Positive Reasons for Leaving the EU

[SpringingIntoAction]

To regain our sovereignty and self-determination, which means the right to:

1. Make our own laws to suit our country

1. Trade freely throughout the world

1. Control our own borders

1. Raise our own taxes

1. Defend our own interests

without the interference of the EU

Ok so I think we've established that the Leave campaign don't really have any concrete proposals on how to improve border security (at least not ones that they want to share).

Let's turn to taxes. (I'm playing fair here because this one is slightly trickier for the Remain side). So, leaving will allow the UK to "raise our own taxes". I'm working on the assumption that "raise" here means "impose", not "increase".

How will leaving the EU increase the UK's ability to raise its own taxes? I'll freely concede that the EU places some restrictions on what rates of VAT can be imposed. We can debate whether this is a good thing or not. But this is only one area of taxation. What other taxes can be imposed after leaving that can't be imposed now, or abolished that can't currently be abolished?

Springingintoaction cough Nigel Farage

Babettescat

Lord HawHaw

Raise own taxes = being in control of revenue and customs.

The EU sets the range of VAT that we are allowed to apply.

Cameron has to ask nicely if he can zero-VAT rate Tampax.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/17/budget-2016-george-osborne-on-verge-of-deal-to-strike-down-tampon-tax

Yes, your democratically elected British Prime Minister had to grovel to Brussels to remove the VAT on Tampax

Enough!

We will leave the EU and regain our right to raise our taxes.

spring I've already mentioned VAT in my most above. I specifically asked for examples of other taxes that the UK can't raise, or can't abolish, due to EU membership. Are you coming up empty on this point too? C'mon, you can manage just one! Other wise you are zero for two and that doesn't look good.

One facet of controlling our own borders is the ability to introduce a proper points-based immigration system. Select the best from around the world, rather than being obliged to house/feed/clothe/educate anyone from anywhere in the EU.

Limer you vote ukip don't you ...

I don't doubt that is the aim of many of those who will vote in favour of leaving. But "controlling borders" and "controlling immigration" are not the same thing.

You can have an open policy on immigration (as the UK does now towards EU citizens) but still have very effective border controls - as the UK certainly does (the camps in Calais and Dunkerque are evidence of this). Equally, you can have strict immigration controls - as the US does for Latin Americans - yet have very porous borders.

The problem for the UK is going to be how to keep EU visitors from overstaying - not whether to let them in in the first place. It would not be possible significantly tighten border controls on EU visitors without a serious impact on tourism and business, nor without reciprocal restrictions being placed on UK visitors to the EU.

Yeah....I've seen the list of 'what has the eu ever done for us', but really? How much of that is just because we live in the modern world. No politician in their right mind would try to get rid of maternity pay, it's just not possible in today's world to ride roughshod over voters opinions.

Hear hear.

Limer you vote ukip don't you ...

I totally agree with Limer on being able to have the same terms for all migrants wherever in the world they are from, and I certainly don't vote UKIP.

Regarding overstayers from the EU - they wouldn't be entitled to any state services or benefits. No doubt there would be a few, but the country wouldn't have to support hundreds of thousands of new arrivals each year, like it has to now.

Winter basket so do you also agree with removing the right to free movement from British citizens? Yeah, I know the independently wealthy won't have to worry about that, but the Brexit lot keeps pretending that it's only foreigners who use it to come to the UK and not also Brits moving within the EU. I'd hate for my children to lose that right.

Widow yes of course, that would go hand in hand. There would have to be a visa system or passports, like movement to the rest of the world. I think.

There would have to be passports

We already have passports! Have you ever tried to leave or enter the UK?!

I'll freely concede that the EU places some restrictions on what rates of VAT can be imposed. We can debate whether this is a good thing or not. But this is only one area of taxation. What other taxes can be imposed after leaving that can't be imposed now, or abolished that can't currently be abolished?

A sovereign country does not let a foreign power dictate any area of its taxation.

Through - so the freedom to move around will be restricted to the wealthy. Nice.

I'd hate for my children to lose that right

The whole idea of anyone having the 'right' to traipse through any foreign country appals me.

If you think you should the 'right' to travel to and lie in any EU member country you are admitting that the EU is just one big common land mass and not individual sovereign nations.

To be honest the country is fucked up being in it. So why not try giving it a go on our own.

Winter basket so do you also agree with removing the right to free movement from British citizens?

Yes of course. People worked, studied and took holidays in Europe (and all the countries now in the EU) long before the EU was invented, and will continue to do so.

I agree with Limer too. We keep hearing about needing to build affordable housing but who is it actually going to be given to? Does anyone from the UK get given housing in other E U countries?

To be honest the country is fucked up being in it. So why not try giving it a go on our own

I heard that from 3 different people today. I agree

^I agree with Limer too. We keep hearing about needing to build affordable housing but who is it actually going to be given to? Does anyone from the UK get given housing in other E U countries?6

The more we build, the more people will come to fill them as all EU citizens must be treated equally, so they have equal right to British social housing.

So wrong. Do other Eu countries provide social housing in the way we do for other EU members.

woodhill yes, they do. My best friend, a single parent on a low income recently made homeless, moved into her new council-owned flat in France last week.

It would be illegal to discriminate on grounds of nationality, although that is not to say that this sort of discrimination doesn't happen.

The other thing to say is that the rental market is different in most EU countries - housing is cheaper, the rental market is bigger, and there are rent controls. This means there is less need for social housing.

Ah, but as you live in France Mistigri there must be a good chance of your best friend - the one who moved into French social housing, being French.