Majority of Britons support rejoining the EU single market

[–] BolexForSoup@kbin.social 115 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Watching Brexit was one of the most bizarre world events I’ve seen in my life. Truly the slowest, clear-cut train crash in modern times. Literally everybody knew it was dumb, everybody knew what the result was going to be, and nothing really deviated from expectations.

Hell, when they were playing musical chairs with PMs over enacting the changes and kept blowing past all of the “absolute deadlines” I started to wonder if they were just going to pretend the vote never happened and just live their lives as usual. Frankly, they might’ve gotten away with it.

[–] ebikefolder@feddit.de 24 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Bizarre indeed, but at the same time highly entertaining. Real life comedy at its best!

[–] Sigmatics@lemmy.ca 44 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Depends if you are watching or in it

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 25 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Well the people in it had a majority deciding in favor of it in a free election. And afterwards the people that voted against it had four years to adjust to it, for instance by migrating into an EU country.

Also it was perfectly possible to form a political stance to overthrow the non binding referendum but instead people voted Boris Johnson in a "landslide victory" to make sure Brexit gets done.

There were plenty turning points for society as a whole and individual possibility to leave the dumpsterfire behind. The people in the UK are getting exactly what they wanted.

[–] _Gandalf_the_Black_@feddit.de 38 points 10 months ago (1 children)

As a person in the UK, I got the exact opposite of what I wanted. I was too young to vote at the time, so I, along with everyone else my age, had no say in our future, whereas my grandad voted for Brexit and died before it actually happened, so he won't have to live with the consequences.

It's also caused me a whole load of problems directly, since I'm a language student and I went to Germany for part of my year abroad. There's so much more bureaucracy, as well as significant fees. So no, the people in the UK are not getting what they wanted at all. Maybe apart from those idiots who went on about "British sovereignty" and rubbish like that.

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Germany is struggling with a lot of demographic change and desperately needs young people. If you like it here and feel welcome enough (something unfortunately many Germans dont show towards "brown" people) you could emigrate to Germany.

[–] _Gandalf_the_Black_@feddit.de 13 points 10 months ago

I really enjoyed living and studying in Germany, so it's definitely something I'd consider doing!

(On a side note, the "Black" part of my username actually has nothing to do with skin colour, in the same way that Gandalf the Grey didn't have grey skin! It's just about the colour of the robes.)

[–] Risk@feddit.uk 29 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'm baffled by how you lump everyone into such a close vote as 'getting what they wanted', with an undertone suggesting you mean 'getting what they deserved'.

Most people can't just up and leave their country; to do so would mean causing more damage to their lives than just sitting in the shit sandwich they've been served by the useful idiots that made this mess.

Then there's the whole issue with Russian interference that 'probably happened' according to MI5/6, but needed a full investigation which Alexander Boris de Pfelelfllellogram Johnson - likely being in Russian pockets already - obviously quashed.

[–] Sigmatics@lemmy.ca 13 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Can't upvote this enough. I was in London before the vote, there was obviously a ton of people against it. This should have required at least a 2/3 majority.

[–] taladar@feddit.de 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

They should have required the non-binding referendum to actually be non-binding, especially considering how vague the question and answers were and how few people participated.

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[–] Gomiyboy@lemm.ee 14 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

2016 was a weird time and you could argue it was the point when western politics veered off in the direction of populism over policy.

As a British citizen (sorry subject), it was a horrifying moment to be woken up by my girlfriend to learn that we had voted to leave by the smallest of margins.

And later that year we watched America elect a bonafide psychopathic narcissist as the president of the United States.

Why the majority elect to be kept under the boot with aggressive fiscal policies which reward the wealthy is beyond me.

Brexit was sold on lies and false promises of the 'benefits' Britain would see when we become 'independent' again.

[–] Bonifratz@feddit.de 12 points 10 months ago

For a long time, I was convinced they would actually turn around and stop the whole endeavour, as it was clearly a giant, unforced blunder. But here we are...

[–] Mercival@lemm.ee 42 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The UK is a joke you can live in.

