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Another Brexit "benefit"

(270 Posts)
Dinahmo Thu 17-Sept-20 12:26:30

Those of us living in the EU are about to be deprived of the use of our Barclaycards as a direct result of the UK leaving the EU. Like many others who have retired to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and other EU countries my income derives from the UK and I use my card to purchase items from the UK and also when we visit.

So, a hearty thank you to all you Leavers for making our lives just that little bit more difficult.

Whitewavemark2 Mon 21-Sept-20 08:25:47

maw They were certainly blinded by facile arguments, but they didn’t have to look in much depth to discover the vast and dangerous pitfalls.

I cannot excuse such lazy behaviour. To allow class or economic prejudice to influence your decision without giving it further critical thought is probably the biggest reason why a referendum should never be held again.

Whitewavemark2 Mon 21-Sept-20 08:26:53

MawB2

MaizieD

Not your fight, lemon. No need to stir it.

No fight MaizieD
No stirring

Not cricket though is it?

mokryna Mon 21-Sept-20 08:28:07

Ellianne

I can understand what you mean, Mokryna, it is very complicated. We were lucky and when we sold a 2nd home in France we stashed the money in an account there for future use. We have a while to wait for pensions, so that aspect wouldn't worry us if we decided to live abroad in the EU again. I will keep thinking of a loophole for you!

Sterling has dropped so much, was nearly 2 when I used it in January and now .. it must be very expensive for people coming here on holiday.

lemongrove Mon 21-Sept-20 08:28:24

It’s not a ‘fight’ at all MaizieD, mine or anyone elses, but it was certainly you making a big thing of it with Urmston.
Many of us remember the many posts bemoaning Brexit and how it affected jura’s friends/relatives and even strangers online, so very strange that you are denying this fact.
There is nothing ‘unpleasant’ in remembering those posts.

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 08:30:21

and its spokespeople belonged in another “posh”world with little relevance to the average person.

While the Leave campaign was fronted by 'man of the people' Alexander Boris Pfeffel Johnson shock The guy who's finding it so hard to make ends meet on £150,000 pa...

Urmstongran Mon 21-Sept-20 08:31:38

A really good post Maw. I totally agree. I’m working class, many of my friends are. Your comments about us resonate.

I can understand that retirees living abroad like their UK banks for their pension payments. They can then exchange sterling for euros when it suits them as and when the exchange rate is in their favour, ie more euros per pound sterling. I know lots of folk in Spain who, although they have taken up residency (paying any taxes due to Spain) still keep their UK banks for this reason.

As I said earlier, Spain is not affected yet. Strange.

Urmstongran Mon 21-Sept-20 08:32:24

Ps thank you lemon.

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 08:33:57

Ug as good as called jura a liar, lemon. Absolutely no need for that. Playground stuff. As is piling in to continue the disagreement.

lemongrove Mon 21-Sept-20 08:35:10

UK citizens who chose to live abroad just have to accept that
Voters who actually live in the UK made a decision in the referendum which was upheld.
If the many EU countries where UK citizens now live did the same as our government with EU citizens living here, all would be well.Nobody can reasonably think that voters living here should have to worry about those who have made their lives in another country.

lemongrove Mon 21-Sept-20 08:35:35

MaizieD

Ug as good as called jura a liar, lemon. Absolutely no need for that. Playground stuff. As is piling in to continue the disagreement.

Oh do give over.

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 08:37:42

I’m working class, many of my friends are. Your comments about us resonate

So who were the working class, non elite, Leave campaign leaders who impressed you so much, then, Ug?

MaizieD Mon 21-Sept-20 08:39:10

lemongrove

MaizieD

Ug as good as called jura a liar, lemon. Absolutely no need for that. Playground stuff. As is piling in to continue the disagreement.

Oh do give over.

Can't stop yourself, can you, lemon?

lemongrove Mon 21-Sept-20 08:39:29

MaizieD your rehashing of Brexit is comical.
It happened.....accept it and move on.

Ellianne Mon 21-Sept-20 08:40:19

Sterling has dropped so much, was nearly 2 when I used it in January and now .. it must be very expensive for people coming here on holiday.
Yes, mokryna very expensive, but the quality and experienced still make it worthwhile.

