RayC

Presumably, you missed this bit: "Turkey, increasingly a transit point for migrants aiming for Europe, faces pressure from Brussels to tighten controls".

Compare and contrast. A latter day 'Voice of Reason' and a reasonable voice. The sad thing is that some will agree with the first post.

The SNP and Plaid Cymru may have been open in their opposition to Brexit but they have only limited jurisdiction both in terms of functional and, more obviously, geographic scope: Even playing devil's advocate and accepting that the SNP and Plaid could stymie all Brexit related legislation in Scotland and Wales - in reality they couldn't - this still only affected +/-10% of the UK's population. The remaining 90% who live in England and NI were governed by Westminster (Stormont not being operational at the time). Therefore, it's a red herring to suggest that the SNP and Plaid have any significant blocking powers in the UK as a whole. There are now very few, if any, anti-Brexit individuals among the Tory MPs: Johnson expelled them all. The question therefore still remains: Given that successive pro-Brexit Tory administrations at Westminster had a majority of +/-80 for 4+ years, what prevented them from rescinding all the 'bad' EU law and passing legislation which would have made Brexit a success during this time? (I'll preempt the objection that COVID stopped this happened by pointing out that most ministers and civil servants were not working on COVID related matters) So civil servants should by-pass established processes and procedures whenever it takes their - or their minister's - fancy? The link details a variation of a known problem. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Allister offers no solution to the problem as it is insoluble: How can: 1) GB have an open border with NI whilst simultaneously 2) NI having an open border with the RoI but 3) GB having a closed border with the RoI and EU and 4) the RoI having an open border with the rest of the EU? Some Brexiters accused the EU of being inflexible in this matter. Presumably, they thought that the EU should adjust the rules governing the Single Market and Customs Union in order to facilitate the needs of a state which no longer wished to be an EU member? It is unclear if and/or why Mr. Allister objects to the EU Sanitary and Psytosanitary laws themselves? If he does, then presumably he must be suggesting that the UK adopt stricter laws as I don't think that many UK nationals - irrespective of whether they were Brexiter or Remainer - would have been in favour of relaxing Animal Welfare and Food Standard laws in the UK. If the import of cheaper labour into the UK was considered to be a problem then there was a simple solution: The government should have introduced (enhanced) minimum wage legislation. This is perfectly possible irrespective of whether a state is a member of the EU or not. If you have an ideological objection to the capitalist economic model then that's a whole different ball game.

He looks awkward due to his height but, based on those short clips, he appears to have decent control and touch. However, he doesn't look like anything special and his size is a benefit when playing in age restricted teams. I'd be very surprised if he played pro football, let alone played in a World Cup. Anyway, good luck to the lad.

Brussels doesn't have a government ruling Brussels at the moment, let alone any other country. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/02/brussels-breaks-belgium-record-longest-period-without-government#:~:text=The deadlock has led to: * A,Brussels will have a government anytime soon.

Nonsense. There are individuals and groups who were opposed to Brexit and still think it a mistake but which individuals and groups deliberately sabotaged Brexit and have ensured its' lack of success since we left the EU. Name names.

I take it that you didn't read this thread from the start? If you had, you would have realised that you are offering even more evidence to support my contention that Brexiters take no accountability or responsibility for the mess that they have created: It's always someone else's fault. Who exactly are this mystery group of group of " ... the civil service, UK academics and vested financial interest groups who have been doing their utmost to bugger up Brexit"? How were this presumably uncordinated band able to prevent the governments of not one, but three Brexiter PMs plus their merry band of followers e.g. Rees-Mogg, Cummings, Gove et al from implementing their 'pure' version of Brexit? How does the "swarming" of England by illegal migrants - somehow facilitated by the dasterdly French and Belgians - cause the implementation of this Brave New Brexit World to collapse? There may be an ever increasing number of Brexiters now regretting their decision, but there is not a hoarde of people - fuelled by Russian propaganda - taking to the streets demanding that we rejoin the EU. This isn't even conspiracy theory; it is pure fantasy and, as I said at the outset, merely offers yet more evidence that the die-hard Brexiters take no accountability or responsibility for the mess that Brexiter has created in the UK.

