Genuine q, what does the UK gain from this?

[dragonsarebest]

I voted Remain, but we lost and I want to be optimistic, so I'd genuinely like to know what benefits we can look forward to following Brexit. I'm really not interested in arguing, point-scoring or vague "taking control" statements, but I would like to understand what the positives will/could be for my family and me once the UK is officially out? Thanks.

purits, because the EU needs reform, Junker is a dick, and there's a very scary rise in far right nation it's movements elsewhere. Doesn't meant the EU is shit, am I'm not saying it's perfect, but it's definitely in the EU's best interests to see the UK is dealt a massive slap in the negotiations. If other countries leave it might destroy the EU, but if the UK is punished for leaving it gives the EU a chance to reform to appease its other member states.

purits, leaving the EU isn't going to bring manufacturing back to your town.

You want what's best for Europe - will you be happy if it turns out that the best thing for Europe is to still be subject to EU rules and regs, courts of justice, and freedom of movement so that we have access to the single market?

As for the parts of the country who were left to rot, it wasn't the EU leaving them to rot, it was the UK government. I'm not sure I see that changing with the to rise in power.

*want what's best for the UK, sorry, not Europe

BMW6

As it so happens, I was in Germany as a kid when the wall fell. When the results came out last week, I actually noted down that I felt the exact opposite of what I felt then. As others have already mentioned, it was all about breaking down a wall. I remember my parents and I driving to Berlin, seeing a piece of wall and chiselling out a piece. I also remember vividly (embarrassingly) David Hasselhoff singing that song of his that became so attached to that one moment in German history. It was all about seeing that land beyond the wall.

In contrast, the UK wants to BUILD a wall.

I don't know how to describe this really, because the UK is such an island and people have never felt part of Europe. They were never part of the EU story. But if you had lived in Europe in the 80s/90s... you would have seen the difference the EU made. Like the Schengen agreement. When I was very little, we sometimes holidayed in European countries and I remember that at first, there were the borders. There were queues and frightening soldiers. Later on, once Schengen was in place, I remember us driving through countries without seeing a fence and my parents and I were all wide-eyed with amazement.

I guess it's akin to Scotland and Wales having a physical border to England, and you lived all your life with it being there. When it suddenly goes, you feel so free. I guess the people in Northern Ireland know that feeling, hence they voted "remain".

Sheffield where I'm from but not lived there for a long time!
Margaret Thatcher destroyed the Steel Works put thousands of people out of work has received close to a billion pounds of EU money to regenerate the town centre, build retail parks, create jobs etc etc!
The majority voted Leave- where do they think that money will come from now? The Tory Government? Yeah right!
Where were all these disillusioned people during the last general election?
If they wanted to give the Government a bloody nose why didn't they do it then?
I just don't understand!

Agree elizabeth, I don't know where the 'protest' vote was at the last election? We voted the Tories in without even the lib dems to cushion the blow.

But I'll look forward to the good times in 10 years time when I get to retire!
Oh but wait it will probably be 15 years after more austerity - if I'm lucky!

Sorry - back to the benefits of Brexit????

Where were all these disillusioned people during the last general election?
If they wanted to give the Government a bloody nose why didn't they do it then?
I just don't understand!

It's interesting.

If you look at the overall votes cast in 2015, Conservatives netted ~37% and Labour ~30%, leaving 33% to be split between everyone else, including 12.6% for UKIP.

Hopefully the 1 in 8 votes UKIP managed can mainly be explained by protest voting. There's no real way of telling where the more moderate eurosceptics are in that spread, but it certainly wasn't an overwhelming show of support for the Tories. Two thirds of the voters voted against the current government.

A shade under two thirds, to be precise.

Thanks for that Dacre. Maybe this FPTP malarkey really does need looking at.

That was meant to be kind of lighthearted about a serious topic, not rude. Just want to confirm as there is so much anger on these threads.

There are no benefits. I just can't think of a single one.

That's interesting Just thank you. So maybe the 30% that did vote Labour felt unheard?

Is everybody ready of 10 years of this?

www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/36634702/article-50-the-simplest-explanation-youll-find

Maybe this FPTP malarkey really does need looking at.

I've always thought so because it's more directly representative (good), but of course if we'd had proportional representation last year, UKIP would have gained a significant number of seats in the Commons (bad, IMO). Then again, if we'd had PR for a while, maybe protest voting wouldn't be a significant phenomenon anyway (good?).

It's complicated, isn't it?

That's interesting Just thank you. So maybe the 30% that did vote Labour felt unheard?

Maybe so.

So maybe, ironically, it was the swing of Scotland to the SDP? It's all Nicola Sturgeon's fault!

That too.

Maybe this FPTP malarkey really does need looking at

Yes. But what I want to know is, if so many people voted leave because they wanted to be more democratic and all that jazz, why do none of them seem to give a crap about things like FPTP? Why haven't they been saying a word about all the less than democratic aspects of UK politics that have nothing at all to do with the EU?

positives for Remainers

www.adamsmith.org/blog/how-to-ensure-the-uks-eea-membership

www.adamsmith.org/evolution-not-revolution

Anyway well done to the OP for starting this thread! It's good that it hasn't turned in to a hate filled bunfight like a lot of the others!

on FPTP, I voted against it - with great conviction - when it was proposed. And actually, if it was proposed again in that form, then I'd do so again. But I'm persuaded, based on what's happened over the last 6 or so years, that SOME PR is essential to any sense of 'fairness'.

Dacre: I agree that the last thing I like the idea of is more UKIP MPs. But it's wrong that there aren't more, and it brings our system into disrepute.

I don't think it's about 'democracy' exactly - that's why the arcane political wrangles don't excite people. It's about being, and feeling, heard.

There's a piece I read yesterday (can't remember where, have been doing too much reading) about people feeling so alienated that they knowingly voted against their interests, sure that their vote wouldn't count; and now that it does, feel more alienated still...

on FPTP, I voted against it - with great conviction - when it was proposed

You've had it since 1884, how old are you?

knotted they feel more alienated now? Would be v interested in that if you can find it again.

user

God what a bloody mess!