Brexit watch, round 2

Ginny42 said " However what has been revealed so far about just how much we rely on the EU has shocked me. "

Your instincts were right Ginny. We don't 'rely on' the EU, we are (were) part of something larger than one little country. The reliance was mutual, for the benefit of all. We are only now beginning to realise what we have thrown away.

And the EU channelled the money to parts of the UK that central government would have probably ignored given the chance...the very places that voted 'leave' .

Tegan I would be very surprised if EU monies had been channel led to parts of the U.K. Without central government involvement in the application for funding, it's distribution and application.

www.itv.com/news/2016-08-05/british-expats-in-french-town-bring-legal-challenge-to-brexit/

@Joelsnan

Do you honestly think that the British government will replace the funding lost from the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund? I must say that I can't see it happening.

An interesting article about likely timescales here
www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/david-allen-green-brexit-means-brexit-but-in-reality-it-s-a-long-time-away-a3314616.html

www.gov.uk/guidance/erdf-programmes-progress-and-achievements

What the European Regional Development Fund had done. Sorry if this has already been discussed: I didn 't scroll all the way back.

Brexit light!!!

@ Daphnedill certainly we do not know, however nor could we be assured of the same level of EU funding post 2020, especially when funding to the much poorer nations on the eastern borders with Russia is ramped up to keep them onboard especially as tensions rise. Already much of the EU manufacturing base has been directed that way. It is more probable that the EU'economy evolves into a state where the financially affluent states politically control the less financial states through funding incentives, which is already happening between Germany, Greece and Italy. As a relatively affluent country, the U.K. would inevitably receive less whilst potentially contributing more.

You don't know any of that either! It all sounds like Project Fear.

The funding isn't directed towards countries. Projects apply directly to the EU. The UK has some of the poorest regions in the EU (eg parts of Wales and Cornwall), which is why they've received significant amounts of funding. Unless there are potential votes in those regions, I'm afraid I'm very cynical about any Westminster government replacing the funding. The UK might be affluent, but some of its regions are not. The EU provides a mechanism for redistribution of wealth which the national government quite simply does not. Anyway, I thought the 'saved' money was supposed to be going to the NHS!

Richer countries gain from propping up poorer ones, because their banks can charge interest and an export market is created for goods and services.

Has anyone on this thread actually said that they expect the government to replace EU funding?

@Daphnedill
EU funding projects have to be approved by each countries governments, this may be done collectively in the designation of regional improvement budgets or special projects such as skills improvement. The EU cannot and does not arbitrarily parachute funding into areas which it considers the country's own government is failing to address.
Maybe a less parochial world view may help with project fear

Resorting to insults is usually a sign of lack of argument.

@Daphnedill. Sorry, I didn't acknowledge that you were directing insults, It is not a game I play.

daphnidil The uk has some of the poorest regions in the eu I can't let that statement go uncontested. If you had seen some of the god awful hovels that I have seen people existing in, in Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, you would weep to see it.
I can tell you now that if you swopped one of these families with the poorest in one of the U.K. regions they would think that they had died and gone to heaven.

Agreed.
We vastly fail to understand that point.

If that's the case surely you would want us to remain in the EU and help these countries out with our vast wealth?

Too late now!

Laura Keunssberg on BBC2 tonight, telling all about what really went on in the referendum apparently.

Tegan was that question to me Re helping the poor countries? If it was, I'm afraid you can't help them. I'm afraid it's down to corruption. On that subject I can only speak personally of Romania and Bulgaria which I know well. The other countries I have visited often.
As I've said before: the only way to stop it is to ' disappear' ( their word) the governments, their children, and their children. That's how entrenched it is. Your eu taxes have bought some stunning homes, cars, boats, private education for their children etc.
I have to say, though, the Romanians aren't as bad as the Bulgarians because they remember what the population did to their last leaders.

theconversation.com/only-by-keeping-close-ties-with-europe-can-uk-research-remain-globally-competitive-63358

To support what people say about university research. Over 50% of LSE economics researchers are from other EU countries, 16% of university staff overall.

theconversation.com/the-summer-when-working-in-a-british-university-lost-its-global-appeal-63431

@petra

Contest it all you like, but parts of the UK meet the criteria for EU funding, which is why their applications have been successful and they receive EU aid.

The point is that the UK government needs to replace that funding or those regions will become even worse off and inequality in the UK will persist. Wales has been told that is unlikely to happen.

You seem to think that those parts of the UK should become as bad as Romania, Bulgaria or even parts of Paris or Jaywick before the government should bother about them.

PS. You don't know that I haven't been to Romania and seen the hovels

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned but I have no time to read much at present - school hols plus mum.

Just been reading at how daunted the government is feeling at the enormous and some are beginning to suggest impossible Brexit mountain. There has also been a suggestion that A50 may never be invoked.

This thread will no doubt watch with close interest at how the government tries to cope with the pressure.

It's called the European Development Fund, and the North East gets a lot from it, as does Wales and Cornwall.