What have we gained by Brexit/leaving the EU?

[Elephant4]

In simple terms.

I've read so much about what we've lost.

Please no sarcastic comments. I just want to know what we've gained - probably best if those who think Brexit is a positive thing post.

I'm really not upset about any of this the way you are, and certainly would not respond to any of the words you have put into my mouth.
I would only say that I think the people of Scotland are probably happy that vaccinations in the UK are 4.3% at the moment compared to Ireland at 0.31% of the population, and are glad that they weren't reliant on the EU rollout.

and are glad that they weren't reliant on the EU rollout.
The EU is not vaccinating the nationals of sovereign countries

and the people of Northern Ireland are none too pleased at having to pay customs clearance on gifts from family in England, Scotland and Wales
let alone being unable to buy even essentials

ok vaccine provision, not vaccine rollout. Obviously makes so much difference (not).

@FuriousWithTheNHS

Sorry JasJas have been reading your name as JaJa all this time

Once you become a French resident some things fall outside of the double taxation treaty. Inheritance tax and capital gains tax for example.

If you have recently taken residency in France but rented out your UK home as a form of income or safety net in case you wish to return, when you eventually sell that house there will be CGT to pay in France as it is not your main residence. I believe this to be the case, anyway. Lots of 2nd home owners (especially retirees or people to work remotely and self employed) have been weighing up whether to switch their residency to France so their time there is not limited, and use their UK home as their 'second home'. Of course they can always come back to the UK for any amount of time.

In most cases it has not worked out financially viable to do so, all things considered.

I don't think the DTT means you don't pay any income tax in France though, just that you only pay the difference in France if the UK taxation is lower. Or something.

It's complicated. All I know is that many Brits living in France and Spain are pissed off because they've been working loopholes in the system very easily for years, constantly hedging their bets between the UK and France/Spain/Wherever and now they can't, and it's going to hit them in the pocket.

Re double taxation

1- if you stay more than 6 months in a country, you are considered resident and should file tax return there. It doesn’t matter if some people were not doing that before because that was illegal

2- this means you end up filling taxes in BOTH countries. If you are already paying taxes in let’s say france, then this will be taken into account when calculating how much you owe in the U.K.
BUT it’s also likely that both systems won’t tax things the same way. Esp with rental income it can be a minefield.

3- it also doesn’t mean that if you pay more overall in France, you won’t pay anything in the U.K.
eg my parents had a French pension, were paying taxes in France but also income tax in the U.K. on any money they were bringing to the U.K.

So basically DT isn’t just ‘I’ve paid my taxes in the U.K. so I don’t need to bother with spain/France/whatever’

Yes, I know, that's the exact point I was trying to make, if you look at my above posts, but thanks for clarifying with more accurate detail.

@Toptotoeunicolour

I'm really not upset about any of this the way you are, and certainly would not respond to any of the words you have put into my mouth. I would only say that I think the people of Scotland are probably happy that vaccinations in the UK are 4.3% at the moment compared to Ireland at 0.31% of the population, and are glad that they weren't reliant on the EU rollout.

Hmmm.... I think some eu countries are doing pretty well re vaccines and better than the U.K. Italy and Spain spring to mind.... Link for photo and exact numbers.

twitter.com/economist_kat/status/1347497237774012416?s=21

It doesn’t matter if some people were not doing that before because that was illegal

Completely agree. But many unoffical 'expats' who have never bothered with formal residency or worrying about how many days they've stayed from a tax perspective will now find things rather different.

I appreciate that one should take politicians' claims with a pinch of salt but I think that Twitter link is inaccurate, if not plain wrong. As of Monday, the UK had vaccinated more people than the rest of the EU combined.

TBH the rate of vaccinations should be measured
relative to population size
and COVID case load
and on either of those measures
the UK really needs to pull its finger out

and remember that the vaccines are being made in the EU

as are most UK medicines

and remember that the vaccines are being made in the EU
as are most UK medicines

Even more galling for the EU then

ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

@TonMoulin, the UK figure is for 3rd Jan whilst the other EU countries were at a point in time five days later. Bloomberg is a better source. I'll ignore your "Hmmmm...." whilst you think about it some more.
[https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/]

According to Bloomberg, the UK has vaccinated 4.3% of the population, which is the 4th best in the world, after Israel, the UAE and Bahrain.

People's interests are generally best served by being close to the centre of power.

I actually disagree with this.
An example is the so called post code lottery of NHS services where in some areas certain treatments are covered, in others they are not. Citizens should have equal opportunities and access to services anywhere they live in the country.
I think the statement above becomes even less true, the bigger the issue. Re climate change or tax avoidance, countries and geographical areas serve their populations better by acting together on these things. Multinational companies will pitch countries against each other and create a race to the bottom if countries don't stand together and act as one. I suppose that's a fundamental difference between Leavers and Remainers though, Remainers believe populations are better served by unions, Leavers don't.

