Certain of the UK's current problems can undoubtedly be attributed to Brexit (mostly as a result of revenge from the EU), but not as many as certain hard-core 'remainers' would have you believe. It was always predicted that there would be teething problems, and we are beginning to see where things could (should) be changed. I must declare my interest; I voted to remain.
Overall I think that Brexit will prove to be good for the future of the UK, but there will continue to be a settling-down period for some time.
I would like to suggest to Boris & Co that they look long and hard at where improvements to his leaving 'deal' could be made; not only to make post-Brexit life easier for the UK, but also for the EU who have much more to lose.
There are two major issues; The Single Market, and Freedom of Movement. Both must be addressed as soon as possible. There is no reason why the UK's leaving the EU should have such a punishing effect on both sides; the UK should apply to re-join The Single Market as soon as is possible.
The Single Market is not dissimilar to The Common Market that the UK joined back in 1973. It guarantees free movement of goods, services, capital, and people. It enabled all citizens to study, live, shop, work, and even retire, in any member country. Nothing nasty about that.
Freedom of Movement within member countries was known as 'The Schengen Agreement', which also included non-member countries such as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Most of this is already covered by The Single Market.
Re-applying to join The Single Market, and to renew European Freedom of movement, would not be seen as backing down, just relaxing rules that are creating difficulties on both sides of the Channel.
I would like to see Boris opening-up negotiations as soon as possible when the Covid crisis calms. It would be good for everyone, and would not affect the UK's (so-called) 'regained sovereignty'.
You display an optimistic and forgiving attitude to Brexit. To me it is a living nightmare. Our people were led up the garden path and cruelly misinformed like the children in "The Pied Piper of Hamelin".
ReplyDeleteI don't think it will prove to be all bad, but we should have stayed in The Single Market; there is no down-side to free trade, movement, etc. Leaving it has given too much ammunition to the likes of Macron, Markel, and von der Leyen.
DeleteBritain has returned to being the sick man of Europe that it was before joining the EU in the 70s.
ReplyDeleteThink back to all the problems we had then....we are back to them now
Many of the problems are due to retaliation from the powerful remaining EU members. They were, and still are, very angry about Brexit, and their loss of the the UK's £billions. One way we could get them back on side would be through trade and travel. They are the two major things that affect most people.
DeleteMost of the feedback I get from Europe is that people are sad that we left, and can't understand why we did it.They don't need to add to our self inflicted problems.
DeleteBeing in a trading block would make sense.unfortunately many leavers seemed to reject that..why I don't know.
It looks now as if Poland is considering leaving. If the EU returned to being a trading block (with freedom of movement), no-one would have problems with them.
DeleteI can see why such an arrangement would appear attractive to you. Good luck with it, we all have to dream.
ReplyDeleteCan you see anything against a Single Market? We wouldn't have to be EU members to join.
DeleteYes. They are empire building rogues and that is how the whole Ponzi scheme started. I am happier without the nonsense and would be happier still if we decimated the public sector parasites.
DeleteWhen we originally joined The Common Market, it was a good thing. If we could have that back again, it would be good again; but without all the United States of Europe tripe.
DeleteIt was protectionist and it can't work without imposing restrictions on our trade.
DeleteWe now have a global market. On your other point of freedom of movement, we can introduce whatever immigration policy we like to have and we are currently doing so.
ReplyDeleteI do hope we will have a Global Market, but with people like Biden around (and his rose tinted Irish glasses) it can falter very easily. I do agree, most is going well.
DeleteYes, the UK can make its own immigration rules, but that doesn't stop the EU sticking to theirs.
What the EU wish to do with their rules is of no concern of mine. If there is someone they want most desperately from here to contribute to their workforce they will soon issue a visa.
DeleteAll that's happened thanks to Brexshite is to complicate things unnecessarily.
ReplyDeleteU
It's also given ammunition to those with deep-rooted anti UK feelings.
DeleteIt only delays the formation of the Fourth Reich. Don't panic they will think of another angle.
DeleteI voted to remain, but if I was to vote today I would vote leave. As an independent country we have moved quicker when needed, yes Brexit has caused issues, they were expected. The virus has been the biggest interruption for normal life, it's just a shame the 2 came together.
ReplyDeleteI wrote recently that having seen all the post-Brexit nastiness from the EU bigwigs, I would have voted leave too.
DeleteGeneral de Gaulle always said 'Non'. It is said that when asked why there were two churches where he lived, Colombey-les-deux-Eglises, he said it was because they worship God in the other one.
ReplyDeleteHe was wonderful. He spent most of the war safely in England, then led a victory parade along the Champs Elysees at the end of occupation.
DeleteI voted leave. They will never let us back in the Single Market like Norway etc as we are, as you say, being punished for leaving the EU and not paying for a large share of it's upkeep. High inflation, Covid, shortage of drivers are also rife in the EU and the sheep in the UK are still being told that our woes are due to being post Brexit.
ReplyDeleteNo petrol shortage here, but I have noticed a few empty shelves in the shops.
Deletei wonder if some who voted for Brexit have regrets as the impact begins. I won't say anything about the single market as I don't know about it, but you do seem to be on the money so far as that goes.
ReplyDeleteI expect some regret certain aspects of Brexit; especially the free movement side of things. Free trade is also important, which could be regained by going back into The Single Market.
DeleteWe just sink deeper and deeper into the Slough of Despond if the papers and the News are tobe believed. Oh for a bit of good news.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the gloom is affecting many countries. It's not just the UK who is feeling down.
DeleteYou document a clear and direct plan of action. People and goods should be able to move with ease. Global markets require ease of movement with out restriction. The EU should not hinder our global market.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I see it. Others are more insular and think we're better off trading with the rest of the world. I think we had a reasonable agreement with the EU previously, apart from their ever more federal ambitions, and that should continue.
DeleteMy thoughts are similar to what Andrew said. Being all the way downunder in Australia, I don't really understand enough about the whole Brexit thing. Is Lichtenstein a separate country? I always thought it was part of Germany.
ReplyDeleteI found it in my big Atlas, it's so tiny!
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