[–] 520@kbin.social 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Yep. Lived there for nearly 30 years. Only gotten worse since I left

[–] Cosmicomical@kbin.social 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Please come back

[–] 520@kbin.social 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Tell you what, I'll hack the human like automatons they have in parliament so that they do things they normally wouldn't, like actually try to fix the country's problems and do fair bidding for government contracts

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[–] Ooops@kbin.social 35 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (19 children)

We should really stop doing polls. People will answer depending on how something sounds on the surfcae with exactly no clue about details.

The same people in UK that want to rejoin the EU single market will also vote against most consequences of joining the single market.

Just like for example a majority of Europeans when asked wants to stop daylight saving time changes for permanent 'summer time' (because summer is a more positive connotation when that 1 hour shift from standard time is bad by any objective metric and actually bad for our health).

Just like a majority of Germans right now loudly agrees to more investments, to then turn around and answer in another poll how spending any money (even more when it's financed by debt) should be avoided.

People are idiots and polls have lost most their meaning as I can get any answer I want just by who I ask and how I phrase the question.

[–] AmberPrince@kbin.social 15 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I never understood the arguments people use surrounding daylight savings. The health risks, accident risks, any risks surround the actual switch, not really the what time is used. If the clocks were set forward for "summer time" then 3 months later Daylight savings was abolished and no one changes their clocks anymore (as you said, permanent summer time) there would be no ill effects from it cause everyone was already used to the time change.

I want to get rid of daylight savings. I don't care whether it's standard time that use used or daylight savings time that is used as long as the switchover stops happening.

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[–] brothershamus@kbin.social 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Agreed. Most American polls are still done by phone, so it only counts people who answer unknown calls, and then answer a series of questions about their beliefs. Which just gets more unbelievable every day.

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[–] HubertManne@kbin.social 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I prefer to stick with daylight savings over standard but that is because im a late person and hate 4pm sunset.

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[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 29 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Good luck on that.

The EU would make demands so steep, crawling on broken glass would be mild.

Brexit was a catastrophic diplomatic event, bridled with ridiculous underhanded manouvers from the UK to try and sneak away from demands.

I am not against the UK rejoining the EU but as a common member, with all the demands required to join like any other country.

[–] GoodEye8@lemm.ee 18 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I think it's misleading to say that EU would make steep demands, because it gives the impression that EU would deliberately try to make UK joining difficult. UK shouldn't get any special treatment (good or bad) and they should get the exact same standard joining procedure all other countries would get. The standard procedure is already going to have their panties twisted, no need to give them a legitimation reason to complain.

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 6 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Let's keep in mind the UK dove into directions so divergent from the EU, on such trivial matters, just to face those demands - so trivial it will feel as petty - will make the UK negotiators twist their hands in anger.

And to crown it all, just the demand to drop the pound would be nurderous to the british pride.

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[–] CJOtheReal@ani.social 26 points 10 months ago (1 children)

But majority of EU citizens do not.

[–] kpw@kbin.social 32 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Are you sure? I don't mind. Together we have a stronger economy. If they want to be subject of all EU market policy without having a voice in the decision process that's their choice.

[–] CJOtheReal@ani.social 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Don't want these bitches back, they hurt our union like a cancer.

The back they want is the special treatment they got before, wich is a absolute no go.

[–] johan@feddit.nl 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Would love the UK back. Besides wanting it to be easier to travel there, I think it is also the best way to show how beneficial the EU is. If they already want back in after such a short period of time it sends a strong message to the many anti-EU people across the continent.

[–] CJOtheReal@ani.social 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Nope, let them struggle more, they got what they wanted.

[–] tegs_terry@feddit.uk 5 points 10 months ago

Half of us didn't want it

[–] neeeeDanke@feddit.de 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

In a few decades maybe. Or in a non-voting manner similar to norway, but with how they sabotaged the eu from the inside while they were in it and the very conservative politics over there I don't think the UK rejoining as a full member would be beneficial to the EU at this point.

[–] taladar@feddit.de 6 points 10 months ago

They are also very much against further integration on an EU wide level.

[–] Mako_Bunny@lemmy.blahaj.zone 23 points 10 months ago (3 children)

The absolute lack of sympathy in here for those of us that voted remain is disgusting.

