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Brexit: On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you stand?

(349 Posts)
Bagatelle Wed 21-Jun-17 20:26:38

Given that the result of the EU referendum was hardly a landslide, I can't see that a 'hard Brexit' was ever justified.

Leave: 37.5%
Remain: 34.7%
Neutral/confused/apathetic: 27.8%

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 as stay as we were and 10 as leave the EU as far behind as possible,
- where did you stand when you voted (if you did) and
- have your thoughts changed since?

rosesarered Thu 22-Jun-17 08:55:46

Although, as a caveat, I doubt it can be done properly now.

MaizieD Thu 22-Jun-17 09:02:02

What would doing it 'properly' involve?

Gemmag Thu 22-Jun-17 09:07:39

10 then and 10 now.

NanaandGrampy Thu 22-Jun-17 09:49:18

10 unchanged .

Mamie Thu 22-Jun-17 09:58:15

So can I ask the people who are still on 10 if there really are no red lines to the implementation of Brexit? Blocked ports and food shortages would be ok? Or is it just a complete separation between the act of leaving the EU and the consequences? I am really struggling to understand here.

Bagatelle Thu 22-Jun-17 10:50:49

We have been fed a lot of unclear and misleading information all along. I was tempted to vote 'leave' so that the UK could be under its own control and not have everything overturned in the name of human rights, but was never convinced that the benefits would outweigh the disadvantages. By the time we voted I was at 4, now I'm a 2, but it still seems to be between the devil we know and a shot in the dark.

The EU now is not as we saw it when we voted into it in 1992 but we can't go back 25 years, only forwards.

Theresa May didn't do herself or the UK any favours by declaring herself to be 'a bloody difficult woman' and going in with all guns blazing.

To what extent was the General Election swing towards Labour
- a protest against a hard Brexit?
- a protest against Theresa May?
- brainwashing of the young that they could have everything for free and the money for it would be extracted from 'the rich'?

Bagatelle Thu 22-Jun-17 10:53:15

Most of my family are in farming or the NHS so I really can't see how we could do without migrant workers.

varian Thu 22-Jun-17 13:57:57

I was and still am 1 or even less if that were possible.

I cannot think of a single benefit to brexit (horrible word for horrible idea). There are so many benefits to remaining as we are, with all the advantages without being in the Euro or Schengen, and having a discount. Obviously we will never be able to negotiate a deal as good as we already have. Brexit is sheer madness.

ninny Thu 22-Jun-17 14:08:05

10 can't happen quick enough for me.

GrandmaKT Thu 22-Jun-17 14:21:39

Can you explain a bit more ninny? What are you expecting to change?

MamaCaz Thu 22-Jun-17 14:42:04

5 then (had very mixed feelings so was undecided up to last moment, when decided to go with head rather than heart and voted remain)

2 now. Really can't see anything good coming out of leaving, not for many years anyway.

So why not a 1 now? Because even if the decision were now taken to remain after all, I think that Brussels would impose a lot of conditions and we would be worse of than before!

MaizieD Thu 22-Jun-17 14:57:48

I think that Brussels would impose a lot of conditions and we would be worse of than before!

I'm not sure that they could impose any conditions. If Article 50 is revocable then we would just go on with our membership as we are now, surely?

What we probably wouldn't get would be the extra concessions Cameron obtained before the referendum. This included a guarantee, to be confirmed by treaty, that we wouldn't be involved in 'ever closer union, or required to join the Euro and some control on paying benefits to EU workers. So if we revoke A50 we lose something that addressed some of Leaver's concerns.

Ana Thu 22-Jun-17 15:04:10

Required to join the Euro? I thought that had already been ruled out. You mean if we stay they could force us to adopt the Euro? shock

daphnedill Thu 22-Jun-17 15:21:17

Who knows?

My understanding is that if Article 50 is revoked, we'd just carry on as we were - without the concessions Cameron negotiated.

It's difficult to look into the future. However, Macron and Merkel have already recognised that there are problems with the EU and have said they will work to reform it. The German election means that Merkel can't commit to much at the moment, but I can't see Germany's position changing much. Schulz is a committed Europhile and is likely to work even more closely with Macron.

It really is ironic that the UK is leaving when the two most powerful leaders are committed to change and support for the EU in all countries (apart from the UK) is at its highest.

Unless there is some radical shift in European politics within the next few years, it's highly likely that a younger generation of voters will want to rejoin. If that happens, it's unlikely that we would be allowed all the "get outs" that we have now. One way or the other, I really can't see how the UK would be better off than it is now.

Implying that if we stay now by revoking Article 50, we would have to adopt the Euro, is pure scare-mongering (aka Project Fear).

daphnedill Thu 22-Jun-17 15:22:34

I haven't read anywhere that Brussels would be likely to impose more conditions.

Ana Thu 22-Jun-17 15:25:39

MaizieD mentioned the Euro factor. Surely she's not 'scaremongering'?

whitewave Thu 22-Jun-17 15:28:33

Of course they wouldnt impose more conditions. That is yet more scaremongering. A50 is simply indicating an intention to leave - it is entirely reversible at this point up until the two years are up.

Suffolk television today was showing how farmers are finding it more and more difficult to find enough people to pick the seasonable food. So many EU migrants have returned home. Some food may be left to rot. But I'm sure it's worth it hmm

daphnedill Thu 22-Jun-17 15:31:56

I know she did Ana.

Granny23 Thu 22-Jun-17 15:32:43

Ana being required to join the Euro Zone and actually having to do it are 2 very different things. This was all discussed at length on the Scottish Referendum threads where it was shown that many of the newer Countries in the EU, whilst having agreed 'in principal' to work towards joining the Euro have not in fact done so. There are many requirements to be met before being admitted so if a Country fails (wilfully or otherwise) to meet the criteria then their membership is still pending, perhaps forever. The UK, with its humongous debts and poor balance of trade deficit would not meet the criteria - so nothing to worry about ATM

MamaCaz Thu 22-Jun-17 16:47:23

Is it me who is being accused of scaremongering? That certainly wasn't my intention - I was expressing my own fears, and nothing more!

GrandmaKT Thu 22-Jun-17 16:55:33

Surely, as it is in all member nations' interest for us to remain it would be easier to negotiate to keep the conditions agreed to by Cameron (and maybe even a couple more?) if we remained than to negotiate an exit?

MaizieD Thu 22-Jun-17 17:10:05

Of course I wasn't scaremongering. Why would I do that? Just saying what we've passed up with the Brexit vote.

MaizieD Thu 22-Jun-17 17:11:36

It would seem sensible, GrandmaKT

whitewave Thu 22-Jun-17 17:15:31

Oh maize and mama if it is me at fault, i will be totally honest to say that post was bunged on as i sat down after being out all day. I quickly skim read and made the obvious incorrect assumption that the imposition of more conditions was being stated by a Brexiter. So sorry to confuse and that will teach me to read the thread properly. Ive slapped my wrist

varian Thu 22-Jun-17 17:20:20

I absolutely agree, but the problem is political, the two largest parties, including so many who voted remain, seem to think that leaving has to happen, no matter how bad the terms or how much damage it might do.

We are all to be sacrificing so much because of this spurious "democratic decision" . Everyone knows that it was very close and based on lies , incomplete information and false assumptions but no one dare challenge it for fear of the scurrilous press and their "enemies of the people" headlines.