To ask how you feel about Article 50 being triggered tomorrow

[Ehsamy]

or at some point this month?

And I know there is a EU board tucked away somewhere but I'm interested in everyone's views.

talkin - the government right now won't put taxes up. But something is giving, right now - the system is breaking. We will HAVE to put more money into it, whether that comes from privatisation of things like the NHS and health insurance or from tax and a fairer system. In my view, we need to start having the conversation about lowering taxes for the poor and significantly increasing them for the wealthy.

I find MyPhotos' post quite interesting. She started somewhere on the continent, now lives in England, would consider Scotland but will go somewhere in the EU.
No loyalty to community, nation or the bigger picture; just what currently suits her family. That's the EU dream

This, to me, summaries the depressing mindset that so many Leave voters seem to have.
I immigrated to the UK from outwith the EU. I have since lived in Scotland, the Middle East, and England. We go where opportunity takes us, and where we enjoy living. I'm furious that Brexit will make that harder to do.
When we go back to visit the inlaws, my DH sees people that he went to school with wandering around the town centre, and we both struggle to imagine living and dying in the same small Lanarkshire town and never having got out and done more.

To be fair, the problems with the NHS and schools and traffic and everything else predate the current austerity wagon. We're looking at the result of many many years of underinvestment in infrastructure, not just the current shower of clowns.

Add that to a rising population/people living longer and it's a perfect storm for pissing people off.

Which muppets like farage have milked shamelessly for their own agenda

I feel immensely sad.

The UK is unrecognisable from the country I grew up in.

Those who say that the UK was strong and successful before joining the EU and will be so again, are forgetting that the world has moved on since then. There is far less industry in the UK, and the "poor countries" to whom we used to sell manufactured goods are now industrial giants.

The UK is also further removed from the power its colonial past had brought it. And nobody really likes the Brits anyway.

I feel sorry for the young generation who are now going to have to pay the price for the arrogance of our politicians.

"To be fair, the problems with the NHS and schools and traffic and everything else predate the current austerity wagon."
We are looking at decades of austerity on steroids post brexit.

Agreed Toast.

I have a great sense of community and the bigger picture - it's just not limited to the UK.

shovetheholly
In my view, we need to start having the conversation about lowering taxes for the poor and significantly increasing them for the wealthy.
You do know that over 60% of the population do not currently pay income tax?
That the top 10% pay over half of all income tax?
That around 80% of the population are net 'takers' once you allow for the NHS and schools ?

Soaking the rich does not work.
Closing loopholes does.
But the companies who give politicians jobs on retirement are the makers of the loopholes.
Tax policy is rather a bugbear of mine being an accountant and all that

I've made some financial plans for things to go tits up. Mostly on investments, sold a couple of properties and I've done some building work before we lose a whole load of European builders. I've been doing this since the vote, basically preparing for some tough times.

Is this a bad joke? No wonder so many British builders voted out.

Meanwhile, back in the real world...

Most of the immigrants are net contributors to the economy, unlike most Brits.

Thats very interesting talkin where might i find further information on this

I don't think it's fair to say that those who only live in one place are somehow small-minded, nor that all Remainers are citizens of the world who have no place loyalty to localities or regions. It's far too simplistic. Patriotism is not reducible to xenophobic nationalism and is not just a right wing characteristic.

No loyalty to community, nation or the bigger picture; just what currently suits her family. That's the EU dream
Among all the really hurtful things, ^ this one probably gets the top prize that Leavers could come up with.
I can't even begin to understand the amount of selfishness it takes to write something this crass and heartless.

I feel excited and hopeful

I agree with you Vanetine.

Valentine

rufus
start here
fullfact.org/immigration/do-eu-immigrants-contribute-134-every-1-they-receive/
then here
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/articles/noteonthedifferencebetweennationalinsurancenumberregistrationsandtheestimateoflongterminternationalmigration/2016
and here
www.economist.com/news/britain/21631076-rather-lot-according-new-piece-research-what-have-immigrants-ever-done-us

talkin - Yes, I am totally aware of that. The question isn't just about raw numbers, though, is it? It's about the percentage of income, which assumes there are diminishing returns and social responsibilities above a certain level of basic need.

(A 2014 report from the Equality Trust found that the poorest households pay more tax than the richest as a percentage of income. Furthermore, tax rates for the highest earners are significantly below what they've been in previous decades. We have put them up in the past, no reason why we shouldn't do so again.)

Richard Murphy has some good ideas on this! www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/08/12/how-to-tax-wealth-in-the-uk-without-even-starting-on-inheritance-tax-reform/

Worried

(Sorry, to be clearer, that should say "there are diminishing returns to money and also increasing social responsibilities once a certain level of basic needs has been met".)

I feel a bit sick to be honest.

I've lived here for 40 years and am busy trying to get a piece of paper saying that I won't be kicked out, despite the fact I'm married to a Brit.

My 76 year old mum who has lived here on and off for 28 years does not have the right to stay in this country. She has never worked (so didn't steal anyone's job), has never claimed taxes and has through my father been a net contributor. But, never mind eh?

shove
I was a consultee on the tax simplifaction that was buried a while back.
It can be done
but the politicians do not want to risk their own gravy train - read "revolving doors" in Private Eye

that should say claimed benefits, she's paid taxes!

Housewife

You're complaining about austerity - not the EU. And that's about to get heck of a lot worse.

Thanks talkin

Disbelieving that we are about to jump off a cliff for no real reason