Genuine question - what does anyone like about Brexit?

[Pipsquiggle]

I have always been a committed remainer - I work in an industry that depends on seamless logisitics, particularly entering / leaving the UK. Brexit is a shit show for my sector.

Just had to pay £96.80 to UPS to release a package that I'd paid express delivery for, that should've arrived 2 days ago - I'm pissed off. The German firm has already agreed to reimburse me but it's all such a ball ache.

So I have a very bleak outlook when it comes to Brexit.

Genuinely, I would like to hear of good news stories around Brexit.
How has it made your life better?
If your pay has increased - how much by and which industry are you in?
If there has been a legal upside for you - which law and how has it helped?

I am genuinely hoping to 'reframe' my thoughts / feelings on Brexit and was hoping this board could help me

TBH More likely to introduce environmental protections being part of a European bloc than being a relatively small country.

Most people voted for Brexit based on an issue with the UK Govt.. i.e low wages... we could have addressed that years ago.
Instead its the same old, wage increases roughly at half the rate of inflation.

I voted Remain precisely to protect my DD's future and rights, rights i had but which she now wont, hence she will leave the NHS and go to Aus & work in their health service... wins all round!

Doing "something" when its the wrong thing to do, is of no help at all, as is the "hopefully, jam tomorrow" argument.

fwiw i was originally quite keen on Brexit but once i realised it was a vehicle to power for people like Farage and Johnson, i looked more closely, the promises of Brexit are built on sand and reasons to be in the SM are as valid for us now as they were for Thatcher when she spoke so much in favour of it.

Sad that your DD can't stay here due to the sorry state of our NHS.

Maybe as a society we can pay higher wages and retain staff so conditions are better. Lose the old rotas and provide hours that enable a good work life balance. Stagnant wages have caused staff to leave and the remaining staff are working too many hours and are exhausted. That's my hope for the future.

I'm sure though if your DD wanted to work in Europe she could, it wouldn't be any harder than getting into Australia tbh.

I think essentially we all want the same things, better wages, working conditions, work-life balance, health care, education, etc We just disagree on how to get there.

As others have already pointed out, you have completely misunderstood FOM. I actually find it infuriating that so many people could not be bothered to find out basic facts about the EU before voting to trash the economy.

Ah, you want to talk about migration from one EU country to another.
Take a look here for the 2017 data (feel free to supply your own for a different year).

www.pewresearch.org/global/interactives/origins-destinations-of-european-union-migrants-within-the-eu/

It shows that Germany had the the largest absolute number of migrants from other EU countries and that was 7% of their population.

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Ireland, Luxembourg all had a higher percentage of their population that was born in other EU countries than Germany.

In 2017 4% of the UK population was born in other EU countries, 1/3 the percentage of Ireland.

Remind me which island did you say was really popular with migrants?

I think essentially we all want the same things, better wages, working conditions, work-life balance, health care, education, etc We just disagree on how to get there.

Bang on.

It beggars belief to me that there are people risking their lives right now to get across the channel from safe France (just put the news on!) and posters are refusing to accept that as 'UK is seen as a popular place to live'. The hair splitting on this thread is hilarious.

That's not true though is it? We never lost the right to introduce our own legislation.

There was apprehension within the uni that we'd never be able get enough students and there was genuine concern if the dept would fold. But not at all. Why would overseas students care if we were in the eu or not, I guess. But applications from abroad have never been higher and not having to rely on govt funding for home eu students is so much easier.

I know that it's very popular on MN to run down UK education and the UK in general, but that's not how students from overseas view us at all.

It’s because they are being lied to by people traffickers.
If the people smuggled in to The UK really knew what life was going to be like for the majority of them I wonder if they would be so keen to get here

I know that it's very popular on MN to run down UK education and the UK in general, but that's not how students from overseas view us at all.

Having grown up o/s I agree with this. But in general the view is more positive than the mn vibe on a few U.K. things.

