Brexit

Seems you folks across the Atlantic have chosen to leave the EU in hopes it'll lead to a lot more stability in terms of your economy, immigration, and politics. It even seems that your PM David Cameron has chosen to resign soon because of the decision to leave the EU

So what's your opinion on this? Without a doubt, this was going to be an extremely rocky road whether or not Britons chose to leave or stay.

But I suppose the people have spoken.

 

It sounds nice when a nation tries to be independent on its own, but I really have no idea how this will turn out.
Less support from the EU, I guess?

 

From my understanding, the EU was supposed to be for better Trade across all of Europe only, not to govern the entirety of the EU. I suppose the EU got bigger and started turning into a One Continent Government on a road to making all of Earth under one government. It's also my understanding that France has more reason to leave than the UK because of the "Schengen Agreement" or the abolishment of passports and border control between 26 countries (basically open borders). It's no wonder terrorists (no matter their origin) can easily move between these countries when the EU is imposing these security risks. It's the same issue Obama is giving us with the lack of border control, in favor of more illegal immigration via the US/Mexico border.

Personally, the EU can collapse for all I care. I just don't know what the ramifications would be were it to finally collapse. Just how deeply integrated into the countries (and their governments) of Europe is that crappy excuse of UN 2.0?

 

Well, short term this isn't going to have a horrible impact on the economy. The British Pound lost 10% of it's value in a single trading day its greatest fall since the 1980's. The Sterling pound losing its value could possibly lead to a recession in UK, prices getting inflated and people losing jobs contrary to the fact that separating from the EU is suppose to give the locals more jobs compared to the expats that are just strolling into the UK from the EU. Plus Scotland and Northern Ireland, despite most of the people there voting to remain, are out of the EU. They now have another reason to gain independence from England and hold another referendum to leave the UK, which could result in more chaos for the British Isles.

On the other hand you have Europe that now has a number of countries who are thinking about following UK out of the EU, for example France... things are not going to get any better for the Euro from here.

It will still take 2 years for UK to leave the EU so who knows what might happen in between but the panic has already started to settle in and things are most likely to go downwards, the Prime Minister is also exiting the scene within 3 months after strongly standing for a remain vote.

Looks like British passport holders are going to need Visa to enter Europe no more sudden flights to Italy for a vacation, plus the exchange rate is going to hurt them. At least they won't have to pay towards the EU budget.

 

+1 for Nationalism
-1 to Globalism

Don't be surprised though if the bureaucrats from both Brussels and the Remain folks of the UK government try to deliberately slow down the process and make it painful to leave
Then they get to say "I told you so" during the whole ordeal. I really wouldn't put it past them.

 

I think England should throw their unused Euros into the harbor shouting freedom! Learn and celebrate like us Americans!

...No, I kid. Any Country that is close to electing someone like Donald Trump should not be a role model.

I hope it works out for the better for both England and the rest of Europe. I didn't really want them to leave the Union, but I hope it works for them.

 

The value of the British pound tumbled to a 30-year low almost instantly after this happened, and Britain will suffer economically for this at least in the short term. They will need to renegotiate a lot of trade agreements before they can get back on their feet, and whether this will work out in the long term remains to be seen. I don't know enough about European politics to fully commit to my opinion, but my general thoughts right now are that it is a mistake. Normally I am against free trade, but that's mainly because of countries like China and Thailand that undercut other countries through lower worker standards. The EU as I understand it only opens up borders for trade and immigration among member nations in Europe, where the vast majority of countries have much higher workplace standards than the third world. I think maintaining healthy cooperation between these nations could only be a good thing for the most part.

Furthermore, a lot of proponents for Brexit have talked much about regaining national sovereignty and unelected bureaucrats supposedly making it more difficult to pass desired legislation, but I've heard no actual specifics on what sort of legislation is being blocked, and blocked only because of the EU's involvement. Britain's populace is clearly unhappy with the way things have been going and want change, and I can understand that sentiment, but it seems like people are latching onto Brexit as if it's going to provide the change they're looking for despite that it offers no clear indication of such, and could even very well work against them considering that over 50% of exports from Britain are to member nations of the EU. If the EU decides to crack down and close off some of their trade with Britain, they're only going to suffer worse economically.

There are no easy answers here, but I hope rhetoric doesn't just turn out to be rhetoric and actually translates into meaningful legislation that allows Britain to strengthen their economy. So far I'm not convinced.

 

That would really backfire though I think. Some of those nations would really get pissed off if they can't get decent trade with the UK. They themselves may consider leaving the EU. Not to mention it would also be seen as self serving for the EU elites and not the actual countries in it.
"Oh you leave us? No more British Tea!" -says clueless Brussels diplomat
(What's UK's export? Eh, we'll go with the popular stereotype)

I don't think they'll do that. There's a real risk of a domino effect right now. Stunts like that could be the final dagger.

In any case short term is going to be a pain in the butt. Lots a work to be handled now. One thing I noticed though that my dad clued me in on. When the UK first joined the EU for whatever reason they were allowed to keep the British Pound. That backfired big time now for the EU. Had the UK have to worry about changing their money with all the other crap they have to change now then maybe the vote doesn't pass. Maybe, just a guess here.

But they kept the Pound and don't have to worry with that at least

They'll figure it out, It's the UK. I think the Brits are pretty enlightened people. I'm more curious what Scotland is up to now. We may have to stop calling them the UK. Oh well, back to just Britain. It's already confusing as it is

 

First of all, we haven't left the EU, yet. It will take two years or more before we do. Second of all, we have plenty of time to renegotiate trade deals. Thirdly, the EU has to change for the better to appeal to everyone. I am so sick of reading about this on my facebook news feeed

 

Well the idea would be to strong-arm the UK into returning to the EU through economic pressure, not to close trade as a permanent solution just out of spite, as the UK is more dependent on trade with the EU than the EU depends on the UK. But yeah, now it sounds like the UK government is being hesitant to actually commit to the brexit after the referendum in lieu of the economic woes stemming from it.

 

I read an article a little while ago that some Britons have been giving Polish EU members who have been living in the UK some serious heat, telling them to get the hell out.

So then, here's a question I've been wondering about the Brexit for a bit: what'll happen to the non-British EU citizens living in the UK now after the UK leaves the EU? Will they be absorbed into the country as full-fledged citizens or be booted out and told they have X days to leave or be treated as illegal immigrants?

 

Depends on how exactly this "work in any EU member country" actually granted work in a foreign country that was part of the EU. If they were granted work visas (and expedited), then I guess they can't really do much except revoke the work visa, but that would be really stupid on the UK's part as a whole. But if they're not documented other than that they are a EU member countryman, then I would presume that all immigration laws would be applied: they submit an application for a visa (work, resident, etc), apply for citizenship (which usually also requires an oath), or get deported. They might be granted an amnesty-like (for lack of a better word) status, but if the current Prime Minister is resigning, there's no telling what the government might do in regards to what were once (or currently, until the exit is made official) legal working immigrants.

 

Same...