Ten things the EU has done for you Europhiles and Eurosceptics can argue until the cows come home about whether membership of the EU brings more benefits or disadvantages. But both sides can agree that many, if not most, of the laws passed in the 27 member states stem from EU legislation. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March, we note here 10 things the EU has done for the ordinary citizen.
EASY TRAVEL
It is much easier now for Europeans to move to neighbouring states In the old days, travellers in Europe had to put up with different currencies, regular border crossings and customs checks, and even trains of different gauges - you climbed out of a French train, walked across the border, and got into a Spanish train of a slightly different size. Now one currency, the euro, suffices for most European countries and border posts have been abandoned between the 15 countries that have implemented the Schengen accords. Holidaymakers are fully covered for any emergency hospital treatment they may need in another EU country, driving licences issued in one EU country are valid in any other, and any driver insured in one member state has at least third-party cover in the rest. If you are travelling with a tour operator, the company must have systems in place to get you home if it goes bust while you are away.
LIVING ABROAD Europeans are generally free to go where they want within the EU to live or work, and some 15 million Europeans have moved across borders to exercise this right. For example, more than 300,000 people are drawing UK state pensions in other member states (mostly Spain and Ireland). Older member states have imposed temporary labour restrictions on workers from countries in Eastern Europe which joined in 2004 - but these will gradually be phased out. An EU citizen living in another EU country enjoys equal treatment with nationals of the host country in terms of welfare protection, and can stand for office in local and European Parliament elections.
EQUAL PAY & NON-DISCRIMINATION
The EU has standardised and strengthened workers' rights The principle of equal pay for men and women was enshrined in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which first established the European Community. The principle has been turned steadily into reality. A 1975 directive ensured that women paid less than men for the same job got the right of redress through the courts, and protection against dismissal. More recently EU legislation has awarded part-time employees, who are often women, the same rights as people working full-time. Discrimination on the basis of race or sexual orientation is also outlawed. And age discrimination laws which came into force in the UK and other member states in 2006 stemmed directly from legislation passed at EU level.
PAID LEAVE The EU Working Time Directive ensures that all Europeans get at least four weeks of paid holiday per year. In the US, there is no statutory minimum and many employees get only two weeks of paid annual leave. The same directive guarantees workers 11 hours rest in every 24 hours, one day of rest per week, and a rest break if the working day is longer than six hours. EU legislation also sets minimum standards for paid maternity and paternity leave throughout the EU.
FOREIGN STUDY Thousands of students take part in foreign exchanges ever year under the EU's Erasmus programme. In the 2003-4 academic year, 7,500 UK students spent between three and 12 months at a university in one of the other member states. The programme helps students learn foreign language, gain experience of another culture, and profit from the host country's expertise in their field of study. People who want to attend a university in another EU country can also apply to do their entire degree course there, without having to pay extra charges imposed on foreign students from outside the EU.
CHEAP FLIGHTS The EU swept away barriers to free competition in the air transport market in the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for the emergence of budget airlines. Between 1992 and 2000 prices at the cheaper end of the market fell by 40%. At the same time, consumers benefited from a wider choice of both carriers and destinations, the number of routes linking EU member states increasing by nearly 50%.
CHEAP TELEPHONE CALLS During the 1990s, the EU broke the monopolies held by public telecoms operators. The result was a doubling of the number of fixed-line operators between 1998 and 2003, rapid introduction of new technology, and lower prices. According to the European Commission, the price of international telephone calls in the EU has fallen by 80% since 1984. The EU has now begun taking action to reduce the cost of roaming on mobile phones.
CONSUMER PROTECTION Consumers can send back a product bought anywhere in the EU if it breaks down within two years of purchase. People shopping on the internet, by telephone or mail order, can also change their mind within seven days, and cancel the contract without giving a reason. EU law prohibits misleading advertising and requires that all products put on the market are safe. Shoppers who buy goods for their own use in one EU country can take them to another EU country without paying excise duty, as long as they accompany them.
FOOD LABELLING Under EU law, all ingredients used in food products must be listed. Any GM ingredients must be flagged up, as must colouring, preservatives, sweeteners and other chemical additives. Any ingredients that consumers may be allergic to, such as nuts, must be marked, even if the quantities used are very small. EU laws define the conditions food must meet to be described as organic, and ensure that a name associated with a high-quality product from a particular region, such as Parma ham, cannot be used to describe a product of lower quality, or one from a different region.
CLEAN RIVERS AND CLEAN AIR The EU is widely credited with forcing the pace on improvements to the quality of air, rivers and beaches. Member states might have done the job independently in their own time, but peer pressure upped the tempo when European ministers got together to pass laws. Measures such as the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive have led to dramatic improvements in the rivers over the last 30 years, making possible, for example, the return of otters to the British countryside. Other legislation has greatly reduced the problem of acid rain; the UK, once the "dirty man of Europe" cut sulphur emissions by 73% between 1990 and 2002. And if 30 years ago most British beaches failed the test of the EU Bathing Water Directive, now 98% of them get the thumbs-up.
How many of Britain's laws REALLY come from the EU? The Brexit question no one can answer David Cameron said 14%. Nigel Farage said 75%. So how many of our laws actually come from the EU? We went digging for the truth
The study said 13.2% of all laws made in the UK between 1993 and 2014 have been EU-related.
The state visit of Donald Trump continues to grab the headlines. Most papers carry pictures of the US president standing alongside Theresa May at a news conference when he made his controversial comments about the NHS. "Trump demands access to NHS funding as price of Brexit trade deal" is the i's interpretation. The Guardian adds that Mrs May appeared to explain to Mr Trump what the NHS was, before he said that "everything was on the table". The Daily Mirror gives its verdict on the comment with the headline "Butt out, Mr President".
