Brexit survey - Impact of the Greek crisis

[Varinia]

If you voted to LEAVE the EU in last year’s referendum, please give up 2 minutes of your time to complete a very short survey conducted by the University of Bedfordshire (demographics and two questions only) on the effect of the Greek crisis on your decision to vote leave.
If you can, please also share with friends and family where relevant as we're looking for as large a sample as possible.
Thank you very much in advance

bedshealthsciences.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ebT7Lg8u33L3ctn

I don't see any connection between the Greek crisis and Brexit. Why would it be a factor in deciding to vote Leave?

I have heard a lot of arguments that people didn't like the EU because of the conditions they imposed on Greece.

Yeah have been quite a few posts on here over the last 9 months saying the EU treatment of Southern Europe in general was a factor in their decision to vote Leave. Living in one of those southern EU countries I have noticed this in particular and remembered it as every time I see this as a reason it sets my teeth on edge. Not because I think the EU treatment of said countries has been good but because no one gave a shit about these countries as they were bearing the brunt of the refugee crisis as they have been for a good few years now. In addition despite pretty much zero knowledge of the historical, political, economic and social background to these countries all of a sudden all of these head tilting experts came out to hang the blame for everything bad happening to them on the EU and to lament the treatment of them.

I wonder if Lexiteers think Golden Dawn would be preferable to the EU in Greece, because that's what Alexis Tsipras had the stones to face down.

I agree entirely Bananagio, all this gumpf about us being on the verge of collapse, without any knowledge of the history, the culture or the political system. The verge of collapse is normal for here and has been so since the days of the first republic or indeed since unification (years before the inception of the EU). Most of the economic problems are down to a culture of corruption, tax evasion and gross inefficiency, as it is with Greece. These issues again are nothing to do with the EU and have existed for centuries, probably as far back as the Roman Empire. Way before the existence of the EU.

I don't see any connection between the Greek crisis and Brexit. Why would it be a factor in deciding to vote Leave?

Because whenever a country has a vote and the EU don't like the result, the EU keep telling them to run the vote again until the country votes the 'proper'way (see Denmark on the Maastricht Treaty, Ireland on the Nice Treaty and Ireland again on the Lisbon Treaty).
The EU doesn't like it when the populace don't do as they are told.

The verge of collapse is normal for here and has been so since the days of the first republic or indeed since unification

So Greece shouldn't have been allowed to join the EEC/EC/EU.
They bent the rules to let Greece in and then - surprise, surprise - it went pear-shaped.

The EU doesn't like it when the populace don't do as they are told

Where?

The EU doesn't like it when the populace don't do as they are told

See things like that sound like verging on tin foil hat wearing territory to me. Nonsense statement. Did I miss the subsequent ref we were ordered to have by our masters in Brussels to ensure Brexit wouldn't happen?

because no one gave a shit about these countries as they were bearing the brunt of the refugee crisis as they have been for a good few years now. In addition despite pretty much zero knowledge of the historical, political, economic and social background to these countries all of a sudden all of these head tilting experts came out to hang the blame for everything bad happening to them on the EU and to lament the treatment of them.

This ^

All these leavers crawling out of the woodwork with all their false concern, bleeding hearts and total ignorance about Greece - and any other countries we can pile on. Anything will do so long as they can blame it on Big Nasty EU.

Another success for the leave campaign I guess.

Totally elvira - along with the sudden concern amongst some parties (not all- I am not saying all leavers blah blah) about the abandoned and poor in the North East. Oh and don't forget the 'it's not fair for EU immigrants to have preference over the would-be immigrants from outside the EU' brigade. Hypocrisy, faux concern and a massive success for the Leave campaign.

Varinia, I've completed it but it went wider than just the austerity in itself.

Perhaps a question (or free text) for what this represented in a wider context?

I.e. For me, it was an indication that no matter what the country's populace wanted, the EU were happy/able to override it.
Also, the wider implication that one-size-fits-all does not translate to the very different needs/challenges of individual members.

Bananagio I voted Remain, but how the EU has treated some Southern European countries is something that did give me pause.

