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
  43. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU
  44. The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
  45. The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)
  46. The freedom to set up a business in 28 countries
  47. The ability to retire in any member state
  48. Pension transferability
  49. The right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member state
  50. EU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continent
  51. The right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)
  52. Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EU
  53. The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
  54. Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)
  55. Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
  56. Reductions in sewage emissions
  57. Improvements in the quality of beaches and bathing water
  58. EU standards on the quality of drinking water
  59. Restrictions on landfill dumping
  60. EU targets for recycling
  61. Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
  62. The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
  63. EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
  64. Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
  65. Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
  66. Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry
  67. Membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)
  68. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
  69. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
  70. EU funding for UK universities
  71. Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of Euratom
  72. Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
  73. Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
  74. The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime
  75. Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
  76. Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
  77. EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
  78. EU rules governing health and safety at work
  79. The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
  80. The UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen area
  81. Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66%of its net contribution to the EU budget
  82. EU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, ****philes, people traffickers and cyber-crime
  83. The European common arrest warrant
  84. Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
  85. EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety
  86. Improved food labeling
  87. A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
  88. Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
  89. Common EU air passenger rights
  90. Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
  91. Mutual recognition of the common European driving license
  92. The introduction of the European pet passport
  93. The abolition of mobile telephone roaming charges
  94. The EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday Agreement
  95. A frictionless Irish border
  96. The EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of Gibraltar
  97. The EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British tourists
  98. EU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogue
Click to expand...
But apart from that, what has the EU ever done for us?
 
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