This certainly reflects badly on the honesty and integrity of the individuals concerned, but unless they were resident in the UK before February 2020, these loans will not be available to EU nationals in future.

Because they lack the political courage to do so.

@BritManToo is nearer the mark. 15 - 20 years is closer to a generation, so mid-2030s for the next referendum. We'll just have to live with further negative consequences until then.

10 years seems excessive but I agree that rejoining won't, and can't, happen overnight. Hopefully, Farage won't make it to #10.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK has some - albeit limited - influence on the world stage, although that position is now threatened as a result of Brexit. EU member states have a combined GDP of +/-$22.5tn (the second largest in the world), the UK's is +/-$3.5tn. The UK was the second biggest economy in the EU, and wielded significant influence within the bloc and therefore indirectly, globally. Now it is relatively insignificant. You mention that the likes of Singapore, Switzerland, etc get by just fine. That is largely true but they accept their role as 'rule takers' or suffer the negative consequences. We were promised that Brexit would allow us to 'take back control'. The truth is that it has had the opposite effect and that we are even more 'rule takers' rather than 'rule makers'.

Firstly, there is no legal necessity to hold a referendum before re-applying for membership of the EU, although I accept that having voted to leave via one it would be politically (and morally) difficult not to hold another before rejoining. When it should be held - as it almost inevitably will be - is purely subjective as there was no minimum duration placed on the validity of the 2016 referendum. Imo Alex Salmond's 'once in a generation' suggestion is a useful rule of thumb.

Agreed. Although imo it is particularly problematic in the EU. The CAP needs reforming but that is proving almost impossible as farmers, especially in France, are a large - and very vocal - constituency and no political parties appear willing or able to take them on.

Many things could be improved in the EU (just as they could in the UK) and yet a median of 62% of people across 25 countries have a favorable view of the EU, according to a Pew Research Center survey in Spring 2025. Farmers protesting against trade deals? Hardly a uniquely EU phenomenon. UK farmers protested against the EU - UK TCA - ironic given that this group were strong Brexit supporters - and the trade deals that the UK has signed with Australia and NZ. Likewise, the EU certainly doesn't a monopoly when it comes to a lack of accountability, possible fraud and corruption when it comes to COVID related matters. I'm sure that you have heard of Baroness Mone. Ukraine: Yes freedom sometimes comes with a financial cost. Both the EU and UK recognise that. The OBR estimates that Brexit has cost the UK 4% of its GDP, and yet there are still those that think leaving was a good idea.

Apart from the last 75 years

You stole my thunder. Anyway, the answers to your questions are: 1) No direct relevance 2) No 3) No

Of course there is no shared project for the simple reason that it never existed. In a similar vein, most of the 'wishlist' of things e.g. leave the ECHR, improve the NHS, etc, which it is claimed can be enacted now that we have left the EU, would also have been possible when we were a member. Brexiters suffer from 'Kings new clothes' syndrome in clinging to the nonsensical belief that the UK will become some idyll Isle if only the politicians would implement Brexit correctly.

You do write some absolute nonsense. So all 17,410,742 who voted for Brexit knew exactly what they were voting for, and that was for the UK to effectively trade under WTO rules and leave all EU programmes? If it wasn't such a ridiculous proposition it would be laughable. You do realise that presumably one of the +/-17.4m was Rishi Sunak. The same Rishi Sunak who as PM negotiated the Windsor Agreement and rejoined the Horizon programme. Maybe he was the exception in the 17,410,742 who didn't know what he was voting for or maybe, just maybe, there are almost 17,410,742 versions of what Brexit should look like, none of which, unfortunately, offer as much as a non-Brexit did.

Perhaps they do but that has nothing to do with the non-existent Brexit benefits

A fact. There were Brexiters who wanted a 'hard' Brexit e.g. prepared to trade on WTO terms and those who favoured a soft one e.g. a 'Norway' or 'Canada,' style deal.

