Don't forget the Elephants in the Room

Milest0ne

I agree with Merseymog. Looking at the democracy element of the Brexit vote. 17.5 m voted for brexit out of 68m eligible to vote. I feel cheated, I know of only 2 people who voted for brexit

46,500,001 (U.Gov website) were able to vote in the referendum, if they couldn’t be bothered, they have lost any right to moan about the result.

Labour isn’t promising to reverse Brexit, but hopefully will gradually agree deals with the EU to iron out some of the problems created by the Elephant in the Room. The horticultural trade is struggling from Brexit rules, farmers are finding it harder to trade, the Erasmus scheme might be replaced with something similar offering opportunities to young people. I wish Labour would be a bit braver, but softly softly is better than nothing.

ordinarygirl

Nigel Farage states the reason Brexit has been a disaster is because it has not bee though through properly let alone enacted as he wanted it to be be. What I don't understand is why some farmers voted for Brexit as it stopped their payments and more importantly affected the number of farm workers from abroad. now crops are rotting due to insufficient pickers ( even daffodils in Cornwall earlier this year). I totally agree that some of the rules we had from Europe were over the top but was the vote it a sledge hammer to crack a nut?

From memory I think the NFU advised them to vote remain but they ignored it. And also influenced others by having huge placards in their fields saying give us our country back. They’ll put huge Vote Conservative placards up soon, too

I actually understand why some people "couldn't be bothered" to vote. My sister-in-law was one of them. She said "I don't understand how the EU works because I've never paid much attention to our membership. And I don't understand what the full consequences of leaving the EU would be. It's a cheek to ask me to decide".
I wonder how many people felt exactly the same.

Pantglas2

So how would you resolve the situation given that more people who vote wanted those things to happen or stay the same?

I’m with you Pantglas2.
I voted for Brexit. And a few years back didn’t the referendum about changing to PR get knocked back?
Democracy at work!
Just that folk don’t like it if they feel strongly and the results didn’t go their way. It happens. One has to get over it!

GrannyGravy13

Milest0ne

I agree with Merseymog. Looking at the democracy element of the Brexit vote. 17.5 m voted for brexit out of 68m eligible to vote. I feel cheated, I know of only 2 people who voted for brexit

46,500,001 (U.Gov website) were able to vote in the referendum, if they couldn’t be bothered, they have lost any right to moan about the result.

Hear, hear GG13. My lovely dad instilled this into me when I was 18. “If you don’t cast your vote I don’t want to hear you for the next years on political matters”. Fair enough I thought and so I’ve always voted in all elections! (I do like to have an opinion. … )

Regarding Brexit.
Many of the young ‘uns were at Glasto or similar. Hey ho.

All I can say is I'm very happy that we can vote in this country. Other countries don't have the luxury of freedom to vote for who they want without pressure or intimidation. Some countries have a dictator. People who can't be bothered to vote are a disgrace. Regardless of who you vote for use your vote as not everyone can.

There is a difference between not bothering to vote and choosing not to vote on principle.

About a year after the Brexit vote a relative, who ran a small business with one other employee, announced he was having to let the employee go due to a downturn in business.

'Ah, the Brexit effect is starting to bite' was my quick response.

By the look on his face and others in the room I could tell immediately they had all voted for Brexit. The penny had dropped.

The effect is, none the less, the same.

One of the biggest issues in this country is apathy. Too many people don’t understand it’s their duty to vote in order for society to work. I’ve never missed an election or referendum as I was brought up that my family members didn’t die in 2 world wars for future generations to sit back and do nothing to help ensure the country exists for everyone. I watch news programmes where you see people queuing for hours to vote and when I go to the polling station there often nobody else there.

Yes, Cateq, there is apathy. Some people are more interested in what's going on in Coronation Street than in their own world. Also, because of our FPTP system many people know their vote won't count so they don't vote

Possibly not 'farmers' per se, more like 'landowners? Yes utterly ridiculous, but our government is now paying them subsidies to NOT produce food, so not to worry!!

SuperTinny

About a year after the Brexit vote a relative, who ran a small business with one other employee, announced he was having to let the employee go due to a downturn in business.

'Ah, the Brexit effect is starting to bite' was my quick response.

By the look on his face and others in the room I could tell immediately they had all voted for Brexit. The penny had dropped.

Did you bother to enquire why there might have been a downturn in business before making that remark, SuperTinny?

It could have been for all manner of reasons but then you wouldn’t have been able to walk away with a smug, self satisfied glow.