The Washington Post notes that even though the president later appeared to have a change of heart, his comments about the NHS have riled politicians on both sides of the political spectrum by touching on one of the most sacrosanct aspects of British life. With the caption "Meddling Don Steams in" - the Sun claims Mr Trump has caused "havoc" in the Tory leadership race to replace Mrs May. It says he broke diplomatic protocol by agreeing to meet three of the candidates - Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove - and ignoring the eight others. Huffpost UK takes a similar line and says the president was in a "playful mood" but spent the day effectively looking over Mrs May's shoulder, "surveying her potential successors". The Daily Mail reports that the president was snubbed by Boris Johnson so he could make a leadership pitch to more than 80 Tory MPs.
The Mail and the Daily Telegraph both say Mr Johnson's message was that any further delays to Brexit could wipe out the party - and that he was the man to put Nigel Farage "back in his box". Writing on the New Statesman website, Patrick Maguire says that, on audience numbers, Mr Johnson was the clear winner of the four candidates speaking - attracting more than 100 MPs - while only 42 stayed to hear Andrea Leadsom. The Times believes Mr Johnson's campaign to become prime minister has received a significant boost - with the backing of a number of moderate MPs it describes as "rising stars".
Most papers feature veterans of the D-Day landings as the 75th anniversary commemorations get under way. The Daily Mirror has pictures of 93-year-old Albert Evans trying out a modern day landing craft off the Dorset coast. It describes how he hung onto his beret and whooped as the Royal Marine RIB bounced across the waves in high-speed doughnut turns. The Telegraph has a photo of special forces commando, Lt Jim Booth. It tells how the veteran was beaten with a hammer by an intruder at his home at the age of 96 - but has recovered sufficiently to be at the special events in Portsmouth.
Trump asks Michael Gove for private meeting during UK trip Request for talks casts doubt on president's backing for Boris Johnson as a 'great prime minister' in waiting
Nigel Farage faces European Parliament ban over undisclosed gifts
Nigel Farage faces being banned from the European Parliament after he was set a 24-hour deadline to explain why he allegedly failed to declare almost half a million pounds in gifts from Brexiteer tycoon Arron Banks. Earlier this year a Channel 4 News investigation unearthed documents suggesting UKIP’s one-time top donor provided Farage with a furnished Chelsea home, a car and driver, and other living expenses worth about £450,000. It also reported that Banks, who is currently under investigation by the National Crime Agency over allegations of criminal offences by him and his unofficial leave campaign during the Brexit referendum campaign, organised and funded visits to the United States for Farage in the year after the referendum, including a trip in July 2016 to the Republican national convention. The explosive findings prompted the European Parliament’s advisory committee to look into whether Farage broke EU rules by accepting funding from Banks but not declaring the donations on the parliament’s online register of interests.
Ten things the EU has done for you Europhiles and Eurosceptics can argue until the cows come home about whether membership of the EU brings more benefits or disadvantages. But both sides can agree that many, if not most, of the laws passed in the 27 member states stem from EU legislation. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March, we note here 10 things the EU has done for the ordinary citizen.
EASY TRAVEL
It is much easier now for Europeans to move to neighbouring states In the old days, travellers in Europe had to put up with different currencies, regular border crossings and customs checks, and even trains of different gauges - you climbed out of a French train, walked across the border, and got into a Spanish train of a slightly different size. Now one currency, the euro, suffices for most European countries and border posts have been abandoned between the 15 countries that have implemented the Schengen accords. Holidaymakers are fully covered for any emergency hospital treatment they may need in another EU country, driving licences issued in one EU country are valid in any other, and any driver insured in one member state has at least third-party cover in the rest. If you are travelling with a tour operator, the company must have systems in place to get you home if it goes bust while you are away.
LIVING ABROAD Europeans are generally free to go where they want within the EU to live or work, and some 15 million Europeans have moved across borders to exercise this right. For example, more than 300,000 people are drawing UK state pensions in other member states (mostly Spain and Ireland). Older member states have imposed temporary labour restrictions on workers from countries in Eastern Europe which joined in 2004 - but these will gradually be phased out. An EU citizen living in another EU country enjoys equal treatment with nationals of the host country in terms of welfare protection, and can stand for office in local and European Parliament elections.
EQUAL PAY & NON-DISCRIMINATION
The EU has standardised and strengthened workers' rights The principle of equal pay for men and women was enshrined in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which first established the European Community. The principle has been turned steadily into reality. A 1975 directive ensured that women paid less than men for the same job got the right of redress through the courts, and protection against dismissal. More recently EU legislation has awarded part-time employees, who are often women, the same rights as people working full-time. Discrimination on the basis of race or sexual orientation is also outlawed. And age discrimination laws which came into force in the UK and other member states in 2006 stemmed directly from legislation passed at EU level.
PAID LEAVE The EU Working Time Directive ensures that all Europeans get at least four weeks of paid holiday per year. In the US, there is no statutory minimum and many employees get only two weeks of paid annual leave. The same directive guarantees workers 11 hours rest in every 24 hours, one day of rest per week, and a rest break if the working day is longer than six hours. EU legislation also sets minimum standards for paid maternity and paternity leave throughout the EU.
FOREIGN STUDY Thousands of students take part in foreign exchanges ever year under the EU's Erasmus programme. In the 2003-4 academic year, 7,500 UK students spent between three and 12 months at a university in one of the other member states. The programme helps students learn foreign language, gain experience of another culture, and profit from the host country's expertise in their field of study. People who want to attend a university in another EU country can also apply to do their entire degree course there, without having to pay extra charges imposed on foreign students from outside the EU.
CHEAP FLIGHTS The EU swept away barriers to free competition in the air transport market in the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for the emergence of budget airlines. Between 1992 and 2000 prices at the cheaper end of the market fell by 40%. At the same time, consumers benefited from a wider choice of both carriers and destinations, the number of routes linking EU member states increasing by nearly 50%.
CHEAP TELEPHONE CALLS During the 1990s, the EU broke the monopolies held by public telecoms operators. The result was a doubling of the number of fixed-line operators between 1998 and 2003, rapid introduction of new technology, and lower prices. According to the European Commission, the price of international telephone calls in the EU has fallen by 80% since 1984. The EU has now begun taking action to reduce the cost of roaming on mobile phones.