And reduce UK influence and opportunities overseas further. Anyway, possible when UK was an EU member Why? See my counterargument in previous email And further enhance the divisions in society and create an underclass Anyway, possible when UK was an EU member Well meaning but probably needs amendment ... said every PM since Atlee. Why believe Reform will succeed where all others have failed? Anyway, possible when UK was an EU member And reduce UK influence further. Anyway, possible when UK was an EU member Such as? Banking Regulations? Risk of another financial crisis Anyway, (largely) possible when UK was an EU member Why? Don't you think offering education and training opportunities to young people is a good idea? Needs amendment. Anyway, possible when UK was an EU member To where? Anyway, possible when UK was an EU member (unless that includes returning them to France). Whether your measures have any merit - most don't - the overwhelming majority could have been implemented when the UK was a member of the EU so, where is the Brexit benefit? Gary!

😂 So how are Reform going to unleash Brexit's potential? Well according to their one and only 'policy' document on their website, this will be done by: 1) Rescinding 6,700 retained EU laws, and amending British laws on State Aid, Competition, Employment, Net Zero and the Environment which are based on EU regulations. The 'policy' document doesn't mention what will replace these laws just that the scrapping of the existing laws and redrafting and implementation of these new laws will all happen within the first 100 days. Yeah, right😂 2) Abandoning the Windsor Framework and this will be replaced by ...... ? What happens if the RoI and/or EU object? Will this as yet unknown replacement document be imposed on them? Good luck with that one! 3) Withdraw from the EU Horizon programme and cease contributing financially to the European Defence Fund ... and therefore possibly duplicate spending on R&D and not benefit from any economies of scale. Of course, on the positive side by going it alone we should be prepared for the inevitable forthcoming military confrontation with France and the EU🤦 4) Renegotiate the EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement Fine. I foresee just one potential problem. What if the EU do not want to renegotiate? Of course, silly me; they will have to. The last 6/10 years have shown just how much, 'they need us more than we need them'. You accuse me of having a closed mind but you refuse to accept the evidence of the last 6/10 years and continue to believe in what is the political equivalent of having fairies at the bottom of the garden. Reform are not the answer. Do yourself a favour and wake up before even more damage is done.

Yes with the blessed Nigel in charge, 'Tomorrow Jonny, we'll all be millionaires'🤦 The old chestnut about, 'it's not Brexit that's the problem, it's the way that it's been implemented', raises its head yet again. Well, either those dastardly Remainers - who are trying to stymie Brexit - are awfully clever or those Brexit heroes - who are pluckily trying to implement the 'Sunny Uplands' version - are very stupid because, to date, there have been numerous negative effects associated with Brexit and very few positive ones. The truth is of course, that no one has the foggiest idea of how to make a success of Brexit, but that most of the politicians who supported it lack the moral courage to either take ownership and accountability for the problems caused or admit that they got it wrong. To claim that reduced US tariffs on UK goods vis-à-vis the EU as a positive for Brexit is farcical. The UK is no better off from having reduced tariffs with the US, it is simply less worse-off. It is a policy which will have a negative effect on growth worldwide. In the (approaching) 10 years or so since the Brexit vote, and the 6 years since we formally left, we have struck no significant trade deals and are certainly no nearer reaching agreement on one with the US.

They did and a majority now recognise that they were sold a pup. Polling now has 56% regretting Brexit with only 35% still supporting it. The difference was never that large in the lead up to the referendum. So giving young people in the UK the opportunity to study and learn new skills and languages is "a cowardly way of undermining the democratic will of the people": If you say so. We elect governments to govern, so I don't generally support the use of referendums but if we must have them - as is seemingly the case with Brexit and Scottish independence - then Alex Salmond's 'once in a generation' rule of thumb seems to be about right to me. So only about +/-15 years of the negative effects of Brexit - possibly enhanced by the potential next government having borderline xenophobic tendencies - to look forward to. "Cosmic" as Rodney used to say.