Brexit Mega Thread 16 – Who's Next?

[LouiseCollins28]

We are approaching the 6th anniversary of Brexit, or I suppose the 5th, if you count the period of transition as "in."

Since then, the world has endured Covid-19, seen war in Ukraine and many other things. Brexit has had reduced salience in the minds of many people recently.

When digesting the latest setbacks to befall the elite who govern our islands, a phrase I keep returning to, is “OK, so now do you get it?”

Brexit is undoubtedly the biggest “OK, so now do you get it?” moment directed at our leaders in my life. It’s surely the largest since 1979, since the Labour victory of 1945? or even since the advent of universal suffrage?

The U.K. local elections in 2026, and subsequent national ones, could see a big increase in support for the Green Party and Reform U.K. Two parties with more different attitudes to European integration could scarcely be found, so Brexit’s salience in the U.K. may rise again soon
.
There are many electoral contests in progress or coming across Europe too (the Netherlands and France, for example) which will be worth paying attention to. Maybe the next questions we will face are less about "what next?" and more about "who's next?"

Relations between mainland Europe and the UK remain a worthy topic for discussion, whoever leads the nations of Europe, or leads the E.U. itself.

For those who may have forgotten, this was the project touted in 2020 as a great Brexit opportunity to seize the opportunities of our regained 'sovereignty', as per quotes from Gove and Patel below (taken from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-sets-out-strategy-for-most-effective-border-in-the-world-by-2025)

https://bsky.app/profile/chrisgrey.bsky.social/post/3mf3hfwy6s22i

EU border controls tighten and truckers, farmers, exporters and shoppers pay the price.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-border-controls-british-lorry-drivers-risk-redundancy/

EU drivers entering the UK are also limited to 6 months per year without a Visa which has the same effect as the 90/180 (6 months per year maximum) Schengen guidelines. So, the suggestion that UK will have to employ EU drivers is garbage as they too would be restricted to 6 months per year in the UK without a Visa.

The idea of a depot in Belgium doesn’t work either as goods would have to be transported from UK to the depot through the channel tunnel. This too would be subject to the same restrictions that are in place now.

All those obstacles Brexit has put in place, glad you agree EE

@pointythings @DuncinToffee

You can't moan about immigrants when you are one yourself.

Many countries are interested in attracting high net worth individuals. Some offer permanent residency or tax breaks if people can bring in substantial amounts of money.

The difference between high net worth individuals and illegal immigrants is simple.

High net worth individuals contribute to the economy. Whereas the illegal immigrants take from the economy.

You mean refugees/ asylum seekers with illegal immigrants?

And you are the right kind of immigrant?

@DuncinToffee

All those obstacles Brexit has put in place,

The Schengen 90/180 has been in place since 1985, 35 years before UK left the EU and 9 years before the channel tunnel opened.

The EU entry/exit system will have greater impact on transport across the Eastern European border due to the larger number of trucks involved. Link is

https://trans.info/en/balkan-truck-drivers-451134

So, your suggestion that Brexit is the cause of disruption due to the EU entry/exit system fails as it impacts countries who have never been in the EU.

@DuncinToffee

And you are the right kind of immigrant.

Yes. I contributed to countries such as:

India
UAE
Mauritius
USA

Before taking up residency in Eastern Europe’s

You're still an immigrant though. No more, no less.

Yes, and they weren't obstacles to either them or us until numpties like you voted for Brexit...

@MaybeNotBob

The EU entry/exit system was introduced by the EU in October 2025 and is planned to be completed by April 2026. It applies to everyone who is non-EU which equates to 168 countries and approximately 8 billion people. Reasons for the system include:

• Modernization and Efficiency: Replacing slow, manual, and often unreadable passport stamps with a digital, biometric system (facial images and fingerprints) improves efficiency and accuracy at border crossings.
• Preventing Overstays: The system automatically tracks the duration of stay for non-EU visitors (including UK citizens), ensuring they do not exceed the 90-day limit within any 180-day period.
• Enhanced Security: By registering biometric data, the EES helps identify, prevent, and fight terrorism and serious organized crime.
• Detecting Identity Fraud: The system verifies the identity of travelers, reducing the risk of using fake documents.
• Managing High Traveler Flows: The automated system aims to speed up border checks, allowing for faster processing, especially for frequent travelers

No reference is made to Brexit, but to improved efficiency and security. So, the suggestion that the EU entry/exit system is attributable to Brexit is incorrect. Even if it was, is improved efficiency and security not an advantage?

