If we were to rejoin the EU tomorrow, what benefits would you miss most about Brexit?

[Taipan]

The EU won't be around for much longer, as soon as France, Italy and Spain see how well the UK is doing they'll be out as well. They need us more than we need them.

Cant see the EU members ever being allowed a vote. But if they were, and I am a betting man, and yes, my money would be on definitely be on France, Spain and Italy leaving.

[DefTrap]

Cant see the EU members ever being allowed a vote. But if they were, and I am a betting man, and yes, my money would be on definitely be on France, Spain and Italy leaving.

Pretty sure Le Pen's claimed policy is to be a big old pain in the arse with the EU (a bit like the UK was before Brexit then), taking the bits from the EU that they like and ignoring ('negotiating') the rest.

[Docca]

The thread title was childish to start with, I never expected anything but mmpp from it.

This response always reminds me of plums you get in TV quiz shows moaning that they weren’t asked the right questions. Y’know, the ones they knew the answers to.

Whether or not the question was highbrow enough for some, the responses have underlined a paucity or even complete absence of argument regarding benefits of Brexit.

It's an unanswerable question without an economic and social model of how the UK would now have been had the UK not left the EU, because that's what is really behind this question.

I guess it’s not quite as catchy to put that on the side of a bus

[Ant]

Bus rage! Pull down those statues! Scream "it's not fair!!!!!!"

[DefTrap]

It's an unanswerable question without an economic and social model of how the UK would now have been had the UK not left the EU, because that's what is really behind this question.

Well, it's an easy excuse at least.

[Pirahna]

Yeah I've also heard of folk who are officially resident in the EU still trying to bomb about in UK registered cars, and getting fined at borders.
It's a fair cop - what did they think was going to happen?

Just a quote back today to put my van onto Spanish plates, the bloke uses the Brexit withdrawal agreement to run the van through his Northern Irish business and avoid paying import duties, still 2200 Euros though.

[DefTrap]

Just a quote back today to put my van onto Spanish plates, the bloke uses the Brexit withdrawal agreement to run the van through his Northern Irish business and avoid paying import duties, still 2200 Euros though.

Importing vehicles was only ever cheap (and even that is disputable because of the inevitable lack of appeal for selling-on RHD vehicles abroad) because of the disparity in s/h vehicles prices but now you have to pay duty on them it's just not worth it. Hence why I'm seeing loads more ads for folk desperately trying to flog rhd UK reg vehicles on the continent (mainly in Spain).

[Pirahna]

Just a quote back today to put my van onto Spanish plates, the bloke uses the Brexit withdrawal agreement to run the van through his Northern Irish business and avoid paying import duties, still 2200 Euros though.

Importing vehicles was only ever cheap (and even that is disputable because of the inevitable lack of appeal for selling-on RHD vehicles abroad) because of the disparity in s/h vehicles prices but now you have to pay duty on them it's just not worth it. Hence why I'm seeing loads more ads for folk desperately trying to flog rhd UK reg vehicles on the continent (mainly in Spain).

The reason for putting it on Spanish plates is that I can legally drive it. I'll also be able to move my remaining stuff over from the UK without too many problems. It's cheaper to do the plate swap than pay a removal company. When the time comes to sell it'll go back onto UK plates.

Driving is another thing. Apparently a deal was reached at the start of the year so that the Spanish would exchange a UK license, there's still no sign of it going through the Spanish parliament though. My 6 months of legal driving will be up in mid May. I might go to Ireland and swap for an Irish license, I might join the rest of the illegally driving Brits, I know quit a few.

[irie]

It's an unanswerable question without an economic and social model of how the UK would now have been had the UK not left the EU, because that's what is really behind this question.

Well, it's an easy excuse at least.

Well, that's a glib out.

[irie]

This response always reminds me of plums you get in TV quiz shows moaning that they weren’t asked the right questions. Y’know, the ones they knew the answers to.

Whether or not the question was highbrow enough for some, the responses have underlined a paucity or even complete absence of argument regarding benefits of Brexit.

It's an unanswerable question without an economic and social model of how the UK would now have been had the UK not left the EU, because that's what is really behind this question.

I guess it’s not quite as catchy to put that on the side of a bus

See above.

[ChrisW]

Yeah I've also heard of folk who are officially resident in the EU still trying to bomb about in UK registered cars, and getting fined at borders.
It's a fair cop - what did they think was going to happen?

I know a few people who are trying to find ways to scrap their UK registered cars that have been on the continent for far, far too long.

[Count Steer]

It's an unanswerable question without an economic and social model of how the UK would now have been had the UK not left the EU, because that's what is really behind this question.

Well, it's an easy excuse at least.

It is a bit like saying that the great plague, the world wars, covid and polio might have been OK or actually were really good because we don't have 'a social and economic model' of how things would have turned out without them. I can think of a few things that I wouldn't have lost if we'd stayed in...but using the proposed argument I might have been run over by a bus in some bizarre situation if we hadn't left so I can't claim that I've lost them.

[Horse]

I might have been run over by a bus

A red one? With writing on the side?

[Count Steer]

I might have been run over by a bus

A red one? With writing on the side?

Dunno, I never saw the sides, it just steamrollered over me. I think the driver and all on board were drunk.

[Mr. Dazzle]

It's an unanswerable question without an economic and social model of how the UK would now have been had the UK not left the EU, because that's what is really behind this question.

Well, it's an easy excuse at least.

It is a bit like saying that the great plague, the world wars, covid and polio might have been OK or actually were really good because we don't have 'a social and economic model' of how things would have turned out without them. I can think of a few things that I wouldn't have lost if we'd stayed in...but using the proposed argument I might have been run over by a bus in some bizarre situation if we hadn't left so I can't claim that I've lost them.

It's a total fucking cop out, that's what it is.

You could use exactly the same argument to make the polar opposite point, therefore it's pretty useless as points go

[Horse]

If there have been tangible benefits from leaving the EU, someone will be able to list them.

FYI:
Without training, humans can manage about 30 to 90 seconds underwater before needing to take a breath. If we're swimming underwater, this figure may be much lower! On 27 March 2021, Croatia's Budimir Šobat achieved the world record for breath-holding underwater, with a time of 24 minutes and 37 seconds.

[Pirahna]

If there have been tangible benefits from leaving the EU, someone will be able to list them.

Not so soon, please. This is a long term project, ask again when we're all dead.

[demographic]

If there have been tangible benefits from leaving the EU, someone will be able to list them.

Not so soon, please. This is a long term project, ask again when we're all dead.

As soon as that? FFS, impatient git.

[DefTrap]

Well, that's a glib out.

I think you made it clear, there aren't any circumstances where the brexit boys will be convinced. Because blah covid, blah ukraine, blah energy crisis, blah enough decades haven't passed. So why bother.

[mangocrazy]

Brexit has all the hallmarks of a cult; the High Priests (Farage, Johnson, Rees-Mogg), the True Believers (most of the Parliamentary Tory Party) and the unquestioning acolytes. It's a Faith-based thing, y'know...