Brexit Penny Dropping?

[The Voice of Reason]

Leaving the EU has meant that the UK has not had to contribute to the significant new liabilities arising from the EU's Covid response including, for the first time, the EU's borrowing of up to €750 billion between 2021–24.
 

Nor will the UK have to pay billions in annual membership fees.

Sovereignty is not some “vague notion” it’s what drove the Brexit vote.

[manxman1980]

And of course the UK has not taken on extra liability and borrowing as a result of COVID-19. 

As for saving the membership fee could you tell me where that money has gone?  

I

[P.K.]

4 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

Sovereignty is not some “vague notion” it’s what drove the Brexit vote.

@The Voice of Reason

Then you should have no problem at all explaining how it is that for at least 40+ years of UK membership of the EU leading up to the referendum our so-called "sovereignty" was never an issue...?

[Non-Believer]

8 hours ago, manxman1980 said:

As for saving the membership fee could you tell me where that money has gone? 

Probably Michelle Mone's trust fund too.

[The Voice of Reason]

10 hours ago, manxman1980 said:

And of course the UK has not taken on extra liability and borrowing as a result of COVID-19. 

As for saving the membership fee could you tell me where that money has gone?  

I

Not sure what you mean. If you cancel your Sky subscription where does that money “go”?

Obviously the money saved can be used for Government spending, like the NHS as per the example given on the side of the big red bus.

[The Voice of Reason]

8 hours ago, P.K. said:

@The Voice of Reason

Then you should have no problem at all explaining how it is that for at least 40+ years of UK membership of the EU leading up to the referendum our so-called "sovereignty" was never an issue...?

It was an issue.

There was never previously a chance given for the British public to vote on it.

Once given that chance they delivered their verdict.

[manxman1980]

2 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

Not sure what you mean. If you cancel your Sky subscription where does that money “go”?

Obviously the money saved can be used for Government spending, like the NHS as per the example given on the side of the big red bus.

If I cancel a subscription that money can go to various places.

I could spend the money on another TV subscription service.

I could put the money that was used for a Sky Subscription into a savings account. 

I could up my debt repayments using that money.

I could spend the money on something completely different for example membership of a society or club.

What has the UK Government done with the money that it would otherwise have paid to the EU? Let me be clear this should not be money that had already been assigned or promised as part of a manifesto pledge.

[P.K.]

2 hours ago, The Voice of Reason said:

It was an issue.

Examples please.

Because I don't believe a word of it...

[The Voice of Reason]

24 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

If I cancel a subscription that money can go to various places.

I could spend the money on another TV subscription service.

I could put the money that was used for a Sky Subscription into a savings account. 

I could up my debt repayments using that money.

I could spend the money on something completely different for example membership of a society or club.

What has the UK Government done with the money that it would otherwise have paid to the EU? Let me be clear this should not be money that had already been assigned or promised as part of a manifesto pledge.

As your example the money saved could be used for many other purposes. I don’t believe it has been hypothecated for one in particular.

[manxman1980]

21 minutes ago, The Voice of Reason said:

As your example the money saved could be used for many other purposes. I don’t believe it has been hypothecated for one in particular.

Wouldn't it be nice for a UK voter to know where these "billions" in membership fees have been reassigned?  I seem to recall that there was a promise on the side of a bus.  Whilst I know more money has gone in that direction the promised hospitals don't seem to have been built and they are still struggling to recruit for the existing ones due to skills shortages and a chronic lack of investment in education and training. 

Let's examine other areas that were supposed to be a Brexit benefit, such as the opportunity to introduce or repeal "EU red tape".  Does anyone have any examples of where "red tape" has been reduced on a permanent basis?  Clearly it was set aside during the pandemic so that the UK Government could line the pockets of their friends but that doesn't really seem like much of a benefit to the average person. 

[The Voice of Reason]

11 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

Let's examine other areas that were supposed to be a Brexit benefit, such as the opportunity to introduce or repeal "EU red tape".  Does anyone have any examples of where "red tape" has been reduced on a permanent basis?  

Here’s one for you:-

Press release

Scrapping retained EU red tape on wine to unlock £180 million

Plans to strip out retained EU red tape to give our wine industry the freedom to flourish

From:

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP, and The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP

Published

21 May 2023

 

 

Wine producers and importers will be freed from unnecessary red tape thanks to proposed changes to retained EU laws on the production and marketing of wine, providing a £180m boost to our wine industry, opening the market to new products, and growing the economy.

The changes will allow wine makers the freedom to pick from a wider range of vines, including more disease resistant varieties, and overturn the restrictions which currently prevent the wine industry from producing new blends. Bottlers will also be able to turn imported wine into sparkling wine.

Changes will also include removing expensive and cumbersome packaging requirements – such as ending the mandatory requirement that certain sparkling wines must have foil caps and mushroom stoppers.

Domestic wine makers will also be free to show a variety and vintage of any wine without having to go through laborious, previously EU-mandated applications processes.

The package of reforms follows engagement with the sector and are made possible by powers under the Retained EU Law Bill which are being used to remove any constraints from our economy whilst ensuring our high standards are not compromised.

Food and Drink Secretary Food and Drink Thérèse Coffey said:

The UK has over 800 thriving vineyards at home and hundreds of millions of pounds worth of wine trade going through UK ports every year.

But for too long our producers have been held back by cumbersome inherited EU regulations. We will give them the freedom they need to thrive.

These reforms will put a rocket under our wine makers’ businesses – growing the economy, creating jobs and supporting a vital part of our food and drink sector.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

Needless red tape stifles innovation and growth. Now we have taken back control of our laws, we can ensure they work in the best interests of our businesses.

Reforming and scrapping burdensome regulation will help grow the economy and provide businesses with much-needed freedoms to innovate, create and thrive.

 

[manxman1980]

@The Voice of Reason those are plans. Has any of that actually happened and been passed into law?

What impact have those plans had on exporting wines to the EU? Or is this all for domestic consumption or selling elsewhere?

[The Voice of Reason]

16 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

@The Voice of Reason those are plans. Has any of that actually happened and been passed into law?

What impact have those plans had on exporting wines to the EU? Or is this all for domestic consumption or selling elsewhere?

I don’t know whether those plans have yet been enacted into law. These things tend to take time.

Re your second paragraph I would read it as just domestically. The EU have their own rules, but it’s not a big export market for British wine. 
 

 But good news all the same I’m sure you agree.

[woolley]

On 12/18/2023 at 11:05 AM, P.K. said:

When you're playing with people's livelihoods then it bloody well should be...!

No it shouldn't. Your priorities are wrong. Self-determination is the bedrock upon which everything else is built.

[woolley]

14 hours ago, P.K. said:

@The Voice of Reason

Then you should have no problem at all explaining how it is that for at least 40+ years of UK membership of the EU leading up to the referendum our so-called "sovereignty" was never an issue...?

Because it was all brushed under the carpet as volumes of EU legislation were foisted upon the statute book.