https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:37:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2576273 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:36:21 +0000 Cherrybee 2576273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: You make a very, very good point..... </p> <p>I think the idea was that it was supposed to be more collaborative than directive - each country's elected members putting the country's views forward. We have elections here to determine our Members of European Parliament. </p> <p>Decisions are made by the Council of Ministers (consisting of ministers from the elected governments of the member states) and the elected European Parliament, presided over by the European Council (all the heads of state). The idea that there is a European government in Brussels with independent powers is just a myth.</p> <p>We COULD have brought about change, but it would be very, very difficult to find solutions that work for everyone. Europe is so diverse. But I for one thought the benefits far outweighed this and wasn't particularly unhappy with any of the decisions made at that level. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2576254 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:19:55 +0000 Cherrybee 2576254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Well, the political party that are currently in power have a history of privatising things - the railways, the water etc - and there have been various reports written by prominent members of the party (health secretly Jeremy Hunt for example) calling for the privatisation of the NHS. Its one of those things the party always denies - its not a vote winner - but actions in the last 6 years say otherwise. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/08/surge-in-privatisation-threatening-free-nhs-treatment-unions-say" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/08/surge-in-privatisation-threatening-free-nhs-treatment-unions-say</a></p> <p>David Cameron took a slightly more moderate approach, but the people who aligned themselves with the leave campaign - Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Iain Duncan Smith - are nasty bastards by all accounts. A vote for leave was always a vote for Cameron to step down, leaving a gap for one of these to fill - someone we didn't elect, with plans we didn't agree to.</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/08/surge-in-privatisation-threatening-free-nhs-treatment-unions-say" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/08/surge-in-privatisation-threatening-free-nhs-treatment-unions-say</a></p> <p>I like to think it wasn't a possibility before all this, but now I'm legit scared! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2576019 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 11:36:57 +0000 Maysprout 2576019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pumuckl: this might explain a little better. <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/05/the-difference-between-the-us-and-europe-in-1-graph/256857/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/05/the-difference-between-the-us-and-europe-in-1-graph/256857/</a><br /> I'm still wowed in a bad way by austerity measures. That would be insane here for NY to decide to raise taxes and working hours on Mississippi because they were a poorer state. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575981 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 11:06:08 +0000 Maysprout 2575981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: I mean we don't have a complete direct vote in the US either. But it would be like then taking those representatives and put them into a North and South American government and never have any sort of public debate on the larger issues surrounding the Americas but still only stay focused on our country despite having a larger governing body. </p> <p>Like I can't imagine as a US citizen just voting for state representatives and saying ok you guys take it from here. The presidential debates are toxic on some ways but also do create some progress in where the country's thoughts are and how they want to move forward. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575968 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:58:54 +0000 erinbaderin 2575968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: Canadians don't vote for our Prime Minister, we elect a Member of Parliament for each riding and then the head of whichever party has the most MPs is the PM. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575940 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:45:11 +0000 Maysprout 2575940@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pumuckl: it makes sense just doesn't seem very democratic or like there's good opportunity for European debate on issues as a whole :wink:<br /> I guess the crux of what I was getting at is I'm sure there was a lot of junk and misinformation in the UK vote. But there also seems like there were some real issues - did they have legitimate way to cause change in the EU other than leaving? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575936 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:41:02 +0000 Pumuckl 2575936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: Well a lot of democratic countries don't directly vote for their head of state. My country (Germany) being one of them. The chancellor is elected by the democratically elected parliament and the president (who has very limited power) doesn't get elected by direct vote either. Still things are discussed at great detail when elections are due. There are a mirad of different parties here (and in the EU) so the political establishment is different. Does that make sense? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575914 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:20:52 +0000 Maysprout 2575914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pumuckl: but you don't vote for president. To me it's like if we only voted for congressmen and then wondered why no national debate or cohesion of thought ever occurred.