CONSUMER PROTECTION Consumers can send back a product bought anywhere in the EU if it breaks down within two years of purchase. People shopping on the internet, by telephone or mail order, can also change their mind within seven days, and cancel the contract without giving a reason. EU law prohibits misleading advertising and requires that all products put on the market are safe. Shoppers who buy goods for their own use in one EU country can take them to another EU country without paying excise duty, as long as they accompany them.
FOOD LABELLING Under EU law, all ingredients used in food products must be listed. Any GM ingredients must be flagged up, as must colouring, preservatives, sweeteners and other chemical additives. Any ingredients that consumers may be allergic to, such as nuts, must be marked, even if the quantities used are very small. EU laws define the conditions food must meet to be described as organic, and ensure that a name associated with a high-quality product from a particular region, such as Parma ham, cannot be used to describe a product of lower quality, or one from a different region.
CLEAN RIVERS AND CLEAN AIR The EU is widely credited with forcing the pace on improvements to the quality of air, rivers and beaches. Member states might have done the job independently in their own time, but peer pressure upped the tempo when European ministers got together to pass laws. Measures such as the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive have led to dramatic improvements in the rivers over the last 30 years, making possible, for example, the return of otters to the British countryside. Other legislation has greatly reduced the problem of acid rain; the UK, once the "dirty man of Europe" cut sulphur emissions by 73% between 1990 and 2002. And if 30 years ago most British beaches failed the test of the EU Bathing Water Directive, now 98% of them get the thumbs-up.
It's amazing how we ever survived or achieved anything in this country without the glorious EU to show us the way,we shall be forever in your debt...
Ten things the EU has done for you Europhiles and Eurosceptics can argue until the cows come home about whether membership of the EU brings more benefits or disadvantages. But both sides can agree that many, if not most, of the laws passed in the 27 member states stem from EU legislation. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March, we note here 10 things the EU has done for the ordinary citizen.
EASY TRAVEL
It is much easier now for Europeans to move to neighbouring states In the old days, travellers in Europe had to put up with different currencies, regular border crossings and customs checks, and even trains of different gauges - you climbed out of a French train, walked across the border, and got into a Spanish train of a slightly different size. Now one currency, the euro, suffices for most European countries and border posts have been abandoned between the 15 countries that have implemented the Schengen accords. Holidaymakers are fully covered for any emergency hospital treatment they may need in another EU country, driving licences issued in one EU country are valid in any other, and any driver insured in one member state has at least third-party cover in the rest. If you are travelling with a tour operator, the company must have systems in place to get you home if it goes bust while you are away.
LIVING ABROAD Europeans are generally free to go where they want within the EU to live or work, and some 15 million Europeans have moved across borders to exercise this right. For example, more than 300,000 people are drawing UK state pensions in other member states (mostly Spain and Ireland). Older member states have imposed temporary labour restrictions on workers from countries in Eastern Europe which joined in 2004 - but these will gradually be phased out. An EU citizen living in another EU country enjoys equal treatment with nationals of the host country in terms of welfare protection, and can stand for office in local and European Parliament elections.
EQUAL PAY & NON-DISCRIMINATION
The EU has standardised and strengthened workers' rights The principle of equal pay for men and women was enshrined in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which first established the European Community. The principle has been turned steadily into reality. A 1975 directive ensured that women paid less than men for the same job got the right of redress through the courts, and protection against dismissal. More recently EU legislation has awarded part-time employees, who are often women, the same rights as people working full-time. Discrimination on the basis of race or sexual orientation is also outlawed. And age discrimination laws which came into force in the UK and other member states in 2006 stemmed directly from legislation passed at EU level.
PAID LEAVE The EU Working Time Directive ensures that all Europeans get at least four weeks of paid holiday per year. In the US, there is no statutory minimum and many employees get only two weeks of paid annual leave. The same directive guarantees workers 11 hours rest in every 24 hours, one day of rest per week, and a rest break if the working day is longer than six hours. EU legislation also sets minimum standards for paid maternity and paternity leave throughout the EU.
FOREIGN STUDY Thousands of students take part in foreign exchanges ever year under the EU's Erasmus programme. In the 2003-4 academic year, 7,500 UK students spent between three and 12 months at a university in one of the other member states. The programme helps students learn foreign language, gain experience of another culture, and profit from the host country's expertise in their field of study. People who want to attend a university in another EU country can also apply to do their entire degree course there, without having to pay extra charges imposed on foreign students from outside the EU.
CHEAP FLIGHTS The EU swept away barriers to free competition in the air transport market in the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for the emergence of budget airlines. Between 1992 and 2000 prices at the cheaper end of the market fell by 40%. At the same time, consumers benefited from a wider choice of both carriers and destinations, the number of routes linking EU member states increasing by nearly 50%.
CHEAP TELEPHONE CALLS During the 1990s, the EU broke the monopolies held by public telecoms operators. The result was a doubling of the number of fixed-line operators between 1998 and 2003, rapid introduction of new technology, and lower prices. According to the European Commission, the price of international telephone calls in the EU has fallen by 80% since 1984. The EU has now begun taking action to reduce the cost of roaming on mobile phones.
CONSUMER PROTECTION Consumers can send back a product bought anywhere in the EU if it breaks down within two years of purchase. People shopping on the internet, by telephone or mail order, can also change their mind within seven days, and cancel the contract without giving a reason. EU law prohibits misleading advertising and requires that all products put on the market are safe. Shoppers who buy goods for their own use in one EU country can take them to another EU country without paying excise duty, as long as they accompany them.
FOOD LABELLING Under EU law, all ingredients used in food products must be listed. Any GM ingredients must be flagged up, as must colouring, preservatives, sweeteners and other chemical additives. Any ingredients that consumers may be allergic to, such as nuts, must be marked, even if the quantities used are very small. EU laws define the conditions food must meet to be described as organic, and ensure that a name associated with a high-quality product from a particular region, such as Parma ham, cannot be used to describe a product of lower quality, or one from a different region.