Specifically, as regards currency union. Some countries (e.g. Germany) benefit from their exports being more attractive when priced in euros that their former currency. That's not the case for some other countries. The balance of net contributor/beneficiary states balanced that out to an extent for a while, but when the EU expanded further and that pattern shifted, who the net contributors/beneficiaries are shifted and that was never properly addressed.

That doesn't mean corruption/tax evasion etc aren't significant factors, but it does mean they are the only factors. Even the IMF recognises that.

*aren't the only factors!

mandalas I agree with you re corruption/tax evasion etc not being the only factors and I also agree with you regarding the treatment of the south by the EU being a factor in their current situation. I also think the EU is in urgent need of reform and I have major concerns re the Euro.

However despite all this I still believe in the concept of the EU and don't see any alternative as being remotely preferable.

I was probably guilty above of lumping everyone who cited the southern EU countries as a reason for Leave together so I apologize for that - am trying not to do that lumping together thing but anger gets the better of me sometimes .

The people I am referring to are those who simultaneously lament the treatment of Southern Europe, while showing no knowledge of or interest in any other factors in the equation. They express the need to save them from the EU while showing no interest in looking into what the results of total collapse of the EU would be on said countries and are often the same posters who refuse to entertain the idea of relieving the burden of Greece and Italy by playing a bigger part in dealing with the refugee and migrant crisis.

I find this faux concern hypocritical, see it as being used purely to further an agenda and it grates.

Ireland on the Nice Treaty and Ireland again on the Lisbon Treaty

Yeah, Ireland voted twice on those treaties, but not because of the reasons you think. My advice is, I'd you're going to use an example, try to understand it first. The notion that you got the right steer on Ireland and the EU from your woefully inadequate euroskeptic press is not one to be too confident about.

MrsDustyBusty, so you believe if the 1st Irish Lisbon referendum had been a yes vote, there still would have been a 2nd referendum too? To confirm the first yes vote? to ask 'are you sure'?
Genuinely interested in your view.

Bananagio, I think you misinterpret many leavers opinion. I, for example, quite simply support Greece, Italys' right to be asked. Indeed, I think in light of the UKs position, Im staggered the EU havent instructed all member states to hold a referendum on the membership question within say 5 years.

Did any leave voter vote out due to the perceived treatment of another member state? I very much doubt it (but hence the OPs survey Id guess). Why would we vote in the best interests of another nation, and disregard our own?

Of course theres a mass of ignorance from another country thousands of miles away, but why hit UK posters round the head with that? Id understand your anger if this were an Italian board, and these were italians who you felt didnt have a clue about their own governance. (and had a valuable vote) But we're not. Try not to get angry here.

The EU treatment of Greece was just another fake reason, like democracy and sovereignty used by leavers because they daren't voice their real reason for wanting to leave. An attempt to make voting leave respectable.

In reality the Greek crisis has been caused by Greek governments and the decisions of its people for decades, they were bailed out by the EU and the IMF and now they have to pay for that, they don't like it.

The EU doesn't have the power to "instruct" other countries to hold referendums, that's a national government decision. Most other national governments, and actually most of our MPs, think that leaving the EU would be a bad idea.

MrsDustyBusty, so you believe if the 1st Irish Lisbon referendum had been a yes vote, there still would have been a 2nd referendum too? To confirm the first yes vote? to ask 'are you sure'?

No. Just so you're aware, I'm irish and voted in both referendums and was often awake while it was all going on. The no vote in the first referendum was shocking. What many British media fails to understand is that the attitude towards the EU in the UK is not the same as in Ireland where it's extremely popular.

The reason there was a second referendum was that there was a great deal of misinformation spread at the time and many people voted based on suggested implications that weren't in the Lisbon Treaty. In any event, clauses were added to deal with these issues so we voted again.

The EU treatment of Greece was just another fake reason, like democracy and sovereignty used by leavers because they daren't voice their real reason for wanting to leave. An attempt to make voting leave respectable.

Interested to know what the 'real reason' was Danny...

I don't think we need to spell that out really do we?

I'm intrigued.

I think I do need it spelled out tbh - you're being very mysterious.

Danny I think you do - Leavers being a hive mind and all with only having one reason.

Also intrigued as to how you actually know.

Try as I might I have yet to develop the ability to mind read millions of people.

It must be very exhausting, and very busy in your head having to deal with the thoughts of millions of people as well as your own.