Pete B I don't know you but you appear quite erudite and well educated and I do respect your opinion. What is it about the corrupt Brussels quango you find so attractive??
I voted in back in the day...IN being a free trade agreement..simple as... I didn't get asked about a euro currency a European commission a European commission a European parliament... I suspect your politics may be left of centre and I have no issues with that but look back at what Michael Foot and Peter Shore tried to tell us back at the last referendum... I as a younger voter didn't listen... but in hindsight they were right..
Sorry, I missed you posting this. I think the EU has many problems, much like any large institution it's never going to be perfect. And yes, it has far exceeded its original remit. But overall I think it's a force for good - it is by design a bureaucratic nightmare and so immune to the whims of populism and short-lived governments. And it is a force for good for worker rights and consumer rights. I get fed up when I hear people saying it's just a vehicle for big business - trust me, if you think the EU is some kind of corporate protection racket, just you wait until the Brexiteer right of the Tory party get their hands on our hard-won employment and consumer protections. That's why they hated the EU - it stopped them exploiting us.
The EU allows frictionless trade with our closest neighbours and I'm sorry, but trying to replace that frictionless trade with deals with China and India just won't work. In ten years time, we'll look on in envy as Germany and France power on upwards, and we're left still trying to negotiate a trade deal with frickin' Japan.
I am pleased that Theresa May did at least acknowledge the difficulties she faces in her speech today. Obviously I'd love to just call the whole thing off, but since that's unlikely to happen I'll take the soft version of Brexit that she outlined earlier. It's better than nothing. And certainly better than no deal.
Amd seriously, people: stop saying, "let's just walk away". WE HAVEN'T BUILT OUR NEW CUSTOMS INFRASTRUCTURE YET. IT WON'T BE READY FOR A DECADE. STOP IT!
Anyway, at least we can disagree on here without resorting to mud-slinging. I've seen so much abuse on Twitter and it depresses me. Brexit isn't good for us as a nation - I hate the way it has divided us. But that is exactly what Farage wanted to do.... and sorry to say, he won.