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 11 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The way a referendum works is that the side with more votes gets to do the thing, in this case brexit. How you voted does not matter as the majority of your countries population (who voted) voted to leave. You don't get to "I voted for Kodos" this 7 years later.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (6 children)

How is that fair? If the vote had been to oppress an minority group you wouldn't then go oh well it's that population groups fault for being oppressed would you?

I'm not sure that the level of vitriol here is entirely justified. Wouldn't the European Union be more economically sound if the UK rejoined. Wouldn't a unified trade block be the best thing possible you should want the UK back in if the UK wants back in. I do not get this attitude of oh screw all the British people because well the vast majority of Scottish didn't want it, most of the population of London didn't want it. It was basically just a bunch of idiot yokels and old people who are now dead who wanted to leave the EU because they thought the EU was in some way this evil entity.

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[–] Colour_me_triggered@lemm.ee 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ok I'm British, I live in a country that gave me permanent residency before this shit show. The remainers mismanaged the campaign by resorting to the arguments of "lol you're so stupid" and "omg so racist". They also completely and overwhelmingly underestimated the power of propaganda to influence public opinion. And didn't realise that a generation of blaming the EU for Westminster's shitty decision making might have consequences. The remainers are just as culpable as the people who voted to leave.

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 7 points 10 months ago

Yeah, I remember the people being interviewed on the street saying they where remainers and also they where not planing to vote. It was a silly time.

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[–] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 11 points 10 months ago

Ah so Brenter has begun

[–] Colour_me_triggered@lemm.ee 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No shit! As a Brit living in another country I would like Britain to never have left. BUT, now that Britain has left, I'd like to punish those who allowed Brexit to happen by preventing them from rejoining. You've made your nasty scat bed, now fucking lie in it.

[–] eldain@feddit.nl 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

As EU citizen watching from the sidelines, I'm disappointed nobody is rallying for political reforms. The UK government has proven multiple times now it is incapable of governing and policing to adapt for changing realities. I don't think the UK is ready for any future until painful structural reforms of their parliamentary system and executive. This mess was and is caused by UK politics and they deserve all the anger as fuel to fix their workplace. Until then, an effort to rejoin would occupy the executive for years and make UK life only worse because necessary local policy-making would'nd get the attention it deserves.

[–] Colour_me_triggered@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago

Ever since the French revolution, the establishment in Britain has been bending over backwards to ensure the status quo (as far as they're concerned) remains. The British parliamentary system is doing exactly what it was designed to do. The sheep who live there are kept busy with xenophobia and infighting with the sole purpose of keeping them isolated from dangerous ideas.

[–] PlatypusXray@feddit.de 9 points 10 months ago

Britain must rejoin! It is time to stop this undignified squabbling! It is time to quit fighting over petty whims! It is time to stand together, to unite and to face the great terrible evil in the very heart of europe: Belgium!

[–] Novman@feddit.it 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No, please no, stop UK from joining europe.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The UK is already a member of Europe you idiot it's the EU the UK left

[–] Novman@feddit.it 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Oops a typo and i'm an idiot... Uk is a part of europe geographically. Culturaly speaking... Less and less.

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[–] Yaarmehearty@lemmy.ml 6 points 10 months ago

While I would love to have the UK rejoin it won’t happen in at least the next 5-8 years, probably not even 20 years. The problem isn’t just whether the EU would accept the UK it’s that the Brexit period was so politically toxic the two main parties won’t touch it.

The people can say they want it all they like but unless a governing party is willing to risk tearing itself apart over it then it won’t go anywhere.

[–] bingbong@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 10 months ago

Majority of Britons support rejoining the EU ~~single market - poll~~

Fin.

[–] crackajack@reddthat.com 4 points 10 months ago

Insert J.J. Jameson laugh

[–] benjhm@sopuli.xyz 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Good. But priority for EU is integrate the West Balkans (waiting too long), Ukraine + Moldova.
In parallel reform processes:

abolish national vetos (aka consensus) so no Orban-types can take the ship hostage.
strengthen the EU parliament, over the council and commission
accept concept of multi-tier participation (it's reality anyway)

We need more debating each issue on each merits, rather than horse-trade mega-packages of transactional deals. In that respect, if Britain rejoins one component at a time, it’s better for everybody's understanding of benefits and challenges.

Europe

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