Brexit 2: “Brain” Versus “Brexit”
A Longed for Slogan
The buzz word for the UK departing the EU is as false as the majority of arguments. Britain doesn’t belong to the EU any more than England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Britain cannot leave nor stay. The United Kingdom with its constituting countries can.
Since the UK didn’t fit anything funky, someone created a buzz word for British exit from the EU. The sad truth is that no-one from the remain camp was inspired enough to create their own it would seem. So, even if it is late in the day, here is a suggestion using the same basis as those who wish for a split with the EU. Abbreviate and combine “Britain remain”.
All registered voters can now decide to vote for either Brain or Brexit.
Cut to the Chase
From now on, all campaigners who are pro continued EU membership of the United Kingdom can confidently reveal a stunningly easy choice.
A Possible Weakness
How many residents of Britain are affected by the EU on a daily basis? Quite possibly everyone.
Whether perceived as a sign of weakness or strength, each and every regulation would probably be replaced with local regulation over time. Some may even be worse. But do we really know every piece of legislation and who votes for it? And are there not so-called democratic deficits in the UK system too?
True Brits (plus Northern Irish) or a Wonderful Blend
Those that are British often lament irregularities, contest inequalities and complain about those “over there” in Europe who steal their sovereignty. But so do many “foreign” UK residents from other EU countries.
Attempting to define a foreigner has become more tricky over the years. Technically a resident in England from, say, Germany, Poland, Slovakia or Finland is one of us. Or should be.
But the above statements naturally hold true for a multitude of residents in other EU countries.
One Immediate Expense
When was the last time the leave campaigners studied their passport or driver licence? They are certainly quiet about the necessity to have dozens and dozens of millions of new documents reissued urgently if theUK leaves the EU.
Of course the government of the day along with parliamentarians will use some of the savings to pay for them and not ask the populace to pick up the tab. Right.
Free of Shackles to Trade with the World?
Really? If it was a easy to trade globally with countries outside of the EU why isn’t it happening already today. If it was so easy, businesses could have done more during the campaign, proven their point and reported their magnificent successes. Of course not.
Any current (claimed) limiting regulations would already hit German exporters hard today, so why are they succeeding exceptionally well in non EU countries compared to UK exporters.
There is no switch that can be flicked. Weak competitiveness will result in weak successes in the future too. Again, if trade with non EU countries was so easy, why isn’t it already massive?
Crisis Management or Strategic Improvement
The EU is nowadays unfortunately more about crisis management than strategic progress. The fuddled compromises are strangulating much of what is good about the EU or even the Euro.
This needs to change and one day it will, either through design or necessity.
Possibly Massive Benefits
Being treated as one is a huge benefit to those on mainland Europe. Travelling from Spain to Finland with one currency saves effort of calculations and the costs of currency exchange.
The opportunity to work in another country with health insurance coverage is not abused as much as the populace in the UK imagine. It is a system with faults but universal coverage for UK residents in hotter climes is a given.
Working wherever and whenever one wishes to benefits everyone in the EU. It is not the one way street that the British media would wish its readers to believe. Expats from the UK work with ease across the whole of Europe from Poland to Eire, Scandinavia to the Iberian Peninsular.
Entrepreneurs, freelancers and businesses benefit from the unique EU cross border VAT agreement. This simple process reduces the administrative nightmare of varying rates across other countries.
On that note, another farcical claim that the UK cannot define its own VAT is mostly untrue. The UK has a higher rate of 20% while Germany charges less at a standard rate of 19%.
The True Cost
Not only are the figures being published in the media highly exaggerated and, how fortunate, those same figures have been extracted from the year with the highest budget ever.
It remains a fact that, whilst several billions annually, the sum is a minute percentage of UK GDP.
Finally, on a lighter note, “indigenous” British are not creating enough babies to support society through the demographic challenges still to come. Future costs are lowered by younger EU residents coming and expanding the economy through natural means.
Don’t let them Fool You!
I wish all voters the peace of mind to use all their wits and intellect, to gather solid information and truths and to balance the pros and cons.
Learn more from “The UK in a Changing Europe” published from King’s College London at http://ukandeu.ac.uk
Above all, compare your Brain and your Brexit wisely.