For information, Brexit was voted for by 498 MPs on 29 March 2017, not by those who voted on 23 June 2016.

@pointythings

Immigrants who contribute towards the economy are welcome in many countries. Particularly high net worth individuals and those who earn significantly more than locals as they pay more in local taxes.

Some EU members such as Italy and the Netherlands offer tax breaks for foreign workers.

Italy has the 50% scheme whereby foreign workers include pay tax on 50% of their income for a period of 4 years. Netherlands has the 30% entrepreneur allowance which lasts 6 years.

If you watch the 5 December 2024 episode of BBC Question Time, you will see that both Alastair Campbell and Nigel Farage agreed that it only made sense to allow immigrants to enter the UK who had work. ie contributors.

More nonsensical bullshit! You just can't help yourself. If you can't answer a point you get ChatGPT to write you a long meandering and completely irrelevant load of rubbish in the hope that the hard of thinking will assume you have a point...

As an answer to the thread title, who is next?

Iceland is preparing to bring forward its referendum on joining the European Union to August.

"Escalating threats from 🇺🇸, among them a joke by [🇺🇸ambassador] Billy Long that 🇮🇸 would become the 52nd state, have increased the urgency."

@MaybeNotBob

The following are facts:

The Schengen 90/180 was introduced in 1985. Thirty five years before the UK left the EU.

The EU entry/exit system applies to all non EU countries and any other non Schengen countries.

So, your statement that the Brexit is the cause of the 90/180 Schengen and the implementation of the entry/exit system is incorrect.

@DuncinToffee

Iceland will not join the EU as they will lose their fishing privileges.

The following are facts:

Yes, but they are entirely irrelevant facts! 🤣🤣🤣

@MaybeNotBob

You have not explained how legislation passed by the EU in 1985 was caused by the UK’s departure from the EU in 2020, thirty five years later.

Are you genuinely this stupid? I would just assume you're being deliberately disingenuous, but I've met Brexiteers before...

@MaybeNotBob

Regards the EU entry/exist system, you made the statement:

Yes, and they weren't obstacles to either them or us until numpties like you voted for Brexit...

The EU entry/exist system applies to all non EU and non Schengen countries. It is not, as you have stated, connected to Brexit.

It's effect on us is ABSOLUTELY ENTIRELY down to Brexit!

You're really not very good at this thinking lark...

Well, it kind of is. If we hadn't left, we'd be in the EU so not subject to it. Duh.

Well, OK we chose not to be in Schengen, although when we were members we could have chosen to take part.

Not being in the EU is entirely down to those who voted for Brexit.

@pointythings @Peregrina

The Schengen 90/180 was introduced in 1985, 35 years before UK left the EU. However, UK chose not to be part of Schengen. Cyprus and Ireland made the same decision even though they are EU members.

Likewise, countries such as, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, who are not EU members, are in Schengen.

So, as the above demonstrates. There is no connection between EU and Schengen membership. Hence, the decision to be a EU member or not makes no difference.

The EU entry/exit system is not new legislation, but more rigorous enforcement of legislation passed 40 years ago enabled by the advent of biometric identification.

Not being in the EU is entirely down to those who voted for Brexit.

498 MPs voted for Brexit on 29 March 2017

Well, it kind of is. If we hadn't left, we'd be in the EU so not subject to it

UK was never part of Schengen

@MaybeNotBob

It's effect on us is ABSOLUTELY ENTIRELY down to Brexit!

Incorrect again. Schengen membership is independent of EU membership. Perfectly possible to be part of the Schengen Agreement without being an EU member. Examples include:

Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway
Switzerland

Likewise, it’s possible to be an EU member without being in the Schengen Agreement. Ireland and Cyprus are examples.

No EEimmigrant - The 90/180 day Schengen rule only applies to non-EU members. If we were still in the EU it would not apply to us. You are wrong yet again.

Really, this isn't hard to find out...

UK was never part of Schengen

And as I said - we chose not to be.