Greta

Yes, Cateq, there is apathy. Some people are more interested in what's going on in Coronation Street than in their own world. Also, because of our FPTP system many people know their vote won't count so they don't vote

I agree, combined with woeful ignorance. While I appreciate that not everyone takes as much of an interest in politics as many of us on here, I am sometimes shocked. For instance, the lovely girl who does my hair; hardworking, just bought their first home, owns her own business, takes on the responsibility of a business lease etc., but recent chats with her revealed that she had no idea there was a local election going on, in fact she asked if there was a likelihood of a change of government. . This was before the sudden announcement of the GE.

I think many people are in despair. Whether they look to the right or the left they can see only mediocre personalities, personal infighting in both parties and gros incompetence even when they are trying to be ever so well organised in the run up to the election.

There is no one in either main party that one can feel confident to trust running a tea party, let alone this country in an ever dangerous world.

With so little choice, anf with the most peopel not wanting to touch either party with a barge pole. is it surprising that peoplejust do not want to vote. Every boat cast will of necessity be for more of the same -yet that is the last thing we want.

3nanny6

Is it Brexit that has seen the closure of three nearby local "Fish and Chip shops" where I live. I would enjoy a lovely fish and chips meal every couple of weeks. the only place now that does a fish and chips is in a burger/curry shop and it is just not the same as the older type fish and chip shop. I thought we would get closer to our older British standards it seems not and out the door has gone the fish and chips tradition I am not impressed at all.

Absolute rubbish. I would imagine it was poor quality food or poor business practice that caused it to close. In our Brexit voting town, one of our oldest chippie and restaurant, opened 1946 still going strong, another one open for 50 odd years, and get this one opened in 1883, still as busy as ever. Still doing the best Haddock and chips, no cod in these towns, and all thriving along with many more.
Use them or lose them.

GrannyGravy13

Milest0ne

I agree with Merseymog. Looking at the democracy element of the Brexit vote. 17.5 m voted for brexit out of 68m eligible to vote. I feel cheated, I know of only 2 people who voted for brexit

46,500,001 (U.Gov website) were able to vote in the referendum, if they couldn’t be bothered, they have lost any right to moan about the result.

Absolutely, Glastonbury and I can't be bothered, seemed to be the order of the day.

Milest0ne

I agree with Merseymog. Looking at the democracy element of the Brexit vote. 17.5 m voted for brexit out of 68m eligible to vote. I feel cheated, I know of only 2 people who voted for brexit

I Trump your 2, I know 22.

M0nica

I quote from yesterday's Guardian
The Great Taste awards are a British success story – the world’s largest food awards, celebrating the best products on the planet. But new post-Brexit import controls have forced the organisers to hold a judging panel outside the UK for the first time in the awards’ 30-year history.

Since January, anyone sending meat, dairy or fish products to the UK has to find a vet to fill out a seven-page form showing that the product is disease-free. And since April, exporters have also had to pay a fee of £29 for each product, whether it’s a container full of Irish beef or a single packet of Tayto cheese and onion crisps, unless they are for personal use. This includes the 13,672 samples sent to the Great Taste judges from 115 countries.

Neither the pandemic nor the war in Ukraine will have had any bearing on this decision. This is just one of the decisions, large and small arising from Brexit, and Brexit alone, which are reported daily in the papers.

Another small one, we recently sold a holiday home in France and some of the contents, almost without exception bought or inherited in England and taken to France, were returned to Britain. We had to pay an exit duty of 20% on their value. Why? because we are no longer part of the EU.

The EU doesn’t have to have the rules it has.

The EU can have any rules it wants, GrannyRose15. Of course, since the stupidity of Brexit, we can no longer have any say in those rules.

Exactly, wheniwasyourage. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that the UK signed up to those rules.

SuperTinny

About a year after the Brexit vote a relative, who ran a small business with one other employee, announced he was having to let the employee go due to a downturn in business.

'Ah, the Brexit effect is starting to bite' was my quick response.

By the look on his face and others in the room I could tell immediately they had all voted for Brexit. The penny had dropped.

Why did his business fail, many large business have failed, mainly due to the Internet shoppers. You must have felt justified in your smugness that someone has lost their job.

I would laugh my socks off if labour get in and they bring in a Brexit vote and we still stay out. Everyone thinks Labour will get in and perform miracles. I think that will not happen and our economy will be even worse if they throw money about like they say they will. But then Labour voters know best.

There will be no second referendum if labour form the next government.

What I think will happen is closer working and ease of movement for things like fresh food, which at the moment is proving very difficult for the traders.