Brexit, the economy and house prices (Part 3)

michaels

andrewf75 wrote: »

It is largely lack of confidence that led to the Brexit vote. If you know Aussies or Canadians they are very confident in themselves and outward looking. If they were European countries they'd be leading players in the EU not hangers on for sure. In terms of confidence in their national identity they are much more like the French or Irish. They know who they are and don't feel that sharing a few regulations or even currency is a threat to that. The sad thing is we struggle with national identity

Surely it would even more 'sense' for Canada to form a common economic and political area with the US than it does for the UK with the EU. And yet they have political differences that means this will never happen. Why can't those in favour of the EU understand that perhaps the UK does not want to have the same laws as the EU 27 in the same way that Canada does not want to have its laws dictated by the US 50?

kabayiri

Rusty_Shackleton wrote: »

The main reason being that an awful lot of people speak English to some degree or another so the UK is an easy place to live with regards to language barriers.
...

Err, there are 1.3 million school children in the UK who do not have English as a first language. Clearly, if their parents were fluent in English, then so would the kids be.

The fact that we still cope with such an enormous number, which has grown over the last decade, means the UK is actually one of the places with the least barriers.

kabayiri

lisyloo wrote: »

...

How can it be black and white?

It's not.

For me, it's direction of travel.

Is the EU heading in a direction I feel happy with, and which I think will bring greater prosperity to the individuals (stuff the political class, they will always survive) ?

And the answer to that is no. I think the unity and prosperity of the club changed when they switched to an expansionist outlook.

As always, YMMV.

Rusty_Shackleton

michaels wrote: »

Surely it would even more 'sense' for Canada to form a common economic and political area with the US than it does for the UK with the EU. And yet they have political differences that means this will never happen. Why can't those in favour of the EU understand that perhaps the UK does not want to have the same laws as the EU 27 in the same way that Canada does not want to have its laws dictated by the US 50?

Have you heard of NAFTA?

The problem with the "laws made in the EU" debate is the type of laws which are actually made in the EU. Most are to do with trade and standards... which we will still be subject to in one way or another when we leave. It's not like the EU sets a lot of what people traditionally think of as laws, i.e. to do with crime and punishment, they don't touch on most areas of taxation, and so on.

setmefree2

Another day, more insults.....

Top EU Official Says Britain Was ‘Stupid’ to Vote for Brexit

The U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union was “stupid”

“Brexit is bad, and it’s a stupid decision,” Selmayr said

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-04/britain-was-stupid-to-vote-for-brexit-top-eu-official-says

andrewf75

michaels wrote: »

Surely it would even more 'sense' for Canada to form a common economic and political area with the US than it does for the UK with the EU. And yet they have political differences that means this will never happen. Why can't those in favour of the EU understand that perhaps the UK does not want to have the same laws as the EU 27 in the same way that Canada does not want to have its laws dictated by the US 50?

I think in an ideal world every country would want to do its own thing so of course we understand that.
But we don't live in an ideal world. Europe is a continent of many small countries with a troubled history so what makes sense here is not the same as what makes sense in another region.
You just can't compare. A union of the US and Canada would be the US ruling over Canada so they obviously would not want that!

andrewf75

kabayiri wrote: »

And the answer to that is no. I think the unity and prosperity of the club changed when they switched to an expansionist outlook.
.

Ironically driven by the UK, which was always interested in free markets rather than closer union

Rusty_Shackleton

kabayiri wrote: »

Err, there are 1.3 million school children in the UK who do not have English as a first language. Clearly, if their parents were fluent in English, then so would the kids be.

The fact that we still cope with such an enormous number, which has grown over the last decade, means the UK is actually one of the places with the least barriers.

I meant the UK has low barriers with regards to language. Perhaps wanting their kids to speak fluent English is another reason for migrants to come here? Also, a figure that states people who don't have English as a first language will include those who speak English fluently, but it's not their first language

setmefree2

Backtracking by Barnier or correction?

Barnier denies trying to lecture UK over Brexit

The EU’s Brexit chief has denied telling an audience of top financiers that the UK must be “taught” about the costs of exiting the bloc. “I said: #Brexit = occasion to explain single market benefits in all countries, [including] my own. We do not want to ‘educate’ or ‘teach lessons’”, Michel Barnier tweeted after media reports over comments he made at the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy at the weekend.

https://www.ft.com/content/cf9e045c-ff12-3389-90d6-9ec2e6b2463f

Hell has no fury like a spurned EU.

Thrugelmir

andrewf75 wrote: »

Ironically driven by the UK, which was always interested in free markets rather than closer union

The UK joined the Common Market , a trade area. That was all.