Brexit - Yes or No?

[icyfroth]

Warnings about global economic fallout if Britain votes to leave the European Union are reaching fever pitch a day out from the so-called Brexit referendum.

In an op-ed in the Guardian, billionaire currency trader George Soros said a "Leave" vote could severely damage British living standards and potentially trigger a major crash in the British pound.

Economists divided on Brexit

BlackRock managing director and global chief investment strategist Richard Turnill said if Britain does exit, he expected to see volatility and significant declines in the Sterling.

"We expect to see significant declines in domestic UK assets, particularly smaller, mid-cap equities, but actually as you've seen over the last few days, the volatility I think is going to extend to broader European assets and global assets. I think you'll see flows into safe havens in the event of an exit, back into treasuries, back into gold," Mr Turnill said.

But British economist Roger Bootle, the founder of Capital Economics disagreed, arguing the UK would not be necessarily worse off if it left the EU.

"It's not going to be a case of European politicians saying to their own industries and to us we can't trade, that would be illegal under WTO rules," Mr Bootle said.

"It's going to be a matter of the EU if worse comes to worse, treating us exactly as they treat all sorts of countries around the world, including the United States, India, China, Japan, etc."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-22/warnings-about-global-economic-fall-out-of-brexit-reaches-feve...

My son, who lives in England and works in the finance sector in London, wants England to stay in the EU. I say they should leave. We've been sending each other terse emails.

[tommy.irene]

How committed really are the leaders of the remain campaign? Cameron – headlines less than 2 years ago Cameron: I’m ready to lead Britain out of Europe if migrant reforms fail (The Telegraph 27 November 2014) Leaving EU would not break my heart, says David Cameron (The Guardian 30 September 2014) PM’s latest comments imply he would not fight as hard for Britain to stay in the EU as he did for Scotland to remain in the union David Cameron willing to recommend vote to leave EU in referendum (The Guardian 28 September 2014) But PM says he is confident he will secure British opt-out from EU’s founding declaration to create ‘ever closer union’

[the_great_she_elephant]

What left me gobsmacked was Nigel Farage bragging that it (Brexit) had been achieved "withut a bullet being fired". And that less than a week after parliament had united to honour Jo Cox. 

[ambercat16]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

What left me gobsmacked was Nigel Farage bragging that it (Brexit) had been achieved "withut a bullet being fired". And that less than a week after parliament had united to honour Jo Cox. 

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OMG....did he really say that?  

[tommy.irene]

[springyzone]

super nova said:

The whole exit campaign was initiated by the racists, fascists, white supremacy groups. When people blame perceived or real problems on immigrants, and use arguments that are not true it is motivated by racism.   ,

The reason people are asking for another poll is that already some of the main reasons people voted EXIT are  unraveling in a big way.  I have seen people on TV saying they voted yes because the believed what Farage said and now they see much of it is not true. 

Brits have a long history taking over other countries and even now feel entitled to live wherever they wish, but they do not want  people from other countries in UK.  You either have free trade and free movement of people both ways or not at all.  There was a time when business trading with other countries had to pay both export and import duty; it was cumbersome and expensive , and slowed everything down

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It is too easy to blame everything on racism but wanting to be independent or have autonomy isn't necessarily racist.

You said: You either have free trade and free movement of people both ways or not at all. 

The British people had a democratic vote. They decided on 'not at all'.

That is their prerogative. It may not be the decision everyone is happy with, no vote  or election ever is, and how it will turn out down the track we none of us know yet, not really.

But (at vast expense I would guess) they have had their referendum, had their chance to have their say, now it is time to follow the will of the people. That is how democracy works.

Imposing things on people, even for their own good, would be a dictatorship.

It's worth remembering nothing lasts forever, things constantly change.

[***super_nova***]

How democratic is a vote that was influenced by heaps of misinformation?  The worst one being that people from East Europe come to UK to live on the dole; in fact these people contribute about 3-4x in taxes than they get in benefits.  People who come to UK are usually highly qualified and motivated; no way they take jobs from some unemployable British skinheads.  Brits live all over Europe, study in European universities and get European benefits.

Have you ever watched the "who do you think you are" from UK?  Amazing how many "British" personalities have ancestors who are not British at all.  And of course the queen is German, her husband Greek, not to mention:

[springyzone]

supa asked:

How democratic is a vote that was influenced by heaps of misinformation? 

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I would suggest there was misinformation on both sides. There always is in any sort of election/vote.

The remain camp was suggesting the sky would fall down if Britain were to leave the EU.

It won't.

It is up to voters to sift through information and judge it for themselves.

Obviously you would have preferred the remain side to have won. But it didn't.

You can't keep calling for continuous referendums to be held till you get the result you want.

I am on another message board, a small one, an English one. Several successful business people on it as well as ordinary citizens. One of the businessmen came out and said he was on the remain side, one on the exit.

The general concerns on the board over the last few years have not been mainly the people from Europe coming in, but more the fact that British laws and British rulings have been overturned at times by the EU & the feeling they don't have any autonomy. The man in favour of exit is the most un-racist person you would meet & in fact has an Asian wife & family. Racism had nothing to do with his vote.

You have talked a lot about the advantages of being part of a group, but I would suggest the group does not have to be in the form the EU now has. There could be a common market type group for easier, tariff free trade between members but where individual countries still had control over their own border policies and laws.

The form of the EU has changed a lot over the last few decades, it is not the same it was when Britain joined.

They have the democratic right to leave.

[baybizz]

German Out of the EU Poster

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We're Reclaiming OUR Star!

Out of the Euro

Out of this EU

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You can read the rest of it for yourself!

~

[springyzone]

I'm not sure of what group the poster is from, I didn't realise Germany was trying to leave the EU.

I think the EU may have to undergo some changes.

I know some people aren't happy to see Britain leave the EU but as our old boss used to say, in changing times, even when you may not like the changes, there are always new opportunities that open up, so you have to look for them, embrace the good.

[village_person]

Full marks to the Brits for quiting the EU. That's what is called 'progress'. I hope all those alleged 'progressives' are right behind the move.