Name me one good thing that we have from the EU...

[Maursh]

which we would not have if we left. I am not after scaremongering rhetoric, but facts. I really like to have a balanced point of view, but I cannot for the life of me see any reason to remain. So give me some FACTS

Reciprocal health care is quite a significant factor, even though it means we have to pay something upfront (as locals do) & they get treated here completely free (as we do).
I saw a chart today which showed that we pay Spain about £350m & France about £250m for their treatment of UK citizens. (The reverse figures were minute in comparison). This will be more of an issue for the expats who live in those countries though, as if we leave they will have to pay for their treatment in full, & the UK will not be stumping up for it.

Another issue is the amount the EU contributes to UK charities & various social needs

Eg this:

m.facebook.com/ILoveMCRdotcom/photos/a.218970484843162.53910.218595138214030/1109896739083861/?type=3&source=48

and this:

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153427302081261&id=642111260

If we leave, does anybody really believe that the EU contributions we no longer pay will benefit the poorest in our society?

In 2009-2010, over 11,000 UK students participated in the ERASMUS exchange programme, enabling them to spend a period of time studying at a University in another EU member state at no extra cost.

Since 1987, 2.5 million students across the EU have taken part in this programme. I was one of them and count it as the most character-defining experience of my life to date. I want my children to have the option to experience this as well.

(FWIW, Switzerland, although not in the EU, were able to participate in the programme as part of the EEA. However, since they decided to introduce quotas of EU immigration, therefore not meeting the criteria of free movement of people, they are no longer allowed to participate in it).

springingintoaction we could have done these ourselves. But we didn't. We were the dirty man of Europe. No longer though

So the EU was Year Zero was it. To believe that you have to ignore centuries of environmental legislation passed by the UK BEFORE we joined the EU.

Everything that we adopted during our time in the EU could well have been adopted voluntarily by us - you cannot prove it would not have been and our past record of legislation suggests strongly it would have done.

I am actually very annoyed at the way the EU makes false claims of glory in many areas - trades union rights is another one of them. They existed before we entered the EU and worker rights in the UK currently EXCEED those of many EU countries. Our workers right certainly exceed those in Portugal, Ireland or Greece who were ordered by the EU to suspend collective bargaining by trades union as part of their bailout plan.

In order to sway me into voting to Remain, based on false claims of environment prowess I would need to be very young and naive.

An experience and knowledgeable person would never trade their sovereignty and self-determination for the delusion that the EU is the only for for good. In fact I would go as far as to say they are either very ignorant or have a special sort of hate for their country. If not, why are they handing the EU a big stick to hit them with - forever. No sensible person does that.

What specifically has being a member of the EU stopped the UK from doing?

I didn't mention blueflag. Thats more to do with stuff like litter, are there toilets etc.

The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and Bathing Waters Directive are what has made the difference to water quality.

My last dealing with SaS was actually for a wave farm. Nothing to do with poo ar all.

The environment agency takes samples from defined points around the UK (well SEPA in Scotland) throughout the bathing season. They then analyse them to test for faecal bacteria. The basic results are on the ' what's in your backyard' section of their website. If you can be bothered to check.

That our water quality has massively improved is irrefutable. I saw raw sewage discharged on beaches. Out of cliffs. Into rivers. All a matter of routine. All stopped as a result of European Directives.

Are you trying to infer that I am ignorant or have a special kind of hate for my country?

Seriously, have a . Learn a few facts and then come back with a decent argument.

'Centuries of environmental legislation' my arse.

Extract from a Guardian article from about 3 years ago.
However, yet again, successive UK governments have consistently been forced to play catch-up on wildlife protection, when compared with the EU approach. It's European legislation such as the habitats directive and the birds directive that safeguard our finest habitats, and some of our very best sites have only been protected after the European commission brought proceedings against Westminster.

The painful truth is that the UK has a poor track-record on supporting progressive environmental policy and continues to do so. From bees to energy efficiency to resource efficiency targets to green farming, this self-proclaimed "greenest government ever" continues to say no, no, no. Fortunately much of the rest of Europe says yes, yes, yes

Here's a link to the full article

In 2009-2010, over 11,000 UK students participated in the ERASMUS exchange programme, enabling them to spend a period of time studying at a University in another EU member state at no extra cost.

Another false claim.

Someone is paying for this place. The funding is via 'an EU grant'. As the EU has no means of raising money other than scrounging from its member countries, it is in fact UK tax-payers money. So there is an extra cost - to this country.

Students have always studied in European Universities - long before we joined the EU, just as they are also able to study worldwide.

Universities love the EU. It bungs them £millions of 'EU grants (UK tax payers money) every year. The economists especially like the EU because it funds propaganda that claims the EU is wonderful. Much of the actual valuable research is funded by charities.

So, nice to have, quite possible to have outside the EU and certainly not worth surrendering sovereignty and self-determination.

Here is the Green case for Brexit by the co-founder of the Green party Uk - who probably knows a lot more about this stuff that we do.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/08/eu-reform-green-brexit

Do you ever stop to think about the adverse effect of EU migration which has caused some eastern European countries to lose up to 2 million of their populations, leaving their countryside abandoned and villages depopulated to the point where their schools close - only for the UK and other major economies to have to replicate that infrastructure in the Uk in order to accommodate millions of EU migrants.

That causes house environmental damage as we concrete over more of our countryside to accommodate our massively increased population - while less densely populated, migrant-producing countries have empty housing.

That has to be a very compelling Green reason against the EU and free movement of people.

I'm from Ireland so we can thank the EU for lots of shit! Like nice roads and new cars for our farmers. Thanks Britain for subsidising us😘 (Lighthearted).

Someone is paying for this place. The funding is via 'an EU grant'. As the EU has no means of raising money other than scrounging from its member countries, it is in fact UK tax-payers money. So there is an extra cost - to this country.

