Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Ter
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Canary Islands
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Channel Islands
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos Island
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote D Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Ter
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Hawaii
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea North
Korea South
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Midway Islands
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Nambia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherland Antilles
Netherlands (Holland, Europe)
Nevis
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau Island
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Island
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of Montenegro
Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saipan
Samoa
Samoa American
San Marino
Sao Tome & Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
St Barthelemy
St Eustatius
St Helena
St Kitts-Nevis
St Lucia
St Maarten
St Pierre & Miquelon
St Vincent & Grenadines
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tahiti
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks & Caicos Is
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City State
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (Brit)
Virgin Islands (USA)
Wake Island
Wallis & Futana Is
Yemen
Zaire
Zambia
Zimbabwe
EU AND CONSUMER RIGHTS
EU AND LABOUR RIGHTS
101 Outside the EU a future UK government would be allowed to lower labor protection standards
EU AND EDUCATION
102 EU funding for UK universities
103 46,000 EU nationals work in UK universities
104 The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
105 The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
106 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU
107 The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
108 The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)
109 Brexit would seriously compromise the rights and opportunities for the younger generation
110 Brexit is overwhelmingly opposed by people under 30
111 The Brexit referendum has divided many families between pro-EU younger generations and pro-Brexit parents and grandparents
EU AND THE ENVIRONMENT
112 The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
113 Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)
114 Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
115 Reductions in sewage emissions
116 Improvements in the quality of beach water
117 Improvements in the quality of bathing water
118 EU standards on the quality of drinking water
119 EU targets to reduce water pollution in Britain’s rivers
120 Restrictions on landfill dumping
121 EU targets for recycling
122 EU directive enforcing the use of unleaded petrol
123 Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
124 The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
125 EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
126 EU support for solar energy
127 EU award of €9.3 million to Queens University Belfast for research into tidal and wave energy
128 EU promotion of the circular economy to enhance environmental sustainability
129 Outside the EU a future UK government would be free to lower environmental standards
130 Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
131 Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
132 Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry
EU CITIZENS IN THE UK
133 3.7 million citizens of the EU 27 are legally resident in the UK
134 The overwhelming majority of EU residents study, work and pay taxes, contributing greatly to the UK economy
135 The UK has never implemented the EU directive 2004/38/EC which allows EU member states to repatriate EU nationals after three months if they have not found the means to support themselves
136 The UK government has used EU nationals as bargaining chips in the Brexit negotiations
137 Uncertainty about Brexit has caused a significant fall in net migration since the referendum
138 Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
139 10% of doctors in the NHS are EU nationals
140 7% of nurses in the NHS are EU nationals
141 46,000 EU nationals work in UK universities
142 Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
143 28% of construction workers in London are from the EU
144 EU migrants make up 45 percent of the tourism and hospitality workforce
145 The retail industry has 170,000 people from the EU directly working for it, which accounts for 6% of the industry’s UK workforce
146 The European Medical Agency (EMA) which employs 900 people is relocating to Amsterdam
147 The European Banking Authority (EBA) which employs 170 people is relocating to Paris
148 Uncertainty about Brexit has caused great anxiety and insecurity among the 3 million EU residents in the UK
149 Long term EU residents in the UK, many with British spouses and children, have no automatic right to stay in the UK after Brexit
150 Brexit threatens to provoke a brain drain of EU workers from the UK
151 There has been a rise in racial abuse and violent attacks since the referendum
UK CITIZENS IN THE EU
152 At least 1 million UK citizens live in the rest of the EU
153 80% of these are below retirement age
154 British businesses, workers, pensioners and students have enjoyed huge benefits from freedom of movement inside the EU’s Single Market over the last 30 years
155 The freedom to set up a business in 28 countries
156 The ability to retire in any member state
157 Pension transferability
158 The right to vote in local elections if resident in any member state
159 The right to vote in European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member state
160 Outside the EU many British citizens in the EU27 would have no voting rights in both the UK and their country of residence
161 There is currently no guarantee that UK residents in the EU will continue to enjoy any of their existing rights as EU citizens
162 Uncertainty about Brexit has caused great anxiety and insecurity among o UK residents in rest of the EU
163 Outside the EU there is no guarantee that British citizens would continue to enjoy access to healthcare on the same basis
164 Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EU
165 The right to reside in any EU member state
166 The freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictions
167 The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU
168 The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
BENEFITS FOR BRITISH TOURISTS IN THE EU
169 80% of holidays abroad by British tourists are to other EU countries
170 No time consuming border checks for travelers (apart from in the UK)
171 EU competition laws have facilitated the use of EasyJet, Ryanair and other low cost airlines
172 The right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)
173 EU laws making it easier for British people to buy second homes on the continent
174 The enhancement of price transparency
175 The removal of commissions on currency transactions across the Eurozone
176 Mutual recognition of the common European driving license
177 The introduction of the European pet passport
178 The abolition of mobile telephone roaming charges
179 Thanks to EU membership, Spain, Portugal and Greece have become major destinations for British tourists
EU DICTATORSHIP MYTH
180 The notion of an “EU dictatorship” is a commonly repeated Brexiter myth
181 As a member of the EU the UK has never ceased to be “an independent sovereign nation”
182 The vast majority of the UK’s laws are still decided by the Westminster parliament
183 The UK voluntarily agreed to share and pool sovereignty within the EU in many areas where collective action is more effective than decisions made at a national level (e.g. combatting climate change)
184 As a member of NATO the UK has surrendered partial sovereignty in the interests of collective defense. This has never been opposed by the leading Brexiters
185 The idea that the EU has a “democratic deficit” is only partially true
186 The most powerful EU institution is the European Council which includes the elected heads of national governments
187 The UK enjoys veto power in many important policy areas
188 The European Commission is fully accountable to the elected European Parliament
189 The European Parliament is elected every 5 years
190 The system of proportional representation for EP elections ensures a much broader and fairer representation than at Westminster (including UKIP and Green MEPs)
191 The EU has no more of a democratic deficit than the UK (unelected House of Lords) and the US (electoral college system)
192 The UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency
193 The UK maintains full control of its borders as an island nation and non-member of the Schengen area
194 Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budget
195 Staying in the EU would not prevent a future Labour government from nationalizing the railways or other public services
196 The EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s
197 The EU has helped support and maintain democracy in the ex-communist states of Eastern Europe since 1989
THERESA MAY AND THE CABINET IN THEIR OWN WORDS
198 Prime Minister Theresa May has never really believed in the wisdom of Brexit
199 “I think being part of a 500m trading bloc is significant for us. I think one of the issues is a lot of people invest here in the UK because it’s the UK in Europe”. (Theresa May April 2016)
200 "It is not clear why other EU member states would give Britain a better deal than they themselves enjoy." (Theresa May April 2016)
201 “No country or empire in world history has ever been totally sovereign” (Theresa May April 2016)
202 “I do not want the people of Scotland to think that English Eurosceptic put their dislike of Brussels ahead of our bond with Edinburgh and Glasgow.” (Theresa May, April 2016)
203 Outside the EU “London’s position as the world’s leading financial center would be in danger.” (Theresa May, April 2016)
204 “The only thing leaving the EU guarantees is a lost decade for British business)” (Sajid Javid, May 2016)
205 “None of our allies wants us to leave the EU – not Australia, not New Zealand, not Canada, not the US. In fact, the only country, if the truth is told, that would like us to leave the EU is Russia. That should probably tell us all we need to know.” (Philip Hammond, March
206 “A strong NHS needs a strong economy – we should not put that at risk with Brexit” (Jeremy Hunt March 2016)
207 “the single market is essential to this government’s agenda for trade and competitiveness.” (David Lidington, 2010)
BREXITERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS
208 Leading Brexiters have conveniently forgotten what they once said about the EU, the Single Market and the use of referendums
209 “A democracy that cannot change its mind ceases to be a democracy” (David Davis, 2012)
210 “We should not ask people to vote on a blank sheet of paper and tell them to trust us to fill in the details afterwards” (David Davis, 2002)
211 “You could have two referendums. As it happens, it may make more sense to have the second referendum after the negotiation is completed” (J.R. Mogg, 2011)
212 “There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside” (David Davis, October 2016)
213 “Getting out of the EU will be quick and easy - the UK holds most of the cards” (John Redwood, July 2016)
214 "I'm in favor of the single market. I want us to be able to trade freely with our European friends and partners." (Boris Johnson, 2013)
215 Leaving the single market would mean “…. diverting energy from the real problems of this country – low skills, social mobility, low investment…that have nothing to do with Europe.” (Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph, February 2016)
216 “The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want” (Michael Gove, April 2016)
217 “Conservative Members believe in the Single Market because we believe profoundly in the importance of free trade and we want Europe to be at the center of a free-trading world.” (Liam Fox 2013)
218 “The free trade agreement that we will have to do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history” (Liam Fox, 2017)
219 “Brexit was never going to solve any our domestic problems” (Nigel Farage, 2017)
LEAVE CAMPAIGN AND REFERENDUM
220 The 2016 referendum was advisory and not legally binding
221 The 2016 referendum took place without any preparation of how to proceed in the case of a Leave victory
222 The 2016 unfairly excluded two categories of people directly impacted by the result: EU citizens resident in the UK and long term British residents abroad
223 The referendum made no provision for a “super majority” which is normal international practice when constitutional change is involved
224 The Leave EU campaign has been found to have violated electoral law
225 The Leave campaign violated an agreement to suspend campaigning after the murder of Jo Cox
226 The Leave campaign lied about £350 million a day becoming available for the NHS
227 The Leave campaign grossly exaggerated the threat of mass immigration (45% of Leave Facebook ads were on immigration)
228 The Leave campaign blatantly exploited xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment
229 The Leave campaign lied about Turkey joining the EU
230 The Leave campaign lied about a free trade deal with the EU being “the easiest thing in human history”
231 The Leave campaign deliberately misled the public by repeatedly stating that Brexit would not threaten Britain’s place in the Single Market
232 The Leave campaign misled the public about the ease of signing trade agreements with the Commonwealth countries and other non European partners
233 The referendum result was heavily influenced by a 20-year orchestrated anti-EU campaign led by pro-Brexit tabloid newspapers involving lies, xenophobic propaganda and smear tactics
234 Leading Brexiters Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore had a series of undisclosed meetings with Russian officials during the referendum campaign
235 At the time of the referendum the majority of the public had little or no understanding of the workings of EU institutions (Council, Commission, Parliament etc.)
236 At the time of the referendum the majority of the public had little or no understanding of the functioning of the EU Single Market
237 At the time of the referendum the majority of the public had little or no understanding of the functioning of the EU Customs Union
238 At the time of the referendum the majority of the public had little or no understanding of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice
239 At the time of the referendum the public were given little or no explanation of how the Article 50 procedure would work
240 The referendum was never about ordinary citizens “taking back control”. It was a cynical and failed attempt to make peace within the Conservative Party
241 The Leave campaign slogan “take back control” was invented by a hypnotist
242 There is now a clear majority in favor of a referendum on the final Brexit deal with an option to remain in the EU
WHO WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM BREXIT?
243 Brexit is being driven by a radical right wing agenda to create a deregulated economy with reduced labor, consumer and environmental protection
244 Brexit would stop the UK from implementing the EU’s tax avoidance directive from 2019
245 Brexit would favor the economic interests of super rich Brexit backers who keep the majority of their assets offshore
246 15 British billionaires have $28 billion to their net fortunes since the 2016 referendum
247 The growth of their fortunes contrasts with the overall stagnation of the British economy since the 2016 referendum
248 More than half the British billionaires listed in the Bloomberg Billionaires index are no longer resident in the UK
249 The Leave campaign was supported and financed by a group of offshore super rich Brexiters who looked to profit from the outcome (“the Bad Boys of Brexit”)
250 Brexiter John Redwood has advised investors to take their money out of the UK
251 Brexiter Lord Ashcroft has advised UK businesses to set up in Malta
252 Brexiter and Britain’s richest man Sir James Radcliffe has just moved to Monaco to avoid up to £5 billion in tax
253 Radcliffe has added $14 billion to his fortune since 2016
254 Brexiter Sir James Dyson is moving his company’s HQ to Singapore
255 Dyson added over $6 billion to his fortune since 2016
256 Major Leave campaign donor and hedge fund manager, Crispin Odey, has advised clients to prepare for a recession and higher inflation since the referendum
257 US food corporations would stand to benefit from a post-Brexit trade deal by the abolition of EU food quality standards including the use of GMOs, nutritional labeling and chlorine treatment of poultry
BREXIT WONT FIX IT!
258 Leaving the EU is not the solution to any of Britain’s social and economic problems
259 Leaving the EU will not reduce poverty in the UK
260 Leaving the EU is not the solution to growing inequality
261 Leaving the EU will not help reduce violent crime
262 Leaving the EU will not enhance environmental protection
263 Leaving the EU will not protect us from the impact of climate change
264 Leaving the EU will not improve the provision of healthcare in the NHS
265 Leaving the EU will not help solve the housing crisis
266 Leaving the EU will not help raise educational standards
267 By pursuing Brexit the government has been paralyzed and has not unable to address any of these other issues
268 Leading Brexiters have stopped arguing that Brexit will bring economic benefits and grudgingly accept the inevitably of short term collateral damage
269 Jacob Rees Mogg has accepted that Brexit may not bring any tangible benefits for 50 years
THE FINANCIAL COSTS OF LEAVING
270 Leaving the EU involves paying a hefty divorce bill of £39 billion
271 The pound has lost 15% of its value since the referendum and is predicted to slide further if Brexit goes ahead
272 A devalued pound has already increased the price of continental holidays for British tourists
273 A further devaluation of the pound will cause rising food prices and higher inflation
274 The devaluation of the pound has increased the purchase price of second homes in the Eurozone
275 The devaluation of the pound has reduced the real value of pensions for UK residents in the EU 27
276 Economic growth in the UK is now the lowest in the G7 having slowed dramatically since the referendum
277 The UK economy has lost up to £35 billion in output over the last two years
278 Real wages have been falling since the referendum
279 The government’s own Brexit impact reports have predicted a negative economic effect in the event of any Brexit scenario
280 The government has attempted to conceal the findings of its negative impact studies
281 The government’s divisions and negotiating incompetence has increased the risk of a catastrophic No Deal Brexit
282 A No Deal Brexit would create a hole of £80 billion in the public finances according to Chancellor Philip Hammond
283 According to the government’s own studies a No Deal Brexit is expected to have a catastrophic effect on 84 vital areas of British life
284 The fact that the government is even feeling the need to prepare for a No Deal scenario reveals the bankruptcy of its approach
BREXIT AND JOB LOSSES
285 3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EU
286 Over 70,000 retail jobs have disappeared since the referendum, and the pace of losses has accelerated in the past year.
287 Construction has also suffered, with 17,000 jobs disappearing in the year until March 2018
288 Potential for manufacturing job losses if UK based firms feel the need to relocate to the EU27
289 Uncertainty about Brexit is already threatening jobs in the UK car industry
290 Airbus, which employs 14,000 workers in the UK, has threatened to move production out of the country
291 BMW which employs 7,000 workers in the UK, has threatened to move production out of the country
292 Panasonic are moving their European headquarters from London to Amsterdam
293 The City of London is predicted to lose at least 5,000 jobs in the financial sector
THE NEW WILL OF THE PEOPLE
294 The electorate has changed since June 2016 with new young voters overwhelmingly opposed to Brexit
295 The 2016 “will of (some of) the people” has passed its sell by date
296 Future demographic trends will continue to augment support for EU membership
297 Opinion polls since the beginning of 2018 have consistently indicated that a majority of the public are now opposed to Brexit
298 A comprehensive YouGov study has found that 112 constituencies would now shift from Leave to Remain
299 61% would vote to remain in a referendum putting the government’s deal to a final say
300 The majority of voters in Wales would now support remaining in the EU
301 Two thirds of Scottish voters (66%) now support EU membership, compared to 62% in June 2016
302 The majority of small companies (56%) would now vote to remain in the EU
303 Refusing to recognize that the new “will of the people” is to stop Brexit is a negation of democracy
TAKING OUR COUNTRY BACK?
304 Support for Brexit has been based on a false nostalgia to “take our country back” to a better world that never existed
305 In the early 1970s before Britain joined the EC average life expectancy was 10 years lower than today
306 Before the UK joined the EC 20% of children left school with no qualifications
307 In 1973 only 15% of young people attended university
308 In 1973 inflation was nearly 10%
309 In 1973 the UK economy was considered the “sick man of Europe” with living standards 7% below the EC average
310 Britain was definitely not a better place in the early 1970s before we joined the EU
311 If life was so much better before EU membership why were British governments in the 1960s and early 1970s so desperate to join?
312 The supposed benefits of Brexit are based on wishful thinking, delusions of grandeur and a misrepresentation of history and economic reality
BREXIT CAN BE REVERSED
313 Brexit is not, and has never been, a “done deal”
314 Article 50 is reversible. Brexit is not inevitable
315 Article 50 can be revoked at any time by the UK government without the approval of the other members
316 Brexit has already been delayed by six months and a further delay can be granted to give time for a final say referendum
317 Article 50 was activated prematurely without any coherent agreed government plan for leaving the EU
318 The decision to trigger Article 50 without a clear plan was like "putting a gun in your mouth and pulling the trigger." (Leave campaign director, Dominic Cummings, May 2018)
319 None of the EU27 is opposed to the UK reversing Brexit
320 There is no majority in parliament for Theresa May’s Brexit deal
321 There is no majority in parliament for a soft Brexit
322 There is no majority in parliament for a hard Brexit
323 There is no majority in parliament a no deal Brexit
324 There is no majority in parliament for any form of Brexit
325 The government is hopelessly divided about how to proceed with Brexit
326 The government’s Brexit deal have been overwhelmingly rejected three times by parliament
327 The government’s Brexit deal is overwhelmingly opposed by the public
328 There is no alternative Brexit deal on the table capable of winning a parliamentary majority
329 Attempts to negotiate a compromise Brexit deal with the Labor opposition have been doomed from the start
330 The government’s parliamentary majority is wafer thin and is just a few votes away from a catastrophic parliamentary defeat and political crisis this Autumn
331 The government’s pro-Brexit parliamentary majority continues to rely on a shady deal with the extreme ultra-conservative DUP
332 69% of the population of Northern Ireland now favor remain, compared to 56% in the 2016 referendum
333 The EU negotiators continue hold all the cards and are stalling for time, waiting to see how much longer the UK government survives
334 Other countries (New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland) have voted to reverse a previous decision in a second referendum
THE EU AND NORTHERN IRELAND
335 The EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday Agreement
336 Since 1998 the EU has provided more than 1.5 billion euros in funding for Northern Ireland peace projects
337 A frictionless Irish border
338 Leaving the EU Customs Union would lead to a hard Irish border
339 It is a Brexiter myth that Switzerland and Norway have an open frictionless border with the EU
340 Leaving the EU could compromise peace in Northern Ireland
341 Leaving the EU could hasten the break up of the UK by stimulating support for a united Ireland
342 The government’s pro-Brexit parliamentary majority continues to rely on a shady deal with the extreme ultra-conservative DUP
343 69% of the population of Northern Ireland now favor remain, compared to 56% in the 2016 referendum
GIBRALTAR AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
344 The EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of Gibraltar
345 96% of Gibraltar’s residents voted to remain in the EU
346 Brexit would encourage Spain to press for a modification of Gibraltar’s sovereign status
347 Leaving the Single Market would seriously damage the economy of the British Falkland Islands (94% of fish exports go to the EU)
348 Leaving the EU is likely to encourage Argentina to renew its claims over the Falkland Islands
WHO THINKS BREXIT IS A GOOD IDEA?
349 Brexit has been consistently opposed by the overwhelming majority of leading economists
350 Brexit has been consistently opposed by the overwhelming majority of leading environmentalists
351 Brexit has been consistently opposed by the overwhelming majority of leading scientists
352 Brexit is opposed by the BMA and the overwhelming majority of NHS doctors
353 Brexit is opposed by the Royal College of Nursing and the overwhelming majority of NHS nurses
354 Brexit is opposed by the overwhelming majority of Britain’s trade unions
355 None of the other EU member state are considering leaving the EU
356 Even the Eurosceptic governments in Italy, Hungary and Poland support continued EU membership
357 No other EU member state is likely to leave the EU in the foreseeable future
358 Since the UK referendum support for EU membership has increased in all the other 27 member states
359 Not a single democratically-elected head of government, apart from Trump, has publicly expressed support for Brexit
360 Brexit is favored by all of the EU’s extreme right wing xenophobic parties including the French National Front, Italian Lega Nord and Dutch PVV
361 Brexit is “the stupidest thing any country has ever done” (Michael Bloomberg, October 2017)
SCIENCE, HEALTH AND RESEARCH INSIDE THE EU
362 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
363 The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
364 EU funding for UK universities
365 Potential damaging loss of Horizon 2020 research funding if the UK leaves the EU
366 UK participation in the EU Galileo satellite system
367 UK participation in the EU’s Copernicus, the world's largest single earth observation programme
368 Membership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines
369 Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of Euratom
370 Leaving the EU without a deal would lead to severe shortages of foods and medicines
POLICING AND SECURITY
371 EU cross-country coordination in Europol offers greater protection from terrorists, pedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime
372 The European common arrest warrant
373 Improved training of law enforcement officers though CEPOL
374 Cooperation in the management of the EU’s external borders through FRONTEX
375 Britain would lose influence on cross-border policing and security by leaving Europol after Brexit
CULTURAL BENEFITS OF EU MEMBERSHIP
376 EU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogue
377 Membership of the EU has helped revolutionize eating habits for many people in the UK
378 Minority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU law
379 EU funding for the British film industry
380 EU funding for British theatre, music and dance
381 Glasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economies
382 UK membership of the EU has promoted the use of the English language which has replaced French as the EU’s lingua franca
HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE EU
383 Human Rights are protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
384 The death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membership
385 The prohibition of torture and all forms of degrading treatment and punishment
386 EU laws on the protection of personal data
387 EU laws on the prohibition of human trafficking
388 EU membership is conditional on the existence of democratic institutions
389 The EU includes human rights clauses in all agreements on trade and cooperation with non-member countries
WE JUST DON’T NEED TO LEAVE!
390 The EU will still allow us to drive on the left
391 We can still have our road signs in miles and yards
392 We can still give baby weights in pounds and ounces
393 We can still measure our heights in feet and inches
394 We can still weigh ourselves in stones and pounds
395 We can still quote temperatures in Fahrenheit
396 We can still drink beer in pint measures
397 The Lisbon treaty is not going to force us to adopt the euro
398 We can still have blue passports and stay in the EU (like Croatia)
399 Nobody is going to force us to fly EU flags on public buildings
400 The EU has always allowed our bananas to remain curved!
16. The EU represents 23% of global GDP
20. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members
12. EU members have imposed common sanctions on Russia since the annexation of the Crimea in 2014
17. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services
13. EU security cooperation to combat piracy off Somalia
15. The EU has over 500 million consumers
14. The EU is the world’s largest trading bloc
18. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
19. The UK enjoys tariff-free trade within the EU
11. EU members have collaborated to support the Iran nuclear deal
EU AND BRITAIN’S GLOBAL ROLE
1. The EU has helped maintain peace in Europe for over 60 years
2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
3. Brexit would diminish, not enhance, the UK’s global influence
4. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
5. Trump’s “America First” isolationist, protectionist policies have weakened the UK’s “special relationship” with the US
6. The UK’s closest natural allies are now France, Germany and our other West European neighbors
8. No prominent UK political leaders or parties are advocating leaving any of these other global institutions
9. The UK worked together with other EU members in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
10. The EU has worked closely with NATO in enhancing European security
7. The UK’s global role is defined by its membership of the EU together with other international organizations including NATO, the UN Security Council, OECD, G7 and G20
29. Participation in multilateral trade negotiations through EU membership of the WTO
23. Participation in EU free trade agreement with Japan
26. Participation in EU free trade agreement with Mexico
27. Participation in EU free trade agreement with Chile
30. Outside the EU the UK would have to renegotiate all its trade agreements
21. The EU never has been a “protectionist racket”
25. Participation in EU free trade agreement with South Korea
22. The EU is a springboard for trade with the rest of the world through its global clout
28. Free trade with Norway, Switzerland and Iceland as a member of the EU
24. Participation in EU free trade agreement with and Canada
36. Cheaper alcohol imports from continental Europe
37. All major non-European trading powers are giving priority to trade with the EU as a whole, not the UK on its own
39. The net benefit of EU membership is at least £60 billion per year (CBI estimate)
32. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
34. UK trade with some countries in Europe has increased by as much as 50% as a result of EU membership.
31. On average a free trade agreement takes at least 7 years to negotiate
33. Brexit would leave the UK still subject to EU trading rules but no longer with any say in shaping them
35. Cheaper food imports from continental Europe
38. Potential future trade partners such as India and Turkey are likely to demand concessions on free movement in exchange for a trade deal
40. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion
50. British banks have been able to operate freely across the EU
45. Free movement of labor from the EU has overwhelmingly benefitted the UK economy
48. No paper work or customs for goods throughout the Single Market
42. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU
44. The Single Market underpins access to European supply chains
41. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defense spending)
43. Investment flows across borders inside the EU have doubled since the introduction of the Single Market in 1993
47. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU
46. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
49. Tory Brexiters have conveniently forgotten that Margaret Thatcher was a leading architect and supporter of the Single Market
51. British insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU
52. Long delays at ports and airports will occur if the UK leaves both the single market and customs union
53. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League
54. No customs duties are paid on goods moving between EU Member States
55. All member states apply a common customs tariff for goods imported from outside the EU
56. Goods that have been legally imported can circulate throughout the EU with no further customs checks
57. According to the government’s own estimates leaving the Customs Union would reduce growth by 8% over 15 years
58. Membership of the Customs Union is essential to maintaining a frictionless border in Northern Ireland
59. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
60. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
tactical voting to REMAIN
Post | Vote Remain | Remain Voter | Tactical voting
63 Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
65 £25m funding from the EU for Blackpoll’s tourist infrastructure and improved sea defenses
62 Potential damaging loss of Horizon 2020 research funding if the UK leaves the EU
61. EU funding for UK universities
69 20,000 projects in the north of England received EU funding between 2007-2013 creating over 70,000 jobs
70 EU funding for the regeneration of Redcar seafront
64 £26m capital funding from the EU for the Eden project
66 £50 million EU funding towards the International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall in Birmingham
67 £450 million of EU funding destined to be spent on improving infrastructure on Merseyside in the period 2014 to 2020, including John Lennon airport and the cruise liner terminal
68 The Scottish Highlands, East Wales and Tees Valley are due to receive EU funding of over €300 per person in the period 2014-2020
71 EU funding for the Digital City in Middlesbrough
72 Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)
73 Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
74 £122 million EU funding for the “Midlands engine” project
75 Financial support from the EU for over 3000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
76 EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league
77 Access to the European Solidarity Fund in case of natural disasters
78 Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budget
79 Leaving the EU would mean no more access to EU funding in many important areas
80 Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
82 Under EU law consumers can send back a product bought anywhere in the EU if it breaks down within two years of purchase.
81 EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety
83 EU law prohibits misleading advertising
84 Improved food labeling
85 A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
86 Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
87 Common EU maritime passenger rights
88 Common EU bus passenger rights
89 Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
90 EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
91 Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU
92 Outside the EU there is no guarantee that a future UK government would maintain the current levels of consumer protection
93 Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
94 Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
95 The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime
96 Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
97 Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
98 EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
99 EU rules governing health and safety at work
100 The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
arguments to LEAVE
UK could keep the money it currently sends to the EU
UK could have a more rational immigration system outside the UK
EU allows too many immigrants
entrenches corporate interests and prevents radical reforms
strangling the UK in burdensome regulations
EU threatens British sovereignty
Brexit: the 7 most important arguments for Britain to leave the EU - Vox
EU was a good idea but the euro is a disaster
COPY all of this and MAKE YOUR OWN
__________ __________
MAKE YOUR OWN
REMAIN headings
BENEFITS FOR BRITISH TOURISTS IN THE EU (01)
BREXIT CAN BE REVERSED (02)
BREXIT AND JOB LOSSES (03)
BREXIT WONT FIX IT! (04)
BREXITERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS (05)
CULTURAL BENEFITS OF EU MEMBERSHIP (06)
EU CITIZENS IN THE UK (07)
EU AND CONSUMER RIGHTS (08)
BENEFITS OF THE CUSTOMS UNION (09)
EU DICTATORSHIP MYTH (10)
EU AND EDUCATION (11)
EU AND THE ENVIRONMENT (12)
THE FINANCIAL COSTS OF LEAVING (13)
HOW DOES THE UK BENEFIT FROM EU FUNDING? (14)
EU AND BRITAIN’S GLOBAL ROLE (15)
GIBRALTAR AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS (16)
HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE EU (17)
LEAVE CAMPAIGN AND REFERENDUM (18)
EU AND LABOUR RIGHTS (19)
THE EU AND NORTHERN IRELAND (20)
POLICING AND SECURITY (21)
SCIENCE, HEALTH AND RESEARCH INSIDE THE EU (22)
BENEFITS OF THE SINGLE MARKET (23)
TAKING OUR COUNTRY BACK? (24)
EU TRADE AND INVESTMENT (25)
UK CITIZENS IN THE EU (26)
WHO THINKS BREXIT IS A GOOD IDEA? (27)
THE NEW WILL OF THE PEOPLE (28)
WE JUST DON’T NEED TO LEAVE! (29)
__________ __________
another view - Best for Britain
Best for Britain
EXIT with No Deal? Consequence for business, consequence for national prosperity? WILL DO HARM
Confederation of British Industries (CBI)
Lord Mayor of the City of London
Governor of the Bank of England
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Trades Union Congress (TUC)
Local Chambers of Commerce
Federation of Small Businesses
NO _ NO _ NO NO _ NO _ NO NO _ NO _ NO
at what EXPENSE?