Benefits of rejoining the EU

[jgw1]

It has been suggested on another thread that it would be a good idea to have a thread for us to share the benefits of rejoining the EU.

I thought I would be bold enough to do so, and suggest the first benefit.

The UK would then be rule maker not a rule taker..

This. We visit The Netherlands every year and it's just a country that works. Everything here feels broken now. It's almost impossible to get a GP appointment, the rivers are full of shit and trains are horrendous.

What is the opposite of Isolationism?

That is what UK would get from rejoining, and all benefits will flow from that.

Hubris and an imperial/colonial mindset are the UKs downfall. No man or country is an island. Apart from North Korea that is.

@beguilingeyes Britain needs a complete reset - we need to look at these other places and why they work. In Denmark cheap and good childcare meant that both people in a couple usually worked, and very often had good social housing (modern flats and townhouses with balconies or patios etc) far healthier tax take, less income top ups (partly due to far less private renting and healthier pensions) higher wages, but far more covered off from tax - my own view is that we need to look at the way they work. I believe local councils are funded centrally too .

Reversing the current skills shortages in things like Educational psychology, psychiatry and specialist therapies.

Not running out of medication would be a benefit.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-brexit-medicine-supply-shortage-b2442211.html

Being able to get the chemicals to purify our water so that untreated sewage isn't everywhere.

One benefit is the stabling influence the UK gave to the EU. If we was still part of it the Dutch would not be rising up and voting far right wing politicians in.
I had an annoying conversation with a colleague today who claimed the EU are always "two steps behind the UK" and said the Dutch are looking at us with envy, just like other nations and they are closing their borders, just like we said they should.
I was spitting mad and hope we rejoin soon even just to wipe the smug smile off her face.

At a lower standard

Is that actually true though? Whenever I've been to EU countries there attitudes to health and safety leaves a lot to be desired. It's actually quite liberating at times but that's not the point.

One example, plug sockets in bathrooms. WTF is that all about, no way could you have those in the UK.

the condescending behaviour of the EU - and by extension - mainstream political parties in member countries is a major reason why people have voted in increasing numbers for parties like the PVV, Front National, Alternative fur Deutschland, Vox and Vlaams Belang.

Going to continue until they wake up

The benefits for most people are free travel. That ranges from easy holidays to work and relocation. There’s also pretty-much free travel of items for trade. We cannot produce everything we need on this island and our nearest neighbours are our natural first trading partners. We should not be looking to the other side of the world for relatively straightforward grocery imports, especially not of perishable goods. The environment can’t take that kind of impact. Smaller supply chains are always better.

Slightly more subtle are the flows of information in the sense of cultural diversity and growth of trust across our long-term neighbours and the building of a continent-wide consensus and alliance. There are matters that concern the whole continent and collective response would be more effective. From tax evasion and trade standards to environmental to immigration and war, yes the EU hasn’t always responded in an ideal manner imo and there is too much political jockeying, but that principle has helped to prevent or minimise war within Europe for 75 years now.

It always depresses me that our politicians look to America for their ideas/behaviour and not Europe/Scandinavia. Copying the Trump handbook was never going to end well.

Most Brits are not averse to a trade deal with our nearest neighbours, but it's the political allegiance that caused issues.

As opposed to copying the Macron handbook or Scholz or maybe Geert Wilders

We should work out our own stuff not be led around by the nose by the US OR EU

Your home country is the Netherlands!

https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/dutch-medicine-shortage-reach-record-high-2023-pharmacists-warn

Are you telling me to go back to my home country?

DuncinToffee
Are you telling me to go back to my home country?

I wouldn't recommend it - looks rather a mess over there. That Geert Wilders guy - what can I say.

So what are you saying then?

You keep mentioning me being Dutch and my 'home' country, so why not say straight what your issue is.

You aren't usually this shy

I had to check what the definition of home was, and google helpfully tells me that it is the place where one lives permenantly.

Unless Duncin has moved recently their home country is the UK.

Thanks jgw1, I moved here before Blair became PM

Freedom of movement.

The other poster must be confused.

Are Wilders policies any more right wing than Braverman or Cates?

Because they are poor countries they get lots of EU money. The UK was and would be a donor to these countries not a recipient of these funds.

Why would the UK be a donor to countries that have a higher standard of living and average GDP?

Cornwall received more funding from the EU than the UK, does that make the EU a donor the UK?

Overall the UK contributed much more, some UK areas did get funds, which was good.

Which countries are you saying and how much do they get in subsidies from the EU?