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BREXIT? Am I just plain stupid?

(419 Posts)
Bluegal Wed 15-Nov-17 16:15:10

I am 64 years old, voted to stay in EU but we were outvoted.

I have no IDEA what all the talks on Brexit actually mean? OK...readily admit I am not the brightest (political) spark in the box but when I hear discussions, I have absolutely no idea what they are going on about? Do I just tune out somehow? Could I make any sense if I paid more attention?

What the heck does it all mean?

Any pointers would be most and truly appreciated. Help this old foggie understand what is going on Aaaarahhhhh

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 21:07:39

Already saying that lots of people will not be able to afford their five a day fruit and veg.

POGS Mon 20-Nov-17 21:07:54

whitewave

Have you not heard Merkel and others such as Donald Tusk, Junker talk of Brexit and the Free Movement of People in the same breath?

news.sky.com/story/merkel-no-single-market-without-free-movement-for-eu-citizens-10723535

Ms Merkel told civil servants in Cologne that "cherry picking" by UK negotiators "would have fatal consequences" for the 27 states left in the EU.

"Britain is, for sure, an important partner with whom one would want to have good relations even after an exit from the EU," she said.

"(But) access to the single market is only possible under the condition of adherence to the four basic principles (movement of goods, capital, people, and services)."
-

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/17/angela-merkel-says-uk-will-pay-price-eu-immigration-restricted/

“If the British government ends the free movement of people, that will have its price in relations with Britain,” Mrs Merkel told a meeting of trade union officials in Berlin."

She did not mention Brexit in her prepared speech, only addressing the subject in answer to questions. But when she did her language was unusually blunt.

Mrs Merkel has been steadfast in her defence of freedom of movement throughout the Brexit process, describing it as one of the “pillars” of the EU and insisting the UK cannot have access to the single market if it seeks to limit EU immigration.

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 21:11:48

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-northern-ireland-border-michel-barnier-customs-union-ports-britain-a8064931.html

This is interesting, whitewave. Someone's thinking of Northern Ireland.

lemongrove Mon 20-Nov-17 21:16:51

Well of course POGS but those who are even now resistant to leaving the EU do not want to think about that, and insist it can still be done.It can’t.

petra Mon 20-Nov-17 21:18:55

POGS
If things go pear shaped for Merkel, and it looks very much as if they could grin her opinions won't mean diddly squat.
The knives are out for her.

whitewave Mon 20-Nov-17 21:22:37

pogs it was always about labour and not people as I’m sure you know.

POGS Mon 20-Nov-17 21:28:28

I will tell Angela, Donald and Jean Claude to stop using the term Free Movement of People and the 4 Pillars/Freedoms in the same breath when I see them next.

lemongrove Mon 20-Nov-17 21:30:23

grin

whitewave Mon 20-Nov-17 21:33:09

If you don’t distinguish between the two the single market makes no sense.

The model was always the intention, and recognition, that the more prosperous and expanding economies would pull in business and labour. The wealthier countries contributing to the whole to provide better business expansion opportunities for less well off members thus gradually expanding business and labour opportunities throughout the EU.

No one can deny that as a model it hasn’t been successful. What we can deny is that the euro has been a success story. But of course along with other stuff we opted out of joining that.

GracesGranMK2 Mon 20-Nov-17 21:36:16

Well of course POGS but those who are even now resistant to leaving the EU do not want to think about that, and insist it can still be done.It can’t.

Back to just personal remarks again Lemons!

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 21:41:45

"Brussels' chief Brexit negotiator has made the case for Northern Ireland remaining in the European Union customs union after Britain leaves the EU, to solve a deadlock in talks over the Irish border.

Michel Barnier said there were already over 100 areas where Northern Ireland implemented special rules to harmonise with the Republic and argued that Brexit called for a "specific solution" to "unique circumstances".

Speaking at a think-tank in Brussels the senior EU official said "those who wanted Brexit" must come up with solutions to solve the conundrums it had created."

If Northern Ireland can stay in the customs union, why not the rest of the UK?

Oh, I forgot, I want us to stay in the whole of the EU.

lemongrove Mon 20-Nov-17 21:44:28

GracesGranM2 it is not a personal remark given that many Remainers both on GN and in RL seem to think we can stay in the single market and customs union etc when of course we can’t.
Your idea of personal remarks and mine differ.

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 21:46:30

Northern Ireland is going to be allowed to stay in the customs union.

whitewave Mon 20-Nov-17 21:46:49

But there will still have to be a border somewhere if we leave, otherwise what is stopping the U.K. importing inferior goods and sliding them over the border in Ireland? It won’t work. Of even our own goods - being smuggled tariff free?

petra Mon 20-Nov-17 22:04:28

GracesGran
I didn't notice lemon referring to anyone personally.

lemongrove Mon 20-Nov-17 22:07:59

Which kind of defines a ‘personal’ remark Petra grin or did, when I last looked.
Referring to a group of people, cannot be personal.

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 22:47:10

jackofkent.com/2017/11/the-uncertainty-of-brexit/

Jack of Kent blog.
The EU are expecting the Ireland/UK border to be at the ports. There are lots of areas where Northern Ireland already has special rules because of the border anyway.

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 22:55:22

This is still your country too ( unless you decamp to Denmark.)

Not personal?
How many people would that be directed at?

durhamjen Mon 20-Nov-17 22:58:05

Whitewave, Amazon uses Ireland as its head office as it is to avoid paying taxes. It would be no different. Google did until Ireland changed the rules. It now uses Guernsey or Jersey.

Perhaps Brexit will sort out country by country reporting.

GracesGranMK2 Mon 20-Nov-17 23:31:38

Didn't you Petra? I rarely notice her making any contribution to the topic just making remarks that are personal about the people whose view she doesn't share. Not nice however you cut it.

Tegan2 Tue 21-Nov-17 00:02:22

Is it true that Eurotunnel is going to be called Getlink? It is a joke, right?

whitewave Tue 21-Nov-17 07:29:59

tegan Eurotunnel is really interesting as for tax purposes it is mirrored in each country. With regard to domestic taxation, then one would expect things to continue as normally, but with vat as a European wide taxregulation, it will be interesting to see how this is dealt with.

whitewave Tue 21-Nov-17 07:31:44

What am I talking about! There will probably be a referendum to close it to keep those nasty furriners out.

whitewave Tue 21-Nov-17 08:48:46

Looking back at the immigration directive. I believe that unlike Maybot in her initial barnstorming attitude winning no friends in Brussels, Corbyn, in a quieter and more adult approach, in his objective to stop British Workers being undercut by immigrant labour has persuaded Macron to put forward reform to the EU posted workers directive.

So I think that given reasoned, adult and intelligent persuasion, it is more than possible to get a ruling on immigration that the U.K. and indeed the rest of Europe can live with and still be a member of the SM/CU.

durhamjen Tue 21-Nov-17 08:50:05

link.mail.bloombergbusiness.com/click/11326204.19768/aHR0cDovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29tL1Blc3Rvbi9zdGF0dXNlcy85MzI2ODU0MTk4NjI1NDg0ODI/5903b40bdd4c29f5748b45a1B0f113964

This is interesting. May has given in on allowing the ECJ to oversee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK.