WGPlus (Archive)

Editor’s observations Post -Referendum:

Many of us who actually participated in the 1975 referendum voted for joining the then European Economic Community (EEC), which was ‘sold’ to us by politicians of all parties, as a free trade agreement (i.e. nothing like what the EU is now).  40 years on, it’s hardly surprising that the majority of those old enough to remember voted ‘Leave’.

Junker & Merkel ‘gave’ Cameron absolutely nothing to mitigate the impact of a potentially unlimited number of EU citizens moving to the UK.  If they had done, rather than Junker confirming last Wednesday that there was ‘no chance of an improved offer if we voted to stay in’, then the vote might have gone the other way – Their arrogance & inflexibility ‘lost it’! :
Cameron should demand EU fund to ease pressures on local services - IPPR ~ CIVITAS:  Economic benefits of large-scale immigration outweighed by strains of population growth

While many EU citizens have taken jobs in the UK that have boosted our economy & public services, many are ‘employed’, but are not ‘critical’ to the UK’s well-being & economy and only increase demand on our public services, housing, schools, etc.
So ‘Tens of Thousands’ is the right policy!

Many voters asked what the EU has done for our industries,  when entire fishing communities around the UK have been decimated by the EEC/EU forcing us to give away most of our fishing rights and the UK government appears unable to support strategic industries (such as steel) in times of crisis because of EU rulings;
Why the Government cannot just simply ‘Do Something’ about UK Steel Plants

Nobody really believed that the UK would be anywhere near the ‘centre of things’ in 2030 as, by then, the EU will either be disintegrating or be well on the path to a United States of Europe.
Editorial Commentary: Examining the ‘sacrificial entrails’ of past promises & current announcements to anticipate the 2030+ future

By the way, has anyone else remembered that the UK is due to hold the Presidency of the EU for the second half of 2017?  If we are not allowed to take it up, should we demand an additional rebate on our contribution, as we are supposed to maintain all our rights & duties for the 2 years of the Article 50 negotiations!

Also if they restrict UK passporting of financial operations within the EU before the 2 years are up could we start excluding EU boats from a revived 200 mile fishing limit?  Another complication is that the French Presidential elections will be held in April / May 2017 and German elections between August & October 2017.

Finally, with regards to the e-petition for a re-run of the referendum, it turns out to be a ‘you couldn’t make it up’ story.  According to the Independent, a Leave campaigner (who was worried Remain would win) set up the petition in May.  It asks for the EU referendum to be re-run, if the ‘Remain or Leave’ vote was less than 60%, based a turnout of less than 75%.  It has subsequently been ‘hijacked’ by Remain, but one assumes that they themselves will abide by the ‘terms of the vote’ and only expect a debate in Parliament if they get 75% of 46,499,537 eligible voters (34,874,652) turning out to sign it (or if one was  generous) 60% of that number (20,924,791).

Researched Links:

Telegraph:  Petition for EU referendum re-run hits 3m as David Lammy MP calls for parliament to block Brexit

BBC:  Second EU referendum petition investigated for fraud

Concern as call for new Brexit vote gains more than 39,000 signatures from Vatican City - population 800

Independent:  Brexit campaigner admits he set up second EU referendum petition

Electoral Commission:  Provisional electorate figures published ahead of the EU referendum

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