To ask what has improved since leaving the EU?

[Butterflyfluff]

I’ve just had to pay customs charges on something I ordered from Germany - whilst we were in the EU there were no such charges.

Which got me thinking.

Leaving hasn’t been the disaster some predicted but, I can’t think of anything that affects me that’s actually improved since leaving.

What have other people’s upsides been? (And just being able to say we’re not in the EU anymore doesn’t count! 😂)

@TheKeatingFive

See also, all restrictions ending shortly

That's true of ROI too actually

It's true of quite a few places, it's still shortsighted, selfish, and stupid, three traits our country has in spades right now.

Oh, my trading advantage with USA was not because of Brexit? Good on the USA for sorting that out. I don't care why it happened because it's much cheaper for me and I never buy ftom the eu. It's cheaper buying goods from the usa even if they were produced instead eu. Which is mad.

And it will be much easier for the UK to get a trade deal with the US for our benefit without having to keep 26 other countries happy, which is why eu deals take so long and often collapse.

I didn't vote for Brexit but it's here now. So I'm just getting on with it.

@Joystir59

Our vaccination programme was rolled out quickly because we were not locked in to EU purchasing plans

This isn't true. We'd have still been able to opt out, as could any other eu country at the time.

@ILoveAllRainbowsx Yes hospitality has benefitted UK workers as there are less EU workers, very easy to quickly train up someone to work in a bar etc...

But in health & sciences, the lack of EU staff has caused huge problems.

I'd rather have more health care staff.

@TheKeatingFive

See also, all restrictions ending shortly

That's true of ROI too actually

And Sweden. Our restrictions ended at the start of February and we never had to endure lockdowns.

Not being bossed around by European bureaucrats.

@Whadda yes that's true. My brother in Dublin has done very well as a result of a huge increase in business thanks to Brexit. I mean, it's crap for me because he's a great brother and I was gutted when his company moved him to Ireland as brexit loomed. And I guess it's crap for all the English businesses he would have spent money in if he still lived over here.

@mynameiscalypso

I quite like getting stamps in my passport. I would still prefer free movement in the EU though.

Yeah, that's true. I do like getting passport stamps and we do now get more as a result.

@Louisianagumbo

Oh, my trading advantage with USA was not because of Brexit? Good on the USA for sorting that out. I don't care why it happened because it's much cheaper for me and I never buy ftom the eu. It's cheaper buying goods from the usa even if they were produced instead eu. Which is mad.

And it will be much easier for the UK to get a trade deal with the US for our benefit without having to keep 26 other countries happy, which is why eu deals take so long and often collapse.

I didn't vote for Brexit but it's here now. So I'm just getting on with it.

The USA did nothing to 'sort that out'. The EU raised the limit from €22 to €150 for personal imports from non-EU countries.

You can do your own research into why a trade deal with the USA on their terms would be bad for the EU and even worse for us outside the EU.

I quite like getting stamps in my passport. I would still prefer free movement in the EU though.

I love getting my passport stamped but not many countries seem to do it anymore or they charge you for it. I'm very excited about this but adly I just know we'll end up just getting waved through.

@Viviennemary

Not being bossed around by European bureaucrats.

Yes, it's better being bossed around by unaccountable unelected people appointed by a corrupt UK government.

Nothing. Mostly got worse.
About half of us predicted that…

@Viviennemary

Not being bossed around by European bureaucrats.

Because none of those bureaucrats were British and the UK had no say in the EU decision making process?

@ghostyslovesheets

clutching at straws but used cars? I purchased mine new 2 years ago - another year to go - went to look at a new one and it's lost £1000 in 2 years - depreciation is minimal because of delaying getting new ones in - I'd have to wait until June for a new one!

Oh and it's a Dacia Duster - nothing fancy

Afraid not. It's exactly the same in the EU. Dh is currently looking to change his car. He is thinking of buying new or a demo model. They told him they would be able to get him one for next January!!!

@FatFredsFriedEgg

The vacuum story was true *@Cornettoninja*. They were limited to 1600w in 2014 and then further reduced to 900w in 2017.

Ah, thanks. I’m waited with baited breath then. Hope I can afford to run it!

@Butterflyfluff

It's much cheaper and much easier to buy things from America now. And for me, America tends to sell things much cheaper than in the EU. So that's an upside for me.

I might be being thick here but how is that a result of leaving the EU?

And the postage cost from the USA is eye watering anyway

And it will be much easier for the UK to get a trade deal with the US for our benefit without having to keep 26 other countries happy, which is why eu deals take so long and often collapse.

The EU has far greater bargaining power because they offer a far greater market than we do. If it was so easy, then where are all the deals?

I’ve just been to buy some pile cream🥴

Empty shelves! Like a third world country.

I see nothing that has been improved by Brexit.

My poor bum😥🍇

How can we tell? We don’t know what’s happened due to a Covid or whether it's happened due to Brexit. Both things kicked in at the same time. The world is crap atm, compounded by the constant rain we’ve had since Xmas.

@TheKeatingFive

See also, all restrictions ending shortly

That's true of ROI too actually

Restrictions in Sweden ended a month ago. We didn’t have any lockdowns either.

It was never about immedIate perks for leaving. It was always going to be tough.

It is more about avoiding the risks of staying in a undemocratic superstate. Greece were getting the brunt of it a few years ago. People forget that.

What have other people’s upsides been?

None. Zero. Kein. Nichts. Nada.

We've been able to cut VAT on energy bills. Oh... wait. No.

The NHS is benefitting from an extra £350 million a week! Oh... not that either.

We're able to trade with the EU tariff-free and with minimal bureaucracy.... shit.

We have been able to scrap VAT on sanitary products.... fuck, nope not that either.

The union is stronger, the border with Ireland has remained unchanged, and countless nations have been eager to form trade deals with us.... shitting hell. No to that too.

Um....

Oh!

Brexit has been directly responsible for creating one job - the one that Rees-Mogg is doing.

@CorrBlimeyGG

And it will be much easier for the UK to get a trade deal with the US for our benefit without having to keep 26 other countries happy, which is why eu deals take so long and often collapse.

The EU has far greater bargaining power because they offer a far greater market than we do. If it was so easy, then where are all the deals?

The EU has been trying to do a trade deal with the US for years, but the 26 states cannot agree. And probably will never agree and so it will never happen.

Empty shelves! Like a third world country.

My local supermarket looks like an immediate living history museum of 1970s East Germany.