CLEAN RIVERS AND CLEAN AIR The EU is widely credited with forcing the pace on improvements to the quality of air, rivers and beaches. Member states might have done the job independently in their own time, but peer pressure upped the tempo when European ministers got together to pass laws. Measures such as the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive have led to dramatic improvements in the rivers over the last 30 years, making possible, for example, the return of otters to the British countryside. Other legislation has greatly reduced the problem of acid rain; the UK, once the "dirty man of Europe" cut sulphur emissions by 73% between 1990 and 2002. And if 30 years ago most British beaches failed the test of the EU Bathing Water Directive, now 98% of them get the thumbs-up.
It's amazing how we ever survived or achieved anything in this country without the glorious EU to show us the way,we shall be forever in your debt...
It's amazing how we ever survived or achieved anything in this country without the glorious EU to show us the way,we shall be forever in your debt...
I am assuming that you accept the fact that food standards are lower in the US, than they are in the EU.
That the horse meat scandal was not some sort of EU plot, and that we are responsible for implementing all our laws, and therefore don't rely on the nonexistent EU police to keep us on the straight and narrow.
I am assuming this is reason why you have resorted to this type of comment.
I am not sure how old you are, but from my own point of view, we have spent just about all my working life as members of the EU.
I have no particular memories of pre EU membership life.
The one thing that I have found to be strange is that so many Brexiteers are unable to point to any tangible benefits they expect to gain from leaving the EU, and how their lives are expected to improve.
I am lucky in that I am retired, and that it is unlikely to have a substantial effect on my life.
Many myths have been exploded by the referendum process.
Not so many people seem to be referring to unelected representatives, maybe because they are now aware that we do have EU elections.
The number of EU laws we have had to accept are minimal, and many of them have benefitted all of us.
I am unable to point to any EU law that has affected my life in an adverse way. Maybe you can?
Every Brexit option has an adverse effect on our economy.
This means that many that voted in favour of it, will be amongst the worst hit.
That is a shame.
Maintaining a trading relationship after leaving will involve close alignment, which involve continuing to accept EU rules, but without a say in making them.
Many Brexit voters seem to ignore the obvious difficulties.
For instance before we decided to leave there was no need of a border between us and the EU.
After we leave there very obviously is.
That is unless we remain in the customs union, and single market.
So if we get out of both of them, there will need to be a border.
The most obvious location for this border is on the island of Ireland.
This would be in breach of the Good Friday Agreement, and maybe risk peace.
The alternative is an Irish Sea border.
Many politicians wont wear this as they say that treating NI differently to the rest of the UK is not acceptable, and risks the break up of the Union.
If we remained single market members we would have to continue to pay our annual contributions, and accept freedom of movement.
While customs union membership would not allow us to pursue an independent trade policy.
And if we are going to leave the EU, vital that we establish some sort of new trading arrangement. Exactly the sort of massive ego we need to massage going forward. Cousin lives in the US now has dual citizenship. Both her and her husband are staunch Repulicans. They dont like Trump the man but as a leader hes growing the economy, creating jobs, improving education and backing the smorgasboard of security vehicles DEA CIA FBI AFT HS etc. and they love him for that.
Brexit: NHS could be 'on the table' as part of US trade deal, ambassador says
Donald Trump's British envoy has sparked fury with claims that access to the NHS would be "on the table" in post-Brexit trade deal with the US. Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, said the "entire economy" would be included in transatlantic negotiations, which could include allowing American private firms to bid for NHS contracts.
In an interview ahead of Mr Trump's state visit, Mr Johnson said the US was already "looking at all the components of the deal and trying to get everything lined up so when the time comes we’re ready to go".
Asked if healthcare would be part of the deal, he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "I think probably the entire economy, in a trade deal all things that are traded will be on the table."
Mr Johnson also said chlorinated chicken - which is permitted under American regulations but banned in the EU - was "completely safe".
Chlorinated chicken: ‘Dangerous’ practices at major US plant stoke fears of contaminated food in UK after Brexit Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches’ exposes danger of cross-contamination with deadly bacteria – because of poor standards outlawed by EU membership
The undercover probe by Channel 4 laid bare the danger of cross-contamination with the deadly bacteria salmonella and campylobacter, because of poor standards outlawed by the EU.
Nevertheless, the US has made clear it will demand the UK accept chemical-washed poultry in any trade deal – and Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, has suggested a ban will be impossible.
* Piles of chicken left on conveyor belts for long periods of time, at the risk of cross contamination.
* Boxes of chicken stacked on top of each other – which could also cause cross-contamination. * Workers touching raw chicken with bare hands – while one cleared drains with gloved hands, merely washing the gloves before going back to touching raw chicken. * Drains blocked with chicken – while pieces of and innards lay on the floor and water leaked from machinery.
* Flooded and broken floors where “bacteria could breed”, an EU meat safety expert warned. * A worker having three fingers amputated, after being asked to operate a machine they had not been trained to use.
Brexit: The Hidden Danger of Chlorinated Chicken. With Stephen Fry
I think the point you are missing is that lower standards are allowed in the USA.
Chlorine washing is meant to counteract these lower standards.
The fact that a UK factory is breaching EU standards is criminal, but is not an argument.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
American food standards like chlorine washed chicken, and hormone fed beef, are unacceptable to the EU, as are chickens that are processed illegally in the UK.
Good to see the EU always keeping to their strict standards...
This was an EU conspiracy?
I didn't say it was an EU conspiracy,my point is you've highlighted 'chlorinated chicken' as a threat to a post brexit UK. When in fact,as I've already mentioned,we are in as much danger from our own dubious standards currently being used in this country and beyond by our EU partners.Perhaps we should first get our own house in order before preaching to others.
I worry about you sometimes.
