To ask Remainers ...

[ScreamingLadySutch]

Your views?

Brexiteers were asked their reasons the other day. So I would like to ask Remainers

• what do you think will happen, and what are you so afraid of?

I live in the EU and I was worried that the removal of freedom of movement would mean I would be unable to stay in the country that I have spent the last 12 years of my life investing in. Ive learned the language, retrained and finally got a great job, and have 2 children. The country that I am does deport people and splits families.

Im also quite worried about life in the UK. Quite a lot of employment legislation is built on an eu foundation. Now that the foundation has gone there would be zero comeback if a government decided to abolish maternity leave for example.

Im worried that prices of food and clothes will go up and that will affect my mum. Im worried about the availability of medicines. Im worried that quite a lot of cultural projects will lose their funding.

The above pp have covered most of my points.
Britain has changed over the decades to reflect the changing world, economics, and our place in the EU. Now we're taking our ball and going home, so we can go back to a Britain that no longer exists. We're giving up our voice, economic stability and reputation, to become "great again". (With a resentful Scotland and Wales who are being forced into major changes they voted against, a jeopardised GFA, many of manufacturing industries of old sold off or moved abroad). If not a part of the EU, then we rely on Russia, China and the US instead.

Besides, the one thing I hear touted as a positive over and over again is handing power back to our own government. After the ridiculous shitshow of the last 3 years, I can't trust our politicians to organise a piss-up in a brewery.

@WeirdAndPissedOff

Bang on! Except that it was NI and Scotland who voted remain. Wales voted leave (I think).

Brexiteers were asked their reasons the other day

And their response: I'm not discussing it

“The reason I voted remain isn't because I am terrified of the consequence of Brexit though. I just believe that we are stronger and better together. ”

Same here. I know Brexit will be affect this country negatively, but my vote was positively FOR being part of the EU. I think it is hugely beneficial to us all

And note how easily remainers answer leavers’ questions!

For every reason already stated because the indications are that it will be catastrophic to our country and in my mind that means to my standard of living and to my children's future.

But hey what is all of the above when up against The rhetoric of Brexit means Brexit and getting our country back and all that other populist nonsense in rational debate with the pro Brexit crowd

What I didn't mention is that I'm angry. I'm angry that Brexiters have been duped into wanting something that will fuck up their lives, and I'm angry my family's lives are going to be fucked up too, damaging our income, our security, our access to health care and medicines, our rights and our children's futures. When daily life becomes unaffordable, what will you do?

And now the wounds are too deep, the issues too personal. Our country is polarised and deeply divided, because of David fucking Cameron.

There is no Brexit utopia just over the hill - we leave, we're fucked.
And it will take decades to recover and forgive each other.

I have many concerns about leaving. But my top ones are as follows:

• a massive rise in the cost of food. I work in the food industry. In my factory 90% of the production staff are from the EU. This is pretty standard. These jobs need doing. So either we are going to end up increasing immigration from other countries or have massive food shortages and increased prices. The same goes for support staff in hospitals and I'm sure other industries. Whether we like it or not we need unskilled and semi skilled labour and it has to come from somewhere .
• a recession
• lack of funding in research
• medicine shortages
• social unrest/ racism/ rise of the far right
• Problems in Northern Ireland
• Environmental concerns

etc etc

LittleAndOften

I completely agree. I'm incredibly angry about the whole situation and wish to god we had never had the stupid referendum. It was a gamble and it went very badly wrong.

I agree with pretty much everybody above. The Brexit campaign seems in a large part to rely on a rose tinted understanding of history and economics, but I haven't read any arguments that have convinced me that its a good idea to loosen our bonds with our closest neighbours. Especially from an environmental perspective when considering the movement of goods and people over distances.

Plus I suspect that many of the powerful people pushing for Brexit stand to make a (nother) fortune off the back of the disruption and uncertainty. I don't think they have the country's best interests at heart and I find it difficult to believe that people think they do. Look at all the lies and misinformation we have been spun (particularly the £350million for the NHS) and all of the emotional fear mongering (Turkey are about to join the EU! Vote Leave).

If you are arguing for a massive change to the status quo, that could have disastrous consequences, you need to have some pretty solid arguments. I haven't seen enough to convince me but I have seen enough to really worry me about the future if Brexit goes ahead.

I have lots of reasons for wanting to remain, lots of which have been covered above. I think the damage has already been done to our country though. People are so divided, like I’ve never known in my lifetime. I don’t know how we start getting back from that now.

I am also very worried about Northern Ireland. Nobody has come up with a way to leave without risking peace there. How can we push on with something that could cause conflict? I can’t support leaving until something has been agreed that will support peace.

I strongly believe as a small country with a mostly service based economy, we are better together as part of the EU. I’m not saying the EU is perfect, but what ever is.

Agree with the above, and here’s another one: the UK stands to lose around £1 billion per year in funding for scientific research from the EU. As a scientist who has been funded by the EU for years to improve the health of the British public I find it rather galling that the “majority” were happy to lose this funding with no clear plan on how to replace it.

I am worried about the people we are becoming.

There is so much division.

I think economically it will be very tough over the next few years and people are going to struggle so much more.

I am angry that my children are going to be denied the opportunities that I have had.

I am worried about a Tory Party no longer restrained by the EU.

I am worried for the NHS and all services in general with any future Tory government.

