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UK votes to leave EU

bbc.co.uk

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Re: UK votes to leave EU

#121

Post by Gatsky »

Yet another example that immigration policy trumps pretty well all other concerns. This has played out several times in Australia. 5% of the population suddenly voted for a nationalist candidate Pauline Hanson who came from nowhere, had no policies, no credibility and no clue just because she was against immigration. Major political parties took note that day, and since then they have in various roundabout ways adopted a similar stance on immigration, knowing that it is electoral suicide to entertain reform.

It was sobering to see Brexit campaigners citing Australia's immigration policy as a 'good system'. In reality it is the opposite of courageous and humane government. But clearly, it's what people want...

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#122

Post by beninvalencia »

As other comments have noted, the point is that the EU will not want to give the UK a good deal on leaving, because the EU does not want to give any encouragement to the other countries which want to leave the EU (some of which want to leave more strongly than the UK do - apparently).

Secondly, why would the UK end up with a Norway or Switzerland deal, when the UK is the 5th largest economy in the world? This is unprecedented. This isn't some one sided negotiation.

The EU needs the UK. If you sift through the garbage press, you'll see that the BDI in Germany - "The Voice of German Industry" - says that trade curbs against the UK would be "foolish". Of course they would be! Do you know how many German cars are sold in the UK each year?

"About a fifth of all cars produced in Germany last year, or around 820,000 vehicles, were exported to the UK, making it the single biggest destination by volume." Source: FT.com

"The UK is the fourth-biggest export market for German engineering companies, with sales of €6.8bn last year." Source: FT.com

The scaremongering goes on even after the vote has been called...

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#123

Post by bjourne »

thesimpsons1022 wrote: post #93

anyone else concerned? The entire world seems to be moving towards fascist right wing nationalist politics. Whether it is the brexit, trumpism, or the austrian elections. Europe keeps getting destabilized. If i was an enemy of europe and freedom, id be cheering. Instead i'm deeply concerned.

I don't think the EU was stable to begin with. See the refugee problems, Greece financial situation, North vs. South gap, different economies... It's better we end the relationships on good terms like this than be dragged into a US Civil War scenario.

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#124

Post by franciscop »

mudil wrote: post #36

You know what? Some of us are sick of regulations from Brussels, of unelected bureaucracy, of CE Marks of approval, of socialism, of rampant immigration, of refugees, of Russian prostitutes, of Polish kielbasa shops in London, of feeling like foreigners in our own land. And we might not be in the minority anymore.

I am so sorry to hear that you feel sick about refugees (among others). Maybe it's better that you leave the EU after all.

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#125

Post by gnoway »

nerfhammer wrote: post #112
dangjc wrote: post #95

It's amazing that such deep constitutional change will be achieved with such a slim majority. 48% of British people will be ejected out of the EU essentially against their will. The UK has always embraced first past the post voting, but it really shows here how it creates very discontinuous inflection points.

FPTP makes no difference when there are only two possible options.

It's surprising that the referendum will pass with a simple majority, though. This seems like a 2/3 or 3/4 kind of decision to me.

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#126

Post by Yhippa »

dangjc wrote: post #95

It's amazing that such deep constitutional change will be achieved with such a slim majority. 48% of British people will be ejected out of the EU essentially against their will. The UK has always embraced first past the post voting, but it really shows here how it creates very discontinuous inflection points.

This is the most shocking thing to me. It's almost non-negliible. It makes me feel slightly better about living in a republic like the US as opposed to a direct democracy.

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#129

Post by rangibaby »

lettergram wrote: post #60

It's called the commonwealth, and it includes 30 percent of the land mass of earth.

There's not much "common wealth" in the Commonwealth though. I think the main extent of our cooperation is hosting the Commonwealth Games every few years.

I wonder if the UK will start buying NZ dairy products again. UK joining the EEC (they went from taking 75% of NZ cheese exports to <10%) and the oil shock in 1973 basically tanked the NZ economy.

Re: UK votes to leave EU

#130

Post by antr »

mcorrand wrote: post #25
martythemaniak wrote: post #13

Is Scotland going to be exiting the UK next? Guess we'll see in a few years. Hard to know what will happen here, but I suspect once the UK (or what's left of it) signs a trade deal with the EU, they'll get the same deal as Norway - all the compliance with EU regulations, with none of the say. I suppose people may be happy with that deal, as long as they can get to say they're "free". I'm hoping this somehow leave the…

Gibraltar may want out too, they voted almost unanimously to remain and they probably won't want to be locked into their detroit by a UE border

If the UK leaves, Gibraltar, or Scotland for that matter, can't stay. They would have to apply again for EU membership. It's a big mess for everyone.
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