The horsemeat scandal was perpetrated by criminals that were breaking the law. You cant just blame the EU for every crime committed in Europe. The difference is that the USA have much lower standards regarding food. The reason they chlorine wash chicken is because it is processed to a much lower standard, than that which is acceptable to the EU. Hormone fed beef is not appetising for me. Any trade deal with the USA, will involve us accepting these lower standards, and Americans firms getting involved with the NHS.
So leaving the EU, and doing a trade deal with the USA means we accept lower standards, and limit our trade with the EU.
There's no need to worry about me,thank you. You can't blame brexit for every problem/difficult situation that happens in the country. My original point was that you're concerning yourself with America's food hygiene standard,when it's been proven time and time again that our own standards fall way short what's deemed acceptable. Have a read up about '2 Sisters Food Group' to see how just one of many British companies continued to flout EU laws and supply chicken to the public which could've done with a good 'chlorine wash'.
I see you are unable to grasp an analogy. My apologies I thought you were more savvy.
Clearly remain supporters need the big wax crayon version.
This is how this usually goes.
I ask a few questions, in the interest of debate, no other reason.
You then ignore them and disappear for a bit.
You reappear and pretend they hadn't been asked.
You have clearly stated your plan.
My questions will explore whether you have thought it through properly.
All previous evidence points to the fact that you wont answer them.
I will ask them anyway.
WALKING AWAY WITH NO DEAL
What happens to the Irish border?
DONT CARE REALLY BUT AS THE REPUBLIC NEVER WANTED TO BE A PART OF UK INSTALL THE HARD BORDER AGAIN.
What happens to UK citizens living in the EU, and Europeans living in the UK?
UK CITIZENS LIVING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY FOR WORK WILL HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION. THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE THERE COZ THEY LIKE IT CAN MAKE A CHOICE CANT THEY (CANT HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT)
After not paying the EU what we owe them, do we expect them to remain friendly?
DONT CARE ABOUT THEIR ATTITUDE, THEY WILL STILL WANT TO TRADE
Do you really think that they value a bit of money, more than Single Market integrity?
THERE IS NO INTEGRITY IN THE SINGLE MARKET ITS AN INSTRUMENT TO CAJOLE, AND CONTROL. IT ONLY FAVOURS CERTAIN COUNTRIES.
Farages message is trade on WTO rules, you realise that this involves tariffs?
TARIFFS WORK BOTH WAYS
Tariffs are effectively taxes, and make goods more expensive for consumers?
NOT ACCORDING TO SEVERAL ECONOMISTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS DESPERATE TO ESCAPE THE STRANGLING EFFECT OF THE SINGLE MARKET
Why would you wish to increase the prices of food etc?
ACCORDING TO THE CEO OF WEATHERSPOONS THE COST TO US WOULD ACTUALLY DECREASE.
Do you think that tariffs might kill off our manufacturing industry?
HELLO MATE ITS ALREADY DEAD. THE EU KILLED THAT OFF
If not, do you think that eliminating frictionless borders might do it?
HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRAVEL WITH FREIGHT TO SAY ITALY OR AUSTRIA. BORDER QUEUES ARE HORRENDOUS
How could just in time manufacturers cope?
BY EVOLVING
How long before our car manufacturers relocate, after the imposition of 10% tariffs?
"OUR" ?? THATS A BIT RICH SORRY FORGOT YOURE A EUROPHILE. THEY ONLY LOCATED HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE DUE TO INCENTIVES OF CHEAP LAND AND SUBSIDIES AND TAX BREAKS
Do you think we will be worse off by losing a trade deal with the 27 other members, plus around 70 other countries?
NO I DONT BECAUSE WE WONT LOSE TRADE. THERE IS A WORLD OUT THERE YOU KNOW
Why would you think that imposing tariffs on our trade with these 97 countries is beneficial?
WHY WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT ISN'T
Why are you in favour of more taxes?
I WILL WILLINGLY PAY MORE TAXES TO HAVE MY GOVERNMENT HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OVER MY COUNTRY
Why are you in favour of increasing prices to consumers, which will undoubtedly affect the poorest the most?
OH PLEASE AS A EUROPHILE DONT EVEN PRETEND TO HAVE THE IMPOVERISHED ON YOUR LIST OF CONCERNS. IF THE EU COULD AIRBRUSH THEM OUT OF SOCIETY THEN THEY WOULD. ALSO FOR EVERY EXPERT WHO SAYS PRICES WILL INCREASE THERE ONE WHO SAYS THEY WONT TRUTH IS NOBODY KNOWS
Do you understand that there will be no trade negotiations until we pass the Withdrawal Bill?
WELL BETTER CRACK ON THEN EH
Are you aware that fishing is a two way street, and that we don't just let other member countries fish in our waters, we also fish in theirs?
YES THE MED IS RIFE WITH BRITISH TRAWLERS ISNT IT ? ERM ACTYALLY NO IT ISNT NEITHER ARE THE ATLANTIC WATERS OFF FRANCE SPAIN OR PORTUGAL. APART FROM THE CHANNEL VESSELS AND A FEW STILL EAST YORKS BASED THE REST FISH IN INTERNATIONAL DEEP WATERS
Are you aware that we, as WTO members, already have the right to trade with the other 160 odd members without leaving the EU?
NO BUT THATS GOOD SHOULD LESSEN THE IMPACT SOMEWHAT
What do you think Liam Fox meant when he said "If the WTO is so good, then why would anyone do a trade deal?"
LETS BE HONEST ALL THE SINGLE MARKET IS IS A GIANT DISCOUNT CARD. IF YOU DONT HAVE ONE YOU CAN STILL SHOP YOU JUST HAVE TO SHOP SMARTER
I could go on, but don't intend to. My sole purpose in asking these questions was to see if you are clear on your Brexit plan, rather than to come across as a smart ar5e. You have previously posted about your foodbank work, which I applaud.
This makes your views on Brexit, and in particular a no deal Brexit, much more difficult to comprehend, as in many people view, this will increase the number of your customers, and your existing customers will suffer the most.
THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF CRISIS ATM IS THE ABYSMALLY PLANNED UNIVERSAL CREDIT AND THE UNRESTRICTED MOVEMENT OF EU NATIONALS. "PLEASE DONT SCREAM RACIST BECAUSE IM NOT BUT AT LEAST 50% OF OUR FOODBANK CLIENTS ARE FROM EASTERN EUROPE WITH DOCUMENTATION AND THE RIGHT TO BE HERE. NOW WE HAVE A DUTY OF CARE TO THESE PEOPLE AND WE MUST SEE THAT THROUGH BUT THE ONLY WAY TO ADDRESS THE GULF IN THE WELFARE SYSTEM IS TO GET AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE INTO IT AND REDUCING THE NUMBERS THAT SUCH A SYSTEM HAS TO PROVIDE FOR. IMHO LEAVING THE EU AND RESTRICTING FREE TRAVEL IS THE ONLY WAY IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM OF ACHIEVING THESE GOALS.
I will post some referendum campaign quotes as proof of the fact that very few people, if any, thought they were voting for a no deal Brexit.
I don't consider these anti Brexit rhetoric, an accusation you made in a previous post, as they are mostly quotes from prominent figures in the leave campaign, that were made during the run up to the referendum, that many voters, unfortunately hoped were true.
OK THERE YOU HAVE SOME ANSWERS
If you bump into your mate at Wetherspoons, maybe you could ask him why our car manufacturers are suddenly closing their factories, laying off staff, manufacturing new models elsewhere, relocating to Europe, or setting up in Singapore. The predictable answer will be nothing to do with Brexit. Or maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.
The ceremony marked the end of President Trump's state visit to the UK - and according to the Times, it was "nowhere near the car crash many had feared". Mr Trump, the paper suggests, departed British shores "without performing any catastrophic breaches of protocol or inspiring significant unrest on the streets". The New York Times website says the visit was another illustration of the president's "split-screen" persona - "gently greeting frail veterans" hours after he launched an angry tirade on social media against the actress Bette Midler. The Guardian's Patrick Wintour acknowledges there was a "blunder here" and a "gaffe there", but feels the trip was "tame and normalised". Faced by the "power vacuum that is contemporary Britain", he says, "Trump himself seemed deflated"
The Financial Times reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned Theresa May less money will be available for schools, policing and the NHS - if she pushes ahead with plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by the year 2050. In a letter, Mr Hammond tells the prime minister that the proposals would cost the UK more than £1tn. The paper says Mrs May still intends to introduce the legislation in Parliament by next week, hoping it will become "one of her most important legacies" as she prepares to leave Downing Street.
And the Sun claims an academic who has spent two decades studying legends including the Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster has put his own job in jeopardy - by admitting they don't exist. Dr Darren Naish told an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival that in an age when most people have a good quality camera on their mobile phone, the creatures would likely have been spotted by now. However, he insists he's open to new evidence.
Q&A | The Brexit backstop What is the backstop? Effectively an insurance policy to keep the Irish border with the UK open, as it is now. This would be achieved by keeping the United Kingdom within the EU’s customs union on an ostensibly temporary basis. Why is there a backstop? Three of the government’s post-Brexit commitments conflict with each other. International peace treaty: The UK is required by the Good Friday Agreement to keep the Irish border open. Brexit red line: Theresa May committed to leaving the EU’s customs and regulatory framework. If the UK and Ireland are to be in separate trade blocs, this will require border checks on imports and exports. Structural integrity of the United Kingdom: The government and the Democratic Unionist Party do not want a border in the Irish Sea, as this would separate Northern Ireland from the UK, leaving it within the EU post-Brexit. What is the problem with the backstop? It can only end by mutual agreement of the UK and EU. In theory this gives the EU a veto over the UK’s ability to ever leave its regulatory orbit.
Brexit: Military veterans call for Final Say vote on D-Day anniversary The 122 signatories warned that Brexit will threaten peace and friendship in Europe
Comments
Last Updated: Wednesday, 21 March 2007, 18:03 GMT
Ten things the EU has done for you
Europhiles and Eurosceptics can argue until the cows come home about whether membership of the EU brings more benefits or disadvantages.
But both sides can agree that many, if not most, of the laws passed in the 27 member states stem from EU legislation.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March, we note here 10 things the EU has done for the ordinary citizen.
EASY TRAVEL
It is much easier now for Europeans to move to neighbouring states
In the old days, travellers in Europe had to put up with different currencies, regular border crossings and customs checks, and even trains of different gauges - you climbed out of a French train, walked across the border, and got into a Spanish train of a slightly different size. Now one currency, the euro, suffices for most European countries and border posts have been abandoned between the 15 countries that have implemented the Schengen accords. Holidaymakers are fully covered for any emergency hospital treatment they may need in another EU country, driving licences issued in one EU country are valid in any other, and any driver insured in one member state has at least third-party cover in the rest. If you are travelling with a tour operator, the company must have systems in place to get you home if it goes bust while you are away.
LIVING ABROAD
Europeans are generally free to go where they want within the EU to live or work, and some 15 million Europeans have moved across borders to exercise this right. For example, more than 300,000 people are drawing UK state pensions in other member states (mostly Spain and Ireland). Older member states have imposed temporary labour restrictions on workers from countries in Eastern Europe which joined in 2004 - but these will gradually be phased out. An EU citizen living in another EU country enjoys equal treatment with nationals of the host country in terms of welfare protection, and can stand for office in local and European Parliament elections.
EQUAL PAY & NON-DISCRIMINATION
The EU has standardised and strengthened workers' rights
The principle of equal pay for men and women was enshrined in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which first established the European Community. The principle has been turned steadily into reality. A 1975 directive ensured that women paid less than men for the same job got the right of redress through the courts, and protection against dismissal. More recently EU legislation has awarded part-time employees, who are often women, the same rights as people working full-time. Discrimination on the basis of race or sexual orientation is also outlawed. And age discrimination laws which came into force in the UK and other member states in 2006 stemmed directly from legislation passed at EU level.