<br /> When is there debate or control over EU issues from the general population as a whole and not just country by country? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575910 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:14:35 +0000 Pumuckl 2575910@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: Every 5 years the EU parliament gets elected by the people of the EU. The thing with the EU is that some topics/issues are handled on an EU level and others are handled on a national/federal level. So it can be very confusing as to who is actually resposible. The thing in the EU is that all the countries have different needs and getting everyone on the same page is very difficult. It is a very democratic process though (involving the EU parliament and the individual governments as well as the EU commission). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575880 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 09:55:40 +0000 Maysprout 2575880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelgirl1: @Cherrybee: and anyone else that understands the EU.<br /> In the US federal issues get heavily debated every 2-3 years with presidential elections. It seems like there's no good network right now for the general population to debate European issues. If the UK wanted/ needed changes in the EU - it seems wealth inequality has risen quite a lot in the last several years - did they have any real method to do that? </p> <p>I'm not an expert at all in EU politics, just what I know of it it seems much less democratic process than we have in the US. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575394 Sun, 26 Jun 2016 06:21:26 +0000 looch 2575394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: you mentioned upthread about the NHS being dismantled. What I am wondering is if this would have been on the table regardless of Brexit...can you elaborate, or maybe give me a source I can read? I am curious as to what will happen mostly in this space at the moment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575381 Sun, 26 Jun 2016 04:42:53 +0000 imbali 2575381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I am from SA but here on an EU passport cos I also have citizenship of an EU country.. agree totally with what you said! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575373 Sun, 26 Jun 2016 02:35:01 +0000 Cherrybee 2575373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: Hahaha!! I consider myself well and truly burned! :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575372 Sun, 26 Jun 2016 02:10:37 +0000 mrbee 2575372@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: This cracked me up... feels about right, at least until November when we have a chance to catch up:</p> <p><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/british-lose-right-to-claim-that-americans-are-dumber" rel="nofollow">http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/british-lose-right-to-claim-that-americans-are-dumber</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/4#post-2575189 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 11:46:11 +0000 BSB 2575189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: oh, ok. Yup, you are right. Not sure what my coworker heard. Maybe he was mixing up Nigel and Cameron. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575172 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 11:03:13 +0000 MrsB2012 2575172@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's really unfortunate that so many people claimed to have voted in a way where they didn't understand what they were actually voting for. It just goes to show you really really need to educate yourself before you do go and vote ( on anything! ) I do commend the voter turnout, 77% is a pretty decent number. ( Well, at least compared to here, Canada, where voter turn out is usually quite poor in comparison. )</p> <p>My moms side is British, all of her direct family live in Canada now, but all of her extended family live in the U.K. It sounds like they were for the Briexit ( however, the ones that had emailed my grandpa about it, are the older generation, which fits with the voting scheme. )<br /> However, my cousin, who is Canadian, is in the process of getting her citizenship ( her dad was born in England, so she can get citizenship.) Her fiance is British, they've been trying to decide where they want to set their roots down. It sounds like they were swaying towards England, but now after this, they said they are definitely coming back to Canada. They're both quite political, head strong people who were 100% against leaving, it's actually quite sad to hear about it all now. </p> <p>I think it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. With it being such a close vote, with the reaction of the results, and how upset so many people are, if they will try and do anything ( or if they can do anything about it now.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575156 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 10:09:13 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2575156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Whoa! The ramifications of that vote sent shockwaves through the global financial markets. I hope the divorce isn't as painful as seeing red everywhere on Friday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575150 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 09:36:42 +0000 MrsSCB 2575150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I just read this morning that a lot of people are angry at pollsters for not "predicting" this. Which seems ludicrous, because the polls were within four percentage points of the result. That's pretty darn close! It's just that those four points meant one way or the other. If a person didn't vote because polls told them remain would win, who's the real idiot? Certainly not the polls... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575148 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 09:34:44 +0000 MrsSCB 2575148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: no, he was definitely against leaving, so I'm assuming that's why he's stepping down. The leader of the pro-Brexit faction apparently said of Cameron, "not a bad guy, just on the wrong side," or something to that effect. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575140 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 09:18:18 +0000 BSB 2575140@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelgirl1: So the PM stepped down, I heard late yesterday (sorry I missed it) that he was conservative and was pushing for Brexit. So he got what he wanted but now is resigning? I don't get it.<br /> Previously, I assumed he was resigning because he didn't agree with the decision.</p> <p>ETA: never mind. I see the PM did not support Brexit. </p> <p>“I was absolutely clear about my belief that Britain is stronger, safer and better off inside the EU. I made clear the referendum was about this, and this alone, not the future of any single politician, including myself.</p> <p>“But the British people made a different decision to take a different path. As such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction,” Cameron said. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575081 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 04:31:53 +0000 Cherrybee 2575081@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@imbali: Ahh! I see! (why do I think you're from South Africa??). At this point, we have no idea what will happen to EU immigrants who are already here. I hope you will be granted leave to remain. </p> <p>Agreed that people were asked to vote on something they didn't understand. My Facebook is full of statuses from disgruntled leave voters who object to being labelled racist or thick...... but the truth is that we had all been told the ramifications of leaving. The arguments for leave were largely just meaningless rhetoric - "taking back control", "making Britain great again". The only issue that made sense was immigration. We were told that the net result of immigration is positive, but people still had concerns . The public had to decide if the issues around immigration were worth destroying our economy for, and plunging us into another recession. Surely the answer is a straight no?? And yet half of general public think they are. That leads me to one of two conclusions about those people:</p> <p>- They didn't really understand the issues<br /> OR<br /> - They hate immigrants more than they care about anything else, even the financial stability of our country</p> <p>Like..... we all knew that leaving would cost our country thousands of jobs, as businesses moved operations out of the UK. But the thought of immigrants "taking our jobs" is more scary?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575080 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 04:09:06 +0000 imbali 2575080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: haha I'm an EU immigrant, so unfortunately more considerations than just affordability :meh:<br /> @Grace: I really think they should have done that - said unless it's a 60% plus majority or something. They are relying on people to make the decision who generally don't know and understand the true facts imo </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575063 Sat, 25 Jun 2016 00:52:42 +0000 Cherrybee 2575063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: Lots of people are suggesting it, but its not going to happen - at least, I hope not, because you cant ask the people and then ignore their direction, surely!!? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2575050 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 23:13:51 +0000 Grace 2575050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: Has you heard anyone suggesting that the government ignore the referendum? When we had the Quebec referendum in the 90s, they had decided that unless it was a "clear majority", the Canadian govt was not going to honour a vote in Quebec to separate. As it happened, the no vote won, so it never made it that far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2574978 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:44:58 +0000 erinbaderin 2574978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: You might be allowed! I'm not opposed to it! I'm just saying the process might take the same two years that the leaving is set to take. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2574970 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 19:30:30 +0000 jetsa 2574970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: I found this probably way too funny :silly: I was discussing the info with my husband and he's like silly it's Nova Scotia I was just there. I totally did not put 2 and 2 together at first lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2574893 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:30:00 +0000 Cherrybee 2574893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@imbali: I'm so sorry. I think as long as you are not overcommitting yourselves financially (could afford mortgage if interest rates rise) you should be ok. </p> <p>@lamariniere: That's funny! </p> <p>Feeling a bit better now. It is what it is...... and I've drunk some wine. We've just got to move forward now and try to be positive, especially since I'm not allowed to move to Canada @erinbaderin: (!) and that's the only place that's not crap right now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2574890 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 16:22:53 +0000 imbali 2574890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>:sad: @Cherrybee: I can't believe we live here. DH and I are about to exchange on a house and today has me thinking that's maaaaaybe a bad idea :meh: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2574806 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 14:44:33 +0000 lamariniere 2574806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought this was lighthearted, considering the seriousness of it all. </p> <p>[attach=3467/16/o9ak6a.600x337.image.png] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/should-the-uk-leave-the-european-union/page/3#post-2574737 Fri, 24 Jun 2016 13:28:50 +0000 littlebug 2574737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: Wow. That is crazy. </p>