The quote that you are trying to use was in fact "we are unique in that the UK seems to be a very popular place to live compared to the rest of the EU."

Which is demonstrably not true.

Can we agree that the UK is one of a number of countries that are a popular destination for migrants, and that a significant number of European countries are more popular that the UK?

There was a drop in the number of applicants from outside the UK (and within the UK) for those courses starting in 2023 that have an early applicaction deadline, it will be interesting to see if that trend is repeated with the equal consideration deadline in January.

Nothing....the duty free savings are not savings...can buy the items cheaper in Asda or ebay....stopped sending gifts abroad....despite the supposedly £41 exempt limit on gifts, my friends are being charged silly amounts...the passport queues at some airports are awful.....a mess

I think leaving the eu loosened certain rigid thinking of going along with the rest of the eu countries, though. I'm glad that it's finally happening.

No we always retained sovereignty and always made our own laws. In fact lots of UK law drove EU regulations, not the other way around.

Even if more migrants end up in an EU country that doesn't mean those countries are more 'popular'. I personally know someone who first went to Germany seeking asylum because it was easier. And then later came to the UK because they struggled with the German language. @FishBowlSwimmer is still right to use the word 'popular' regardless of how many people have actually achieved entry according to your numbers. Those numbers don't include those who would come if there were no barriers (such as having to seek asylum in the first safe country they reach)

A British friend who lives in Holland came over for a short stay. He's very anti Brexit. But he said he got through Manchester Airport without problems both in and out. But the Dutch airport was a nightmare. He was stood queuing for four hours in total, an hour and a half on the tarmac alone to get on the plane. Then they couldn't leave because the pilot said they had no staff to refuel them. He was in the airport for seven hours.
There's a myth that only the uk is struggling for staff and resources but it's across the whole of Europe.

I'm sure though if your DD wanted to work in Europe she could, it wouldn't be any harder than getting into Australia tbh

No it isn't, its almost impossible...

There are regional and national bodies to register with, must have health insurances, despite paying tax (same as UK in that regard) & whilst she is fairly fluent in Spanish, she would have to sit a language test... which of course is fair enough.

All of this is very expensive.... with no guarantee of a positive outcome.

Brexit puts up barriers, it doesn't make things easier.

Whereas the Australian recruitment agency contacted (at her Uni) before she even qualified....

Ah, we are changing the meaning of popular now. Ok. Interesting tactic.

I do wish you would make your mind up whether we are talking about migrants from within the EU or asylum seekers.

I'm afraid I have absolutely zero sympathy for fishermen, if you're thick enough to put a barrier between yourself and your customers you don't deserve to be in business. Plus, fishing is terrible for the environment. I would describe the death of the UK fishing industry as a Brexit benefit in fact.

Here's an interesting thing @PoseyFlump if you google "most popular country to visit" there are loads of results, all of which seem to consider the most popular country to visit as the one that the most people actually visit.
But you are telling us that with migrants it is different and the most popular country isn't the one with the most migrants going to it.

My daughter if also hoping to study medicine as her ticket out of the UK.

Really? I know what FOM in the EU means, I'm not sure you do though.

@FishBowlSwimmer do you also know that the UK was also a long way from being the most popular country for EU citizens to move to within the EU?

My dc want to stay in London (so far anyway) especially the middle dc. They have a very positive view on the city, see it as a place of opportunity. I’d be glad, I’ve done the far from family move - you miss out on things.

@jgw1 it's way more complicated than 'popular places to visit'. Do you genuinely believe that people are ending up where they want to be (migrants and asylum seekers) or where they are able to get to with the resources at their disposal?

There will definitely be people in Germany and other places who, given a choice, would want to be in the UK. Many prefer the English language. Many have been sold a dream. Maybe some don't feel safe on the continent and would prefer to be surrounded by sea. Stats don't show desires. Just where they managed to get to so far. To deny that reality is bizarre.