What would you change/keep and why?

[Chala86]

I've been umming and ahhing about starting this thread for awhile. Hopefully it won't descend into bickering. I don't want to know how you voted. I don't want to know why you voted.
I want to ask how would you like to UK and it's relationship with Europe and the rest of the world to change? What would you keep? And why?
No judgement.

I think that was one of the biggest issues with the referendum. People who voted leave as a protest against austerity, against the 'establishment' and the elite, etc did so because they didn't believe their votes would count. This is probably because, for many, votes in general election count for very little if you live in a safe seat area. Maybe if our voting system had been given an overhaul before the referendum to make people's votes count, they may have been less likely to vote out in protest.
I would definitely like to see a change in our voting system so people feel that their voices are heard.

I would support an electoral change to proportional representation.

I would emphatically not support a change to more "direct democracy" Arron Banks style. According to the New Statesman he now wants to set up a People's Movement.

"He wants to convert Leave.EU’s hundreds of thousands of followers into an online army, much like Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement in Italy, a force that transcends conventional party politics and the left-right divide. He envisages it as an exercise in direct democracy, a forum where people can post, debate and vote on ideas – and then embrace them in such numbers that politicians are compelled to respond."

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2016/10/arron-banks-man-who-bought-brexit

I completely agree with stripey and others aspirations for global progress. One of my reasons for voting remain is I think that that a united EU standing up for our shared political values was important for the world. I worry about the loss of a balancing force between a US which even under Hilary will continue with self interested policies influenced by the neocons /neoliberals like the Asian pivot which has helped make the South China Sea into a potential flashpoint. So I aspired to be able to stand up with my neighbours for our shared liberal values to make a positive difference in the world and improve the life of others. I have seen that in action in the countries of South East Asia, helping people to get a greater say in their own government, as well as making concrete contribtions to economic development.

Noeuf you wrote that you would like British benefit claimants to do some of the jobs that migrant workers currently do. I merely highlighted that most british benefit claimants already have a job. I'm sorry if you think that is 'knee jerk'. It's actually of the hardest myths to shift about 'benefits Britain'.

I'd like to see us eat more of our own produce, our own apples for instance in all shapes and sizes and become much more seasonal eaters as we used to be and not see as much out of season fruit and veg flown in as we do now.
I'd like to see us improve trade with third world countries such as these in Africa who need help to improve their standard of living and reduce the reliance on foreign aid.

I'd like to see us increase our exports massively to all over the world including the EU.
I'd like to see a reduction in the farming subsidies for highly productive arable farms and sporting estates. I'd also like to see an investigation into foreign ownership of land and real estate especially in London and the sporting estates of Scotland and it's impact on the price of property.

There is nowhere to start with that but lets give it a go.

We don't have EU regulations on the size and shape of fruit that we eat, in fact many of the standards are imposed by supermarkets because consumers don't buy mishappen looking goods. This won't change if we leave the EU.

Seasonal eating is fine, but this isn't the 1950s and you'll find that lots of people have become used to the choice that they have and will still demand it. Leaving the EU will not effect this.

The African nations thing? Well it appears to be based on some misplaced sense of philanthropy, these are also complex deals which take away from your other points. African nations also aren't just sitting waiting for us to start trading with them, they are already sending their produce to other countries with contracts to fulfil to do so. Your point about foreign aid is worrying.

Exports all over the world? What would you like us to export? If hard Brexit occurs many of our manufacturing bases will move to the continent and without passporting access for finance we will lose one of our major exports.

The foriegn ownership is nothing to do with the EU either.

Farm subsidies are unlikely to change, look who is in power but again the CAP was due to change and be administered by national governments from 2020, so that change was coming anyway.

So most of the things you want aren't to do with the EU, or not made more or less possible by leaving.

Great.

Nether are the increase in training Doctors or proportional representation but hay ho!
What did you say Chala86? No judgement!
Another thing I would like to see change is stopping the live export of animals.

No, the increase in Doctors so we can send them out to the world won't happen. But I think it's good to have some ideals. If we didn't, we'd still be doing the equivalent of sending kids down coal mines, or up chimneys. (Not now, because no coal mines left, but I hope people get the idea.)

Cocory - I have certainly veered onto non Brexit subjects on here but the OP asked it to be non-real-world. You have my real world answers in my first couple of posts.

The reality is that there is no or excruciatingly little benefit to leaving the EU. There are a lot of downsides, economically, socially and internationally.

There might however be some benefits in Theresa May's government over that of David Cameron and she will have a lot of scope to set new policies. Unfortunately, from what we have heard from May so far, and I am particularly thinking about the nasty (thankfully now dropped) proposal for foreigner lists and the sneering at 'citizens of the world', I am not too optimistic. Some rhetoric about workers on company boards is more encouraging.

Your list is fine by me. I do however question whether we will manage to achieve some of the loftier ideals when we are scrabbling for trade deals and struggling to fund basic services such as the NHS and education ourselves. According to some (quite possibly not you Cocory, but sadly some of your fellow Leave voters) we need to defend our own 'kith and kin' (a Banks quote) and the white working class first.