To think that UK should rejoin EU AND Schengen Area?

[ChirpyBee]

I know UK was never in Schengen, I propose that we rejoin both the EU and join Schengen.

I have waited HOURS at passport control at both ends for the Rotterdam/Hull ferry and it is ridiculous. If someone is ok to be in France/Germany/Netherlands then they're OK to be in the UK - we're not special. The increase in efficiencies would be enormous!

Never mind all the other economic and social benefits being part of the EU would provide, as well as the commonality of regulations and standards - which benefits us allas consumers, never let big business fool you that "red tape" is bad - it's regulation for the greater social good!

Unfortunately the UK population/electorate are too xenophobic and racist for this to happen.

If only there was a button to turn off posts about vat on school fees.....

Agreed but many people want a return to the EU (me amongst them) but aren't aware that this policy would be a barrier for doing so.

Personally I think it’s too soon as there is still a lot of anti EU sentiment as you can see on this thread.

The next generation will have their say and I’m sure they will want to be back in Europe with all the opportunities and prosperity that come with that.

Easy for me to say because we have EU passports thanks to dh, dc at an EU uni and a house in the EU. We are taking early retirement and moving there.

If only there was a way of giving information about the unseen consequences of the policy that the majority aren't aware of but that impacts on other policies/wishes/wants.

This

So you have to wait a bit at passport control and that leads to this enlightened conclusion?

We can't join the eu because we are financially too weak

We may be allowed better trade deals and freeer movement but it won't be as advantageous as actually being in the eu

Grow up.

It was interesting to me.

Doesn't mean I favour one stance or another but being rude and patronising seems to be the preferred response to one side of the divide and is exactly why there are unexpected election results sometimes, when people try to find out more about a subject then get a kicking for daring to appear on the wrong side.

So now all you have done is made me more inclined to go the other way.

Apologies. My snark was directed at the pp you responded to, who I see is still going on about it at length, as if it would make the slightest difference to the op's question.

Perhaps the private school parents should have paid more attention to the real effects of Brexit when there was still a chance to stay in the EU.

Thank. You.
Exactly 💯

Some of us did. Not all independent parents are Tory/Reform supporters. We aren't 1 homogenous group. Gosh, some of are even lifelong Labour voters!

I came to the UK recently on an Aussie passport and was through immigration in about 15mins. I don’t think there’s any reason for the hold up you experienced in Rotterdam, maybe they just need to increase their efficiency? You would be wanting to rejoin the EU to sidestep the fact they can properly staff their passport control.

Not RTFT but the poll is currently 52/48, but the other way 😂

Very true. Some border processing is very inefficient.

Do you seriously think they would be welcoming us with open arms? After they had stopped laughing the answer would certainly be no.

What do you see as the advantages of membership? I see most day-to-day advantages flow from the Single Market, even if it means accepting regulations not made by us.

Having a seat at the table enabled us to participate politically, but do we still want that? In turbulent times, are we better off at arms length?

I don't know the answer.

This is an interesting perspective because Europe itself is financially very weak indeed.

A vaguely interesting thread but it HIGHLIGHTS the general ignorance of so many in the UK and unfortunately many in the EU.
Number one vital point is that the UK even if it had a 100 percent vote to JOIN the EU would still have to persuade 27 sovereign countries (the peoples of) to also vote unanimously to ALLOW the UK to join. No amount of wishful thinliong in the UK can get over this fact. Of course there are many variations in rules and taxes etc across the EU27 but it is all NEGOTIATED and discussed in the European Parliament. If France turns hard Right (a moderate risk at the moment) there is a possibility of border controls like were introduced between East and West Germany, which involved strip searches of anyone male or female suspected of any of a range of 'offenses' such as carrying 'Western' propaganda (for example a department store catalogue) with a penalty of 5 years in prison if found guilty. Passport control was a seriously stressful time as you never knew if you would pass through in half an hour or you would be detained for further questioning, for as long as it took the Stazi to make the checks.
IF countries in the EU do turn far right it will be a catastrophe as many will die due to the altered circumstances.
The apparent 'woes' of 'little England' (the UK) will pale into insignificance.
After 8 years the UK populace STILL haven't learned what the EU is about and as some have commenterd, the attempts to improve many areas of the UK by EU grants was anulled by the UK (English) government bey not correctly acknowledging the eU influence and monies, so the small minded simply don't know what the EU is doing, but rather woulmd listen to bendy bananas nonsense which was never true. The origins of which are actually that the EU objected to overseas farm workers being sprayed with ZYKLON-B while at work in the fields. (Yes it is a chemical relation to the insecticide used to gas several million people during WW2).

Totally. I went straight through the e gates at Lisbon last night. But over at the manual ones was a queue of hundreds.

Interesting too that it almost exactly matches the Brexit poll at the time ... so much for the widespread cry that "everyone knows what a disaster it all was"

And if anyone wonders why they'd do well to read the superb post at 9:49

Edited to add it's swung the other way now - will be interesting to see the numbers when more votes are in

It took a long time for the UK to be admitted to the then EEC, because of the concerns over our strong TU movement. The important thing, as the founder Adenauer noted, was the suppression of TU activity and the movement of free labour, keeping wages down. Thatcher sorted that out and loved the EEC, though not the contributions, and not Maastricht. So before we have any more of the offensive "little Englander" posts, the EU is not now, nor has ever been, a socialist utopia.

Very true. There are significant problems, and a worrying move to the right.

I don't think it's a question of financial weakness. We are still financially stronger than many countries inside the EU

But the reality is that we can't rejoin without the unanimous agreement of the 27 members, which in at least four countries can't be given without putting it to a referendum. It's not even Macron or Le Pen who would have the right to veto us rejoining. It's voters in La France Profonde (and several other countries such as Ireland).

It's just not politically viable.

I haven't voted yet because I think OP is NBU to have been a Remainer but is BU to think we can rejoin.