Aviador - You are quite justified in pointing out that the 'Leave' campaign made misleading claims during the referendum process. However, you would be equally correct in pointing out that the 'Remain' side did as well! The entire debate during the referendum was lamentable. And it still is. The notion that the general public didn't understand the issues then but supposedly does now is laughable.
Firstly, we need to understand that the EU is NOT a trading bloc. That was the EEC. The EU is an entire apparatus of government. And the key decision-makers are 'commissioners' who cannot be voted out by the electorate. They are appointed from within. And they have a long track-record of ignoring the wishes of the public. I refer to them as the 'Politburo', as they are exactly that in all but title.
The commissioners have a long rap-sheet of misdeeds to answer for. But the standout amongst these was the imposition of the scandalous 'Treaty of Lisbon'. In order to encourage 'ever closer union' (beyond trade alone) it was decided that a European Constitution was required. A document was duly drawn up by Valéry Giscard D'Estaing, but this had to be ratified by each member state. However, in late May / early June 2005 France and the Netherlands voted NO. This was viewed as a political earthquake at the time, and the proposal was proclaimed dead by the media. Plans for polls in other member states were scrapped. The voters wanted a free trade bloc, nothing more.
But the Commission never lets the public stand in the way of its agenda. They sought legal advice on how they could introduce the Constitution anyway. The response was that it would need to be rebranded as a
TREATY (which does not trigger national referenda except in Eire). And they would need to alter the wording so that they could legally claim that the documents were different beasts. This was done, though the actual substance remained virtually unaltered. Thus the 'Constitution' was directly replaced by the 'Treaty of Lisbon'. Eire alone required a referendum to ratify this. And the Irish duly voted NO. They were then subjected to their own version of 'Project Fear' for several months before giving the Commission the answer they demanded in the October 2009 forced re-run. At the final ratification ceremony in Lisbon, Gordon Brown sneaked in by a back door and signed away from the cameras. He knew how shameful his action was.
The Treaty of Lisbon is the reason I voted 'Leave'. Not because I'm a racist. Not because I'm a thick Northerner (though OK, I am!). Not because I didn't understand the issues. No, I voted 'Leave' because tyranny must not endure. The Commission imposed its own vision in direct violation of the expressed wishes of the electorate - even the French founder-members were thwarted.
Since then the EU has made a string of decisions which highlight the 'Democratic Deficit' issue. They pursue their own agenda against the will of the public and they can't be voted out. Do you remember the BBC outrage when Hong Kong demonstrators protested against rules which may see China nominate the HK leader two decades hence? Well, the EU commission is way ahead. They imposed their nominee Mario Monti on Italy for eighteen months in 2011-2013. Where was the BBC outrage then? And don't even mention how they stitched up Cyprus.
Yes, leaving the EU does come at a price.
But so does staying in. Not least supporting the Euro
. There was no pain-free option on offer. Short-term trade disruption is a small price to pay. And I really do mean
short-term as the EU27 trade surplus with the UK stood at EUR75 Billion in 2017. So that will mean quite a windfall for us if we default to WTO tariffs, won't it? Maybe we could give that money to the NHS until the EU feel they have made their point! And we could also chuck in the £36Bn 'divorce settlement' sum which the EU27 won't be entitled to in the event of "no deal". Germany's trade surplus alone with the UK is EUR21Bn in their favour ... and they don't want a free trade deal? Pull the other one! Isn't it one in every three German-built cars sold in the UK?
And if the UK need not be a supplicant on trade, consider our other strengths. It is primarily British troops who are providing protection on the EU's eastern frontier. We're one of the few countries which has maintained sufficient defence spending for this. Perhaps Frau Merkel and Monsieur Macron would like to step up if we withdraw? And as for anti-terror intelligence, GCHQ is right up there on that front. Does the EU27 genuinely want to exclude themselves from that? No, the UK does have cards to play. Though the BBC and the Guardian etc don't appear to have noticed.
And if you know any millennials who lament "having our future stolen" by
snowflakes and racists, remind them to look up youth unemployment data for Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Cyprus. Utter despair and record levels of youth-suicide courtesy of Euro interest rates geared to the needs of the German economy.
And all those EU citizens facing 'cruel uncertainty' re their future residential status in the UK. Following the referendum, Theresa May proposed a rapid agreement to resolve this. Angela Merkel said NEIN: nothing is to be discussed until Article 50 is triggered! So blame her for the angst. Politicians here have continued to reassure EU migrants resident here that they are welcome.
Finally, aviation. Let's suppose - hypothetically - that the worst-case scenario played out. All G- reg flights to the EU27 grounded. And all EU27 aircraft unable to use UK airspace (ATC licences would be 'invalid' too) including flights onto the North Atlantic. How long do we really think that state of affairs would be allowed to persist? Hours? Days - at a stretch? My bet is they'll make darned sure it doesn't happen at all. Unless they fancy being lynched by the public.
Negotiations are in progress at the moment. Barnier and co will play hardball till the end so that the UK is seen to be
punished. We can't be seen to cherry-pick, can we? But of course, the big win for them would be a commitment by HMG to a referendum on the deal offered. Then all they need to do is offer a totally unacceptable package and await the inevitable poll outcome. And the UK will then be properly under the boot this time. And paying in (more) again. And joining the failing Euro. Democracy ... nah, who cares about that?
Apologies for straying somewhat 'off-topic'. But so has everyone else on here by the look of things!