Mamie Mon 21-Sept-20 09:50:28

I certainly wouldn't want you to worry about me lemongrove. Not helpful to either of us.
On the other hand, I think it is reasonable for people to accept without belittling or insult that these are real issues that make an already difficult situation more stressful for us.
This issue is nothing to do with our host countries. It is caused by the threat of a no-deal Brexit and its impact on financial passporting. This will cause additional hardship as the pound falls and will be catastrophic for the UK economy which relies so heavily on financial services. This will affect every single one of us with UK derived income and impact negatively on our children and grandchildren.
I have no doubt people will be along to call me a prophet of doom, but unless they can give me an evidence based argument that the UK economy will not suffer from a no-deal or minimal-deal Brexit, then I don't think there would be any reason to engage in a debate.

biba70 Mon 21-Sept-20 11:55:02

A huge difference between caring and worrying about people who have moved abroad in good faith, researched well, followed all the rules, abided by all laws, and then have had their lives turned upside down due to changing circumstances- like a massive fall in Sterling, changes to healthcare arrangements just when they need it, businesses failing due to new circumstances that could not be anticipated- or like two younger women I know- were widowed and left with young children to bring up on their own, serious illness + combined with above.

Totally different to some of the expats mentionned above, who have been playing the system 'under the radar' and now find themselves between a rock and a hard place, and for whom I have no sympathy.

Mokryna- yes, Sterling exchange rates make it very expensive to go on holiday abroad- so can you imagine what it is like with those who have chosen to live there- on Sterling pensions which have lost between 30 to 55% suddenly- through NO fault of their own, and nothing they can do.

Lemon- will you accept No Deal and move on- with all the consequences for the UK, yourself, family and friends, your community, the NHS, etc, etc. We have left as you say, but there are ways and ways. We were promised a great Deal - and we are heading for a disastrous, catastrophic, No Deal. The consequences will not only affect British expats for sure.

sodapop Mon 21-Sept-20 12:38:51

I agree biba70 I do have to say I resent the inference made by some on here and others in real life that we are somehow being disloyal to our country by choosing to live abroad.
Like many others I worked all my life in UK and continue to pay some UK taxes. When we moved to France 15 years ago things were very different and we looked on it as an adventure. The goalposts have moved dramatically now through no fault of ours and we find ourselves in this difficult situation.

biba70 Mon 21-Sept-20 12:43:12

Now those who have chosen to live in Britanny or anywhere along the West side- safe in the knowledge they had short and frequent crossings to family back home in UK- find that Ferries from Plymouth and Portsmouth are now suspended. They believed that they would not be affected by the chaos and massive queues, etc, at Calais- but now find that will be their only choice- and make visiting much more complicated, much longer and very expensive.

Combination of Brexit and quarantine measures.

Ellianne Mon 21-Sept-20 13:01:30

biba70

Now those who have chosen to live in Britanny or anywhere along the West side- safe in the knowledge they had short and frequent crossings to family back home in UK- find that Ferries from Plymouth and Portsmouth are now suspended. They believed that they would not be affected by the chaos and massive queues, etc, at Calais- but now find that will be their only choice- and make visiting much more complicated, much longer and very expensive.

Combination of Brexit and quarantine measures.

biba70, BF's suspended crossings are not much due to Brexit, I would say more due to Covid19 if you read the letter from the CEO. We have also lost the routes from Rennes and Nantes operated by flybe, but that was due to the collapse of the airline before all these other issues. Seems worse because all the routes have been stopped in one go.

mokryna Mon 21-Sept-20 13:13:58

People moved because of jobs to mainland Europe, ok you are saying it’s their fault they have problems and they should move back. To put it nearer home. Would you think the same if they had moved the Scotland and the referendum there had been different or if N Ireland changed in the future. Euro, passports etc. The goal posts keep moving

Mamie Mon 21-Sept-20 13:29:58

Brittany Ferries Caen to Portsmouth and DFDS Dieppe Newhaven still operating a normal service. We won't go because of Covid, but we could if we wanted to.

Ellianne Mon 21-Sept-20 14:07:22

Mamie I used to commute every week Dinard to Stansted, and, for variety, St. Malo Condor to Jersey/Guernsey then BA or flybe to the mainland UK. I only used Caen if I took the car.

growstuff Mon 21-Sept-20 14:26:19

Dinahmo Did you read this?

www.theguardian.com/money/2020/sep/21/britons-eu-uk-bank-accounts-closed-lloyds-barclays-brexit

Mamie Mon 21-Sept-20 14:31:55

Ellianne One of the reasons we chose Normandy is because we didn't want to rely on air travel. Partly for "green" reasons and partly because DH had spent thirty years flying round the world on business and never wanted to see another airport if he could possibly avoid it. ?
We use Caen, Dieppe or the tunnel depending on how we feel. I agree with you that the reduction in crossings is a Covid problem, not Brexit at the moment. I am not going to add ferry crossings to my worry list.
Is there chaos at Calais Biba70? I thought it was dead quiet?

Ellianne Mon 21-Sept-20 14:44:08

Attendez! Ne vous mettez pas en rogne, France is even mentioned in that Guardian article as being one of the countries. You might be in luck.