Springing, the question asks what benefits our EU membership has. I think we are all aware that we pay for EU memberhsip, but this membership has the benefit of allowing students to study overseas at no extra cost to themselves. Nobody suggested that it was some sort of "free place". However, the programme is open to any student, regardless of their personal financial situation, therefore not only available to those students whose parents can afford it.

Springing - jenny Jones is in a minority in her party.

I'm from Ireland so we can thank the EU for lots of shit! Like nice roads and new cars for our farmers. Thanks Britain for subsidising us

Thats what Bosnians, Albanians, Kosovans, Serbians, and Montenegrans will soon be thinking - but it will be Irsh money as a net contributor that will be paying for their infrastructure. After all, Ireland is superbly rich compared to Albania the poorest country in Europe.

Springing - jenny Jones is in a minority in her party.

You don't know that. I surprised a self-confessed Green voter on Saturday by telling him that she was leading the Green leaves campaign. he thought that if she was recommending LEAV, he'd better have another look at the issue.

Springing, the question asks what benefits our EU membership has

In order to assess benefits you must also look at penalties and other disbenefits that may occur.

You must also determine whether these are indeed benefits of EU membership and not things that could be achieved without it.

To look solely at 'hat has the EU done' is misleading and presents a false impression - but that's exactly what the Remain campaign rely on as there is no compelling reason to Remain.

A huge amount of companies have European headquarters in London. If we leave the Eu many will bugger off.

Eu funds rebuilt Manchester after the bombings.

They also regenerated Liverpool.

They have helped every single Welsh council.

The biggest thing for me is that right now the EU provides a safety net of sorts. They can (and have) forced us to comply with various safety regulations, workers rights, human rights and environmental laws. On our own we are at the TOTAL mercy of the Torys. They can dictate safety laws, workers rights, environmental laws etc with NO interference. Do you REALLY want to give them that power?

Also without free trade in Europe many businesses will fold. They don't have the ability to wait out all the fucking about.

You must also determine whether these are indeed benefits of EU membership and not things that could be achieved without it

Ah, Springing, you're mixing up 'could' and 'would' again.

A huge amount of companies have European headquarters in London. If we leave the Eu many will bugger off.

They won't. They value the fact that London is in the UK that is outside the unstable Eurozone. Since the referendum was announced Pan Am has announced it will build its new European HQ in the UK, Avon Cosmetics is transferring its; HQ to the UK and the Germans have invested in the the Stock Exchange..They do not fear Brexit.

Eu funds rebuilt Manchester after the bombings.

Please explain how the EU generates funds.It doesn't. So-called EU funds are the monies paid to the EU by its member states - which includes the UK. The EU then takes a cut of that money to waste on admin and return some in 'Eu funding' to the countries that originally gave it to them - usually with strings attached. Are you seriously trying to suggest that a UK, outside the EU, would have neither the funds nor the inclination to rebuild after the Manchester bombing?

They also regenerated Liverpool.

Ditto - it's not EU funds. It's UK tax payer money paid to the EU. Cut out the EU middleman and the UK would have more to spend itself.

They have helped every single Welsh council.
Ditto - as above

The biggest thing for me is that right now the EU provides a safety net of sorts. They can (and have) forced us to comply with various safety regulations, workers rights, human rights and environmental laws.

In other words legislating in areas that the UK has been making laws in for centuries before we joined the EU, Factories Act, Clean Air Act - all preceding jining the EU. Workers rights were won by trades unions - don't disrespect that huge effort by denying them that glory and attributing everything falsely to the EU., The EU has suspended TU rights in the countries that the EU has bailed out.

On our own we are at the TOTAL mercy of the Torys. They can dictate safety laws, workers rights, environmental laws etc with NO interference. Do you REALLY want to give them that power?

You do. Because by voting to Remain you are endorsing the recommendation of Cameron, the Tories, big banks like Goldman Sachs, big tax-dodging corporations and hedge funds who are funding the IN campaign. Can't you see that those people want to Remain because it is good for THEM, not for workers tights. Remind me when big banks that caused the financial collapse started being adherents for workers rights - they haven't.

Also without free trade in Europe many businesses will fold. They don't have the ability to wait out all the fucking about

Outside the EU the UK will be able to trade feely with the other 168 countries that are not in the EU. It will not have to pay the EU money every time it trades with a non-EU country.

Your post is so conflicted it's surreal.It's the Labour party cliched spin. We don't trust Cameron - so we'll vote on Cameron's recommendations to stay on the EU. have you any idea how illogical that is? I don't like Cameron - in fact I loathe the man - but I am open to using my own research to realise that surrendering control to the EU, which makes laws that suit big business and the elite, is not the way to protect workers rights

This is too important an issue to follow any Party spin. Wrk it out for yourself.

We don't trust Cameron - so we'll vote on Cameron's recommendations to stay on the EU. have you any idea how illogical that is?

Oh dear, we're not back to this nonsense are we?

It is perfectly possible to separate out an idea from a person who propounds or supports it.

Only the brainwashed or stupid support or reject an idea solely based on the identity of the person proposing it.

Springong- so you're basing your assertion on her being a minority on your conversation with one green party member... ok...

Medical treatment - depends where you receive it. Mum was billed after she had to spend a night in UZ Leuven. The bill got back to the UK before she did.

In some places, the EHIC gets refused, and you pay up front.

Peace in Europe - nothing to do with the EU...but an awful lot to do with NATO, which is not part of the EU.

Springing, Jenny Jones herself asserts that her views are not shared by the Green Party.

The article you linked to begins:
"The Green party is massively in favour of staying in the EU, despite seeing its many flaws as an organisation. The majority view of Greens is that its benefits far outweigh the problems."