Let's Get Political!

[Ardiles]

If a hard brexit is such a popular idea, why isn’t the brexit party polling at more than 50%?

Polling suggests that there is no longer a majority for any kind of Brexit, let alone a hard one.  [Insert pun here.]

[Nemo]

Polling suggests that there is no longer a majority for any kind of Brexit, let alone a hard one.  [Insert pun here.]

Indeed, if we assume that IPSOS Mori's final poll is something like right, and that voters have broadly voted along lines of their Brexit position, then you have something like

Hard Brexit (Brexit+UKIP) - 38%
May's deal (Conservatives) - 9%
Softer Brexit (Labour) - 15%
Remain (Lib Dem + Green + ChangeUK) - 33%
Others - 5%

So you know, who the fuck knows how you deal with that.

[RobertT]

The Country has spoken, we just have no idea in what language.

[pauld]

Polling suggests that there is no longer a majority for any kind of Brexit, let alone a hard one.  [Insert pun here.]

Polling suggested Remain would win the referendum and the Tories would win the last general election. Polling is nearly as discredited as politicians

[Combe Up]

That's because many share my hobby of lying to opinion pollsters.

The remain minority has done a great job of fucking this whole thing up. If only we had LEFT the EU by now as directed by the 2016 referedum. The brilliant post-referendum remain campaign keeps drip feeding why people should not have voted to leave, but in the style of Monty Python please tell me:

 "What has the European Union ever done for us?".

[StfcRusty]

"What has the European Union ever done for us?".

Allowed people to use their mobile phone abroad on their existing contractual terms?

[Combe Up]

An excellent initiative by the EU which also applies to some European countries outside the EU.

I'd need a little bit more than that to be persuaded to join a Federal States of Europe though. What else please?

[Reg Smeeton]

What else please?

 A better question would be, what have we done for ourselves, which EU membership has helped facilitate? 

 Your Python "Roman" analogy, implies being subjugated by conquest or force into an Empire, which is simply not the case here.

 So the answer to my facilitate question would be..... many things both for individuals, and for businesses of various sizes, further enhanced the fostering cultural links, all of which has helped towards largely maintaining peace in Europe.

 An example would be beach cleanliness and waste management.... the UK has had to raise its standards, as required by the agreed EU legislation.

 Now it can be argued that we can do all these things for ourselves, although in or out, if we want to trade with the EU we'll still be tied into meeting their standards. 

[StfcRusty]

An excellent initiative by the EU which also applies to some European countries outside the EU.

I'd need a little bit more than that to be persuaded to join a Federal States of Europe though. What else please?

The ability of any UK resident to travel, work or live in any other EU country without visas or work permits?

[Batch]

free trade within the SM and better negotiating power outside

better workers rights, conditions.

improved standards for products.

 rules leading to improved environment

many projects and infrastructure improvements.

a veto to block anything we don't like.

[Legends-Lounge]

Ok. Try this. What do remainder see aa a negative to the EU.

[Batch]

inefficiencies in the bureaucracy mainly.
--
never had an issue with the cost. its £150 a year, 2.70 a week. I spend more on lunch in Morrisons.

never had an issue with immigration itself. most of my my ' ffs' have come from issues from the non-eu immigrants anyway.

tldr: its not perfect, but it's a fuckton better than being out (imo)

[Reg Smeeton]

Ok. Try this. What do remainder see aa a negative to the EU.

CAP isn't great.... works against biodiversity and aids monoculture.  Bureaucracy is somewhat inefficient, but compensated elsewhere, by things like not needing so many Customs and Excise at ports.

Sticking a political nose in eastern Europe, is probably not a great idea, but largely at the behest of UK anyway.... but after the Sarum poisoning HMG rapidly sought the support of fellow EU countries, as Putin would prefer the UK out of Europe.

The democratic process is a bit clunky, but something to work on.... the UK's democracy similarly is considered unfit for purpose by many and needs reform.

[Legends-Lounge]

CAP isn't great.... works against biodiversity and aids monoculture.  Bureaucracy is somewhat inefficient, but compensated elsewhere, by things like not needing so many Customs and Excise at ports.

Sticking a political nose in eastern Europe, is probably not a great idea, but largely at the behest of UK anyway.... but after the Sarum poisoning HMG rapidly sought the support of fellow EU countries, as Putin would prefer the UK out of Europe.

The democratic process is a bit clunky, but something to work on.... the UK's democracy similarly is considered unfit for purpose by many and needs reform.

Except you. Give someone else a chance.

[RobertT]

The EU's founding Treaty came about with a goal of ending Wars in Europe, something that had littered our continent since Nations were created and before.  Thus far it has been a success.

The rest was Social, Economic and Political Cohesion.

Social policies have created many laws in the UK that the vast majority of people would not roll back - minimum wage, maximum working hours, time off entitlements etc.

Economic - the single market and freedom of movement have reduced trade barriers and enabled people opportunities that were far more unlikely before.  It's not perfect here yet, it will never really be.  You get regional variation - just like the UK has with London vs. North East for example.  If left alone, over time, this will balance as people move to where the work is - not that this will be a quikc fix for those in affected areas today.  The EU just provides more opportunities for people to make a personal choice - stay local and risk economic suffering, or move to where the work is right now.  This is the issue that has created the Brexit situation - people take umbrage ate those migrants because we, the UK, haven't really ever brought into the freedom of movement thing unless it means creating a gated community in Southern Spain of course.

Political - this is the one that needs more work, the constructs are actually pretty good - countries have direct and indirect representation in the three areas running the EU.   However, as with any political machine you get greedy humans involved.  The EU still acts in protectionist ways as a Bloc