PAID LEAVE
The EU Working Time Directive ensures that all Europeans get at least four weeks of paid holiday per year. In the US, there is no statutory minimum and many employees get only two weeks of paid annual leave. The same directive guarantees workers 11 hours rest in every 24 hours, one day of rest per week, and a rest break if the working day is longer than six hours. EU legislation also sets minimum standards for paid maternity and paternity leave throughout the EU.
FOREIGN STUDY
Thousands of students take part in foreign exchanges ever year under the EU's Erasmus programme. In the 2003-4 academic year, 7,500 UK students spent between three and 12 months at a university in one of the other member states. The programme helps students learn foreign language, gain experience of another culture, and profit from the host country's expertise in their field of study. People who want to attend a university in another EU country can also apply to do their entire degree course there, without having to pay extra charges imposed on foreign students from outside the EU.
CHEAP FLIGHTS
The EU swept away barriers to free competition in the air transport market in the 1980s and 1990s, paving the way for the emergence of budget airlines. Between 1992 and 2000 prices at the cheaper end of the market fell by 40%. At the same time, consumers benefited from a wider choice of both carriers and destinations, the number of routes linking EU member states increasing by nearly 50%.
CHEAP TELEPHONE CALLS
During the 1990s, the EU broke the monopolies held by public telecoms operators. The result was a doubling of the number of fixed-line operators between 1998 and 2003, rapid introduction of new technology, and lower prices. According to the European Commission, the price of international telephone calls in the EU has fallen by 80% since 1984. The EU has now begun taking action to reduce the cost of roaming on mobile phones.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
Consumers can send back a product bought anywhere in the EU if it breaks down within two years of purchase. People shopping on the internet, by telephone or mail order, can also change their mind within seven days, and cancel the contract without giving a reason. EU law prohibits misleading advertising and requires that all products put on the market are safe. Shoppers who buy goods for their own use in one EU country can take them to another EU country without paying excise duty, as long as they accompany them.
FOOD LABELLING
Under EU law, all ingredients used in food products must be listed. Any GM ingredients must be flagged up, as must colouring, preservatives, sweeteners and other chemical additives. Any ingredients that consumers may be allergic to, such as nuts, must be marked, even if the quantities used are very small. EU laws define the conditions food must meet to be described as organic, and ensure that a name associated with a high-quality product from a particular region, such as Parma ham, cannot be used to describe a product of lower quality, or one from a different region.
CLEAN RIVERS AND CLEAN AIR
The EU is widely credited with forcing the pace on improvements to the quality of air, rivers and beaches. Member states might have done the job independently in their own time, but peer pressure upped the tempo when European ministers got together to pass laws. Measures such as the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive have led to dramatic improvements in the rivers over the last 30 years, making possible, for example, the return of otters to the British countryside. Other legislation has greatly reduced the problem of acid rain; the UK, once the "dirty man of Europe" cut sulphur emissions by 73% between 1990 and 2002. And if 30 years ago most British beaches failed the test of the EU Bathing Water Directive, now 98% of them get the thumbs-up.
David Cameron said 14%. Nigel Farage said 75%. So how many of our laws actually come from the EU? We went digging for the truth
The study said 13.2% of all laws made in the UK between 1993 and 2014 have been EU-related.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-many-britains-laws-really-7420612
The state visit of Donald Trump continues to grab the headlines. Most papers carry pictures of the US president standing alongside Theresa May at a news conference when he made his controversial comments about the NHS.
"Trump demands access to NHS funding as price of Brexit trade deal" is the i's interpretation.
The Guardian adds that Mrs May appeared to explain to Mr Trump what the NHS was, before he said that "everything was on the table".
The Daily Mirror gives its verdict on the comment with the headline "Butt out, Mr President".
The Washington Post notes that even though the president later appeared to have a change of heart, his comments about the NHS have riled politicians on both sides of the political spectrum by touching on one of the most sacrosanct aspects of British life.
With the caption "Meddling Don Steams in" - the Sun claims Mr Trump has caused "havoc" in the Tory leadership race to replace Mrs May.
It says he broke diplomatic protocol by agreeing to meet three of the candidates - Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove - and ignoring the eight others.
Huffpost UK takes a similar line and says the president was in a "playful mood" but spent the day effectively looking over Mrs May's shoulder, "surveying her potential successors".
The Daily Mail reports that the president was snubbed by Boris Johnson so he could make a leadership pitch to more than 80 Tory MPs.
The Mail and the Daily Telegraph both say Mr Johnson's message was that any further delays to Brexit could wipe out the party - and that he was the man to put Nigel Farage "back in his box".
Writing on the New Statesman website, Patrick Maguire says that, on audience numbers, Mr Johnson was the clear winner of the four candidates speaking - attracting more than 100 MPs - while only 42 stayed to hear Andrea Leadsom.
The Times believes Mr Johnson's campaign to become prime minister has received a significant boost - with the backing of a number of moderate MPs it describes as "rising stars".
Most papers feature veterans of the D-Day landings as the 75th anniversary commemorations get under way. The Daily Mirror has pictures of 93-year-old Albert Evans trying out a modern day landing craft off the Dorset coast.
It describes how he hung onto his beret and whooped as the Royal Marine RIB bounced across the waves in high-speed doughnut turns.
The Telegraph has a photo of special forces commando, Lt Jim Booth. It tells how the veteran was beaten with a hammer by an intruder at his home at the age of 96 - but has recovered sufficiently to be at the special events in Portsmouth.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-48521838
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/06/04/call-andrea-leadership-hopeful-leadsom-vows-hold-regular-phone/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/06/04/boris-johnson-warns-delaying-brexit-will-mean-extinction-tory/
Request for talks casts doubt on president's backing for Boris Johnson as a 'great prime minister' in waiting
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/trump-michael-gove-meeting-boris-johnson-tory-leadership-endorsement-a8943171.html
Nigel Farage faces being banned from the European Parliament after he was set a 24-hour deadline to explain why he allegedly failed to declare almost half a million pounds in gifts from Brexiteer tycoon Arron Banks.