I also never really understood the haltered of European courts. The interests of different countries have always rubbed up against each other and no doubt always will. The traditional method of solving these disputes has been to go to war. One day some bright spark came up with the idea of having international courts to settle disputes instead. Now we might not always like the rulings of these courts and they might not always go in our favour but if we all abide by them, maybe we can avoid conflict. I know they're far from perfect, but as ideas go, I think international courts are a good one.

@Toptotoeunicolour

I'm really not upset about any of this the way you are, and certainly would not respond to any of the words you have put into my mouth. I would only say that I think the people of Scotland are probably happy that vaccinations in the UK are 4.3% at the moment compared to Ireland at 0.31% of the population, and are glad that they weren't reliant on the EU rollout.

I didn't put words in your mouth. I asked a question. That's what the ? means.

So are you actually trying to claim the UK government give a shit about the devolved nations? Please note the ? rather than a . plus the use of the phrase "are you", rather than "you are".

The vaccine rollout is variable across the EU. The centralised health system in the UK makes it easier to roll out than in countries that don't have that.

TBH the UK along with the USA has to be vaccinating at a colossal rate, our infection and death rates are shocking, the NHS (in many regions) is overwhelmed by any normal definition of the word, the poor staff, 43k off sick/isolating.

Given how this virus seems to mutate, the glee in which leavers like to point out the glaring failure of european nations to get vaccines rolled out is stupid.
We should be offering our expertise, not gloating, because should a vaccine resistant strain appear in europe, it will come here.

Completely agree. But many unofficial 'expats' who have never bothered with formal residency or worrying about how many days they've stayed from a tax perspective will now find things rather different

Yes anyone who didn't get residency before 31/12/20 was mad.

Interesting to learn about the tax rules, seems eu nations didn't enforce the rules, similar to the UK in many respects.

So are you actually trying to claim the UK government give a shit about the devolved nations?
This question is framed to imply I have commented on the level of shits the UK government gives. I haven't, and it's not a conversation I'm prepared to have.

Sunlit uplands . Fast tracking lorries to address potential shortages to avoid panic buying.
It's all fiiiiiiiine.

www.ft.com/content/27069111-be39-446f-8cf1-ed216400b171

Why should the French taxpayer be expected to foot the bill for any treatment I might need?

Err... they don't, its a reciprocal agreement, they claim it back from the UK.
Same as an EU citizen using the NHS, though we seem to have been a bit lax on that one.

Aside, your uk medical insurance will only cover you for a max number of days, even if an annual policy, 30 to 45 days per year.

@Toptotoeunicolour

So are you actually trying to claim the UK government give a shit about the devolved nations? This question is framed to imply I have commented on the level of shits the UK government gives. I haven't, and it's not a conversation I'm prepared to have.

The question is framed the way it is as your statement: Having a framework in place that is more closely connected to our people and less to the rest of the EU must, over time, suit out country better, allow us to respond more quickly and in a way more suited to our own situation uses the word "must" rather than "could" or "may", which, coupled with the term "our country" suggests you believe things will be better for all in terms of governance. In order to achieve that, a government would need to consider all parts of the country which will never happen with the current electoral system in the UK.

Israel has four competing Health Maintenance Organisations, all operating nationally and all free at the point of delivering healthcare... so it's not quite accurate to claim that centralised command systems always perform better. Of course, the population is small compared to the UK, as is it's landmass but it's not an island either.

JasJas, it's perfectly possible to buy medical insurance that offers cover for longer trips, even across multiple countries. We travelled for six months, around the world, with a policy that covered DH's heart issues. It wasn't easy to find, I grant, but to dismiss it as impossible is incorrect.

Sorry but i've a young ish relative who needs certain life saving regular treatment, can't get health insurance (outside of europe) i assume the GHIC will allow her to travel as before under EHIC?

No company is going to give cover if its a foregone certainty you'll claim, they aren't charities.

Given how this virus seems to mutate, the glee in which leavers like to point out the glaring failure of european nations to get vaccines rolled out is stupid.
We should be offering our expertise, not gloating, because should a vaccine resistant strain appear in europe, it will come here.

Oh come on now. We are badgered and badgered and badgered to 'just give me one reason, just one that is tangible, come on, surely you can think of one?' and when you are given one, after trying and failing to pull it apart, deny it and disregard it, you eventually give up and switch to accusing us of gloating over it?

Ochon
Nah....still not going to be drawn into that.

*We are badgered and badgered and badgered to 'just give me one reason, just one that is tangible, come on, surely you can think of one?' and when you are given one, after trying and failing to pull it apart, deny it and disregard it, you eventually give up and switch to accusing us of gloating over it?8

Lol! You ve a point!

However, back in 2016 a pandemic wasn't on the cards, so poor vaccination rollouts wasn't a reason to leave.

I think once the EMA approve the OxZ vaccine, they'll get a move on, lets all hope so!