I am saddened that it is now acceptable to be racist, homophobic.

I do think the UK will break up. And compared to 2014 I am now willing Scotland to say yes to Independence.

I am worried about a return to the troubles in NI.

And more than anything I am upset that I no longer know my country. I no longer want to be British. I cannot believe that people voted for the Brexit Party. I cannot believe the hatred that people have for those that disagree with them.
I cannot believe why we no longer seem to believe in democracy and are actively voting for Fascists.

There are still a few glimmers of hope but the future is depressing

For many of the reasons stated above.

I also think UK politicians have shown themselves to be utterly incompetentand full of hot air. IF Brexit were to go ahead it would be done badly and acrimoniously. It would end in tears.

Northern Ireland and the risk to peace. There's a generation who have never experienced the Troubles and what it was like when the IRA was active.

Freedom of movement. So much of our economy relies upon this precept - not just people, but goods and services as well. Reducing our ability to trade effectively, quickly and simply is entirely counter-intuitive at a time when we are still subject to extremely low interest rates due to economic concerns. I am also particularly worried about the impact to the NHS, which is already suffering critical staffing shortages as a result of burnout and the Government's "hostile environment" immigration policies - which has had a knock on effect to genuinely skilled immigrants who we desperately need.

I genuinely believe that we are stronger together than we are apart. And I also firmly believe that the way to change a flawed institution which has good intentions, is to change from within. To quote a business leader I saw recently; If you aren't at the table then you are on the menu.

I am worried about racism. About inequality and rising poverty. About humanitarian, environmental and legal safeguards being rolled back.

Handing full autonomy over to the bunch of morons we currently have in parliament is quite worrying. Other than that, I worry about -

Violation of the spirit of the good Friday agreement and would that could mean for people living either side of the border

Jumping in to bed with the USA and striking trade deals with them - we would need to relax laws around food quality etc. The carbon footprint for goods coming from the US will be higher than from Europe as well.

The country becoming more xenophobic.

Not being able to trade freely with Europe.

Not be able to travel freely within Europe. We have family we visit around 4 times a year in another European country.

High cost of goods putting an extra strain on people who are already struggling.

A recession which could mean either of us losing our job.

The making Britain great again argument doesn't hold true with me. The world is a completely different place now. It is a global economy. We are no longer a manufacturing industry heavy country- we can't keep up with the overseas competition. We are a service industry country (finance, technology etc) isolating ourselves does not bode well for these industries

This is very true!

I work in international trade and already some very well known supermarkets have invested a huge amount in preparation for Brexit - how do you think they will recover that cost?? It’ll be the consumer that pays. People are already on the breadline and using food banks - many of these people will have been convinced to vote leave and may believe that their lives will be better after Brexit. It’s really sad.

Handing full autonomy over to the bunch of morons we currently have in parliament is quite worrying.

The weird thing is, I think most brexiteers actually aren't that thrilled with parliament either. My go to phrase when someone brings up brexit and I don't want to get into a big debate, is always, "what a shambles! What are they up to in Westminster?", or words to that effect. Everyone nods vigorously whether they are brexiteers or remainers .

Isn't it utterly remarkable that Remainers can easily and eloquently list their reasons for remaining, whilst brexiters rely on 'taking back control' and 'it may be shit but it will be okay'.

The national pride of the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games seems an eon ago. Sadly.

If I lived in N Ireland, where we still have many relatives, I’d be terrified of a return to the bad old days. The EU seems far more concerned about this than any UK politician. It feels grossly unfair that three of the four member countries of the UK voted to remain and are being dragged out against their will.

And many of the reasons other posters have so eloquently explained.

Lots of things but predominately Northern Ireland. I’m from there, my family still live there, I don’t want to see anything threaten the GFA, yet I haven’t seen anyone from a hard brexit position actually engage with a solution that doesn’t impact the GFA. That’s very worrying.

Medicine and food shortages - doesn't matter whether they're short or long term. Even short-term medicine shortages will be a death sentence for asthmatics, diabetics and others on permanent medication.

Loss of £millions of money to coastal defence work

Return to hositility in N Ireland

Loss of the NHS

No safeguard to health and safety regulations. Or maternity pay. Or workers' rights.

Increased emboldening of the far right. It's already begun and it ain't going to go away easily now.

I worry about the UK being turned into a money laundering paradise. We can keep our banking trade if we deregulate the sector and wash the dirty money from Russia and central Asia.
I am deeply suspicious of Russian influence in the referendum. They gain if the EU is weaker and undoubtedly it now will be.
I also think we will lose worker's rights and safety regulations that protect us from some of the worst crap that is acceptable in the USA and China.

Thank you all so much for your responses. It seems to me that this is a very decent debate, and people are actually talking thoughtfully.

It hasn't the slightest clue what it means. Just like Brexiters who trot this line out either A. have not a fucking clue or B. think it will all be alright, for them as beneficiaries of a plunging pound.

Give the clue.

Why is WTO (to which UK is already a signatory) worse?
Why is a plunging pound worse? [It could be argued that the pound was overvalued, and that it makes our exports more attractive, encouraging manufacturing rather than service, and assists the trade deficit ....]

What would help our main concerns more (and these are the most important challenges facing us, Europe or no) -

climate change,

the rise of China,
ageing demographics, and
rapid technological change

• being part of the European market, or independent for more agile response?