One of the accounts I follow on twitter is
liberalisland and the owner also has a blog, which I have cross posted (thanks liberalisland in advance). It's views are on the Guardian reading/polenta eating/ceroc dancing left and not surprisingly it is pro-Remain. In a recent
blog post it asked 15
questions to Brexiters and I will address them all below.
Will we still have access to the single market? If not what will the replacement look like?
"Yes, just like any other non-EU country. The UK and EU will need to negotiate a trade deal."
Will we be able to sell services, 78% of our economy, to the EU free of WTO tariffs?
"That depends on trade negotiations between the UK and the EU. Don't forget there is EFTA which is a tariff free trade deal between the EU and non-EU European states."
What kind of non tariff barriers will we face?
"Ditto the comments about trade negotiations."
Will there be a visa system for holiday makers?
"This is a very interesting strawman that just popped up. I now live in HK and after HK went back to the PRC in 97, most HKers were given HKSAR passports instead of the BNO. The HKSAR passport allows visa free access to all Schengen states and the UK. If EU countries want UK tourists then I guess it would be in the EU's interest not to put up visa conditions on UK nationals. Otherwise, if the EU puts up visa restrictions then UK people will just have to spend their holidays in the UK, thereby helping the UK economy and cutting down the carbon footprint. This is a pretty poor reason for remain, methinks."
Will the CAP payments be maintained at the current level and for how long?
"Can't believe you are using the CAP as a reason to stay. CAP subsidizes farmers for producing more than enough cheap food, which is then dumped on the third world, thereby destroying local markets and livelihoods. Which then creates poverty, conflict, migration etc. CAP is actually a very good reason for Lexit as it benefits a few rich people. Speaks volumes that you as a left-liberal should use this one."
How do we get future governments to guarantee CAP payments at EU levels? When agriculture, in reality, employs few people on the UK and does not have the influence of numbers
"See above regarding CAP"
How will we ensure that governments of different hues will maintain structural aid, even when it’s directed at areas where it would give them no political gain?
"Why would it not continue to happen post-Brexit? As someone who grew up during the Thatcher '80s in South Wales and later in Manchester, I saw lots of various government projects and aid pouring into both depressed areas."
Northern Ireland and Wales are net gainers from the EU budget. Will the Westminster government maintain this investment?
"Ditto my comment above. Further why should UK taxpayers pay a larger amount to a supra-national body and then get a smaller amount back to invest in NI and Wales? Why can't we bypass the EU in the first place and cut out the middle man?"
What is an acceptable loss of GDP over the next 20 years?
"Why do you think there will be a GDP loss because of Brexit?"
How exactly will making our own trade deals increase the amount we export?
"The amount we export depends on the quality of our goods, service and the cost. In fact it is possible that we could export more, without the shackles of EU rules and regulations."
Explain in detail the reasons you think food will be cheaper?
"Blimey the CAP again. The food is 'cheaper' because it is subsidized by EU taxpayers."
Leave campaigners claim we can cut the cost of regulation. Account for which regulations will be removed in order to achieve this lower cost.
"These regulations don't account for local cultures and business practices. It is trying to force a one size fits all across the EU states. A good example of this is the 48 hour EU working time directive which is unworkable and forced on the UK."
How are you going to address the very real fears of NI and Eire?
"Eire is a sovereign state, its people can deal with the EU themselves. As for NI, what fears are you referring to?"
The Working Time Directive is often seen as a Cost to businesses. Do you envisage it being removed from UK employment regulations, if so what would replace it?
"I think it should be removed, what should replace it should be decided by British people."
The leave campaign claim fuel prices will be cheaper. If this is through a removal of VAT, where will the government recoup this loss in income?
"This can also be decided by the British people."
How will you guarantee that a government in thrall to busines does not erode my right to paid leave?
"You can vote out that government if enough people are dissatisfied with it. Can you do the same to the EC commission?"
My feeling is that the Remainers, especially those on the left, believe that British people cannot think nor decide for themselves and need the hand of the EU to make decisions for them.
If I was undecided, this would not persuade to vote Remain. To be frank this and other Remain arguments have the intellectual rigour a sixth form debating class and I have seen better pro-remain arguements on the off-top sections of gaming forums.
