a friendly chat- let's make a list of PROVEN Brexit bonuses

Hungary has gone it alone with their vaccination programme so we, too would have been able to do the same if we were still in the EU.

I think it's a pity that we (and I include me in this, have gone off-piste here.

I would have liked to know what we've gained so far (I know it's early days). I agree that not hearing from Farage is fantastic but I think it will be short-lived.

Is there anything (not already mentioned) please?

MawBe

Alexander von Schoenburg, editor-at-large of Germany’s biggest-selling newspaper, Bild, wrote recently: “The sclerotic and sluggish EU machine has botched the roll-out of the vaccines…delays, in-fighting, national self-interest and sheer bungling bureaucracy have combined to cripple the EU’s vaccine efforts.”

Granted, only his opinion ......
Might I tentatively suggest this is an area where the U.K. has done better in going it alone?
<? ? behind sofa >

We could still have "gone if alone" if in the EU.

True that Britain is no longer paying the salaries of the now defunct MEPs but the pensions of MEPs are still needing to be paid and I think that may also be true of the civil servants who worked in Brussels.

Just checked so no, Children's clothes and books did not have VAT on them when we were in the EU.

Generally books have been zero rated except for those seen as for commercial purposes such as:

 books of plans or drawings for industrial, architectural, engineering, commercial or similar purposes
 picture card and stamp albums, unless they contain a substantial amount of reading matter which is complete in itself, and no more than 25% of the album is set aside for the mounting of cards and stamps
 completed stamp albums, and
 products that are essentially stationery items, for example, diaries and address books.

I don't think that has changed.

Books, I think before joining the EU books were tax free, then a tax was put on them and now? Also children’s clothes, they were zero rated before weren’t they and now?

Does anyone think it is more likely Farage has gone quiet because he has lost his big buddy Trump. He is working on his new "Party" which I believe is a company again. The Reform Party. I understand people are already being recruited to stand in the next election.

I wonder what they want to reform?

To be honest as a committed remainer, no Farage has nearly converted me

Nanof3

Sanitary products can be sold without VAT. a big saving for all families with Daughters.
This was not allowed when we were in the EU.

We have often led the way with changes and it seems the EU changed this in 2016. So, had we stayed in we would have been able to sell them without VAT. Therefore yes, we have changed our VAT after we left the EU, but no, it's not something we could not have done if we had stayed so not a bonus because we left.

It's thought this happened because of pressure from the UK. It is a really good thing that we led that argument and persuaded other countries but this is certainly not the first time we have done that.

Kitty, people are bending over backwards to avoid backbiting and arguing. We are staying civil.

So we are up to 3 things in the list.

No Farage (to be honest, I would PAY for that, so it is good).

Less cost to MEPs.

No VAT on san pro.

Perhaps one for the list though Kitty?

How can facts plain and simple cause trouble or be disingenuous Kitty. Just a list, just proven facts.

Great story about VAT and sanitary products- but as Maizie says, nothing to do with EU.

Kim19

Peasblossom ? I love your persistence against all the odds and biases here. Keep it up. With you all the way. Your stated is an immediate benefit but I think it will be a few years before others manifest themselves. Not that I think many on GN would ever agree even if that became the case. No prejudice here!!

What are the other benefits that are going to manifest themselves?

So far all that we've heard are really small beer. We're not destroying our fishing industry and financial services for saving a few pounds on MEPs' salaries are we?

This thread is disingenuous!! And out to cause trouble!!

It makes no odds whether any of us think it advantageous or not - it is what the people voted for and no amount of back biting and baiting will make any difference.

Nanof3

Sanitary products can be sold without VAT. a big saving for all families with Daughters.
This was not allowed when we were in the EU.

Sorry. Ireland sells sanitary products without VAT. They're still in the EU.

Sanitary products can be sold without VAT. a big saving for all families with Daughters.
This was not allowed when we were in the EU.

Seems not Biba70.
I'm shocked at some comments being allowed to stay posted. Many I notice have been deleted by GNHQ. They say they were getting too personal.

I've tried in the past to get a personal comment deleted with no success. I was told not to take it personally !

I'm out.

Peasblossom

Yes, except that if you’d been paying for years for gas that didn’t get delivered, you might think it a benefit not to have to do that any more ?

You might even have decided that it was better to switch to electricity.

I'm not sure how that compares Peasblossom. We were paying for membership of a trading block. What benefit didn't we receive?

There are plenty of other threads opened for general Brexit debate.

Just a list here, just facts.

Lucca

I’d have thought having the words “friendly chat” in the same sentence as “Brexit” on GN would be a gigantic oxymoron! Yup it was.

But why does it have to be. The OP was clear, no opinion, just proven facts. We should be able to make a simple list- and keep personal opinion and personal 'politics' out.

It would have been a bigger contribution if they had continued in post though MaizieD, so it’s still a positive. Reducing Farage’s pension for a shorter tenure surely brings you some satisfaction (apart from the fact that his smug face is not on TV so much, which in itself is a blessing).

GagaJo

Peasblossom does have a point. It is a positive.

Taking Farage's job is also a positive.

There must be some more somewhere?

I thought we still had to contribute to their pensions, though?

Well I genuinely don’t see where I’ve been uncivil or insulted anyone personally. If someone wants to point it out to me I’ll be grateful.

I thought I was just keeping my end up!

Lucca

I’d have thought having the words “friendly chat” in the same sentence as “Brexit” on GN would be a gigantic oxymoron! Yup it was.

But it is ridiculous that we can't talk about it. It is one of the biggest things happening other than covid at the moment.

Surely we can disagree without getting personal? If we were face to face, the insults that get thrown on here would not happen.