Earlier this year a Channel 4 News investigation unearthed documents suggesting UKIP’s one-time top donor provided Farage with a furnished Chelsea home, a car and driver, and other living expenses worth about £450,000.
It also reported that Banks, who is currently under investigation by the National Crime Agency over allegations of criminal offences by him and his unofficial leave campaign during the Brexit referendum campaign, organised and funded visits to the United States for Farage in the year after the referendum, including a trip in July 2016 to the Republican national convention.
The explosive findings prompted the European Parliament’s advisory committee to look into whether Farage broke EU rules by accepting funding from Banks but not declaring the donations on the parliament’s online register of interests.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/nigel-farage-faces-european-parliament-ban-over-undisclosed-gifts/ar-AACpk6K?ocid=spartandhp
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/president-trump/donald-trump-u-turns-on-calls-for-nhs-to-be-covered-in-phenomenal-post-brexit-trade-deal-after-backlash/ar-AACoz5F?ocid=spartandhp
It's amazing how we ever survived or achieved anything in this country without the glorious EU to show us the way,we shall be forever in your debt...
I am assuming that you accept the fact that food standards are lower in the US, than they are in the EU.
That the horse meat scandal was not some sort of EU plot, and that we are responsible for implementing all our laws, and therefore don't rely on the nonexistent EU police to keep us on the straight and narrow.
I am assuming this is reason why you have resorted to this type of comment.
I am not sure how old you are, but from my own point of view, we have spent just about all my working life as members of the EU.
I have no particular memories of pre EU membership life.
The one thing that I have found to be strange is that so many Brexiteers are unable to point to any tangible benefits they expect to gain from leaving the EU, and how their lives are expected to improve.
I am lucky in that I am retired, and that it is unlikely to have a substantial effect on my life.
Many myths have been exploded by the referendum process.
Not so many people seem to be referring to unelected representatives, maybe because they are now aware that we do have EU elections.
The number of EU laws we have had to accept are minimal, and many of them have benefitted all of us.
I am unable to point to any EU law that has affected my life in an adverse way. Maybe you can?
Every Brexit option has an adverse effect on our economy.
This means that many that voted in favour of it, will be amongst the worst hit.
That is a shame.
Maintaining a trading relationship after leaving will involve close alignment, which involve continuing to accept EU rules, but without a say in making them.
Many Brexit voters seem to ignore the obvious difficulties.
For instance before we decided to leave there was no need of a border between us and the EU.
After we leave there very obviously is.
That is unless we remain in the customs union, and single market.
So if we get out of both of them, there will need to be a border.
The most obvious location for this border is on the island of Ireland.
This would be in breach of the Good Friday Agreement, and maybe risk peace.
The alternative is an Irish Sea border.
Many politicians wont wear this as they say that treating NI differently to the rest of the UK is not acceptable, and risks the break up of the Union.
If we remained single market members we would have to continue to pay our annual contributions, and accept freedom of movement.
While customs union membership would not allow us to pursue an independent trade policy.
This is obviously just one of the problems.
So whats the answer.
Fears for 1,700 jobs as Ford set to close UK plant
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/fears-for-1700-jobs-as-ford-set-to-close-uk-plant/ar-AACrzK7?ocid=spartanntp
The ceremony marked the end of President Trump's state visit to the UK - and according to the Times, it was "nowhere near the car crash many had feared".
Mr Trump, the paper suggests, departed British shores "without performing any catastrophic breaches of protocol or inspiring significant unrest on the streets".
The New York Times website says the visit was another illustration of the president's "split-screen" persona - "gently greeting frail veterans" hours after he launched an angry tirade on social media against the actress Bette Midler.
The Guardian's Patrick Wintour acknowledges there was a "blunder here" and a "gaffe there", but feels the trip was "tame and normalised". Faced by the "power vacuum that is contemporary Britain", he says, "Trump himself seemed deflated"
The Financial Times reports that Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned Theresa May less money will be available for schools, policing and the NHS - if she pushes ahead with plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by the year 2050.
In a letter, Mr Hammond tells the prime minister that the proposals would cost the UK more than £1tn.
The paper says Mrs May still intends to introduce the legislation in Parliament by next week, hoping it will become "one of her most important legacies" as she prepares to leave Downing Street.
And the Sun claims an academic who has spent two decades studying legends including the Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster has put his own job in jeopardy - by admitting they don't exist.
Dr Darren Naish told an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival that in an age when most people have a good quality camera on their mobile phone, the creatures would likely have been spotted by now.
However, he insists he's open to new evidence.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-48536813
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/06/donald-trump-says-irelands-brexit-wall-issue-will-work/
What is the backstop?
Effectively an insurance policy to keep the Irish border with the UK open, as it is now. This would be achieved by keeping the United Kingdom within the EU’s customs union on an ostensibly temporary basis.
Why is there a backstop?
Three of the government’s post-Brexit commitments conflict with each other.
International peace treaty: The UK is required by the Good Friday Agreement to keep the Irish border open.
Brexit red line: Theresa May committed to leaving the EU’s customs and regulatory framework. If the UK and Ireland are to be in separate trade blocs, this will require border checks on imports and exports.
Structural integrity of the United Kingdom: The government and the Democratic Unionist Party do not want a border in the Irish Sea, as this would separate Northern Ireland from the UK, leaving it within the EU post-Brexit.
What is the problem with the backstop?
It can only end by mutual agreement of the UK and EU. In theory this gives the EU a veto over the UK’s ability to ever leave its regulatory orbit.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/06/donald-trump-says-irelands-brexit-wall-issue-will-work/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/06/05/michael-gove-faces-questions-opens-door-delaying-brexit-prime/
The 122 signatories warned that Brexit will threaten peace and friendship in Europe
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-vote-d-day-anniversary-veterans-ww2-eu-europe-a8946046.html