Brexit Watch

I guarantee that any changes we make will be well within the range we had available to us while we were part of the EU. We're as equipped to deal with this now as we would have been 10 years ago and you know it.

T.R.O.Y. wrote:I guarantee that any changes we make will be well within the range we had available to us while we were part of the EU.  We're as equipped to deal with this now as we would have been 10 years ago and you know it.

If you really think that there’s no more to be said young man.

Whitesince63 wrote:

Taxation and VAT? D’er..

Bit confused there White - between direct taxation and indirect taxation.

Direct taxation such as income tax and in our case NI contributions have always been set by the individual member countries and they vary wildly - and that's because the EU is not interested in how member states collect taxes or how they spend the income they generate from them. 

But in order to ensure fair trade between member states they set VAT and excise duty - which are indirect taxes (i.e. before they reach the end consumer)  as it would give individual states a competitive advantage if they set a lower rate autonomously.

By leaving direct taxation for member states to decide and by standardising indirect taxes (in conjunction with having minimum quality standards) the EU ensures a level playing field for trade so that inventiveness, business skill and entrepreneurship are the arena for business competition - rather than the Communist-style state-sponsorship that Brexit has opened the door to.

Just to be clear the EU don’t set a specific VAT rate, there’s a broad range it can fall within. Hence my point that whatever changes we make won’t fall outside of that range.

T.R.O.Y. wrote:Just to be clear the EU don’t set a specific VAT rate, there’s a broad range it can fall within. Hence my point that whatever changes we make won’t fall outside of that range.

True but it sets a minimum rate of 15% for the reasons stated above but sure - member countries can charge more if they wish. EU also allows members to set  lower rates at a minimum of 5% - this used to be on a maximum of two things but the member countries have since agreed that they can apply the lower rate to a broad range of goods and services.

So Brexit has done absolutely nothing for Britain as regards indirect taxes - unless the government wants to scrap VAT altogether which would be a huge hit for the economy or hike it so that we can't afford stuff and our exports are damaged even further.

And the EU always left it to us to set our own direct taxes anyway.

The myth that was peddled about the "EU controlling our ability to set taxes" was just scaremongering - as was most of the 30 year long right wing media Leave campaign.

BTW I notice Turkey hasn't joined yet

wanderlust wrote:
True but it sets a minimum rate of 15% for the reasons stated above but sure - member countries can charge more if they wish. EU also allows members to set  lower rates at a minimum of 5% - this used to be on a maximum of two things but the member countries have since agreed that they can apply the lower rate to a broad range of goods and services.

So Brexit has done absolutely nothing for Britain as regards indirect taxes - unless the government wants to scrap VAT altogether which would be a huge hit for the economy or hike it so that we can't afford stuff and our exports are damaged even further.

And the EU always left it to us to set our own direct taxes anyway.

The myth that was peddled about the "EU controlling our ability to set taxes" was just scaremongering - as was most of the 30 year long right wing media Leave campaign.

BTW I notice Turkey hasn't joined yet

I agree with you, my clarification was more for WS63 who has obviously been told the EU set our VAT and tax rates, this sort of false information is the reason so many voted leave.

Lorry queues 15 miles long being reported at Dover.

My missus is not happy. Tories are raising excise duty on wine. And the Aussies are less than pleased about it. as any benefit from a post-Brexit trade deal will be more than wiped out the tax rise.

Judge makes first pronouncement on the Banks v Cadwalladr case regarding the relationship between the Leave EU campaign and the Russians.

At this stage it is only relating to the public interest re Banks relationship with Russia but it will be interesting to see how far it will go down the road of Cadwalladr's research into the extent to which Big Tech companies were involved in targeting marginalised and disaffected Brits with disinformation to swing the balance of the referendum (and then the Trump campaign)

wanderlust wrote:Judge makes first pronouncement on the Banks v Cadwalladr case regarding the relationship between the Leave EU campaign and the Russians.

At this stage it is only relating to the public interest re Banks relationship with Russia but it will be interesting to see how far it will go down the road of Cadwalladr's research into the extent to which Big Tech companies were involved in targeting marginalised and disaffected Brits with disinformation to swing the balance of the referendum (and then the Trump campaign)

Deary, deary me, here we go again. We’re out, does it really matter?

Does it really matter if democracy was undermined by a foreign power? Are you serious?

Is there anything you actually care about Whites or is it just think what the right tells you to and win by any means?

T.R.O.Y. wrote:Does it really matter if democracy was undermined by a foreign power? Are you serious?

Is there anything you actually care about Whites or is it just think what the right tells you to and win by any means?

I suppose you believe in fairies as well? Russians have been blamed for lots of things, all so far proved wrong. It just amazes me that certain sections just can’t accept they lost, despite all their patronising and fear mongering. Leave them to it Troy and just accept you lost.

Whitesince63 wrote:

I suppose you believe in fairies as well? Russians have been blamed for lots of things, all so far proved wrong. It just amazes me that certain sections just can’t accept they lost, despite all their patronising and fear mongering. Leave them to it Troy and just accept you lost.

No mate - the UK lost - as everything that has happened since proves.

And it was the Leave campaign that won by fear-mongering wasn't it?
e.g. vote for Leave or else 75 million Turks will move in next door/vote for Leave or else we'll be swamped by EU red tape/vote for Leave or else our NHS won't get the money we have to pay to the EU etc etc.

They set out to scare people shitless and used lies to do it. And I think you know that by now.

As part of the EU "taking back control of it's borders", the ultramodern EES system will be launched in September which will have a huge effect on foreigners like us entering the EU as they will require biometric data to be admitted - data that will be stored on a centralised EU database.
Designed to control immigration into the EU, track immigrants and enhance cooperation amongst members it is likely to have a huge impact on British lorry drivers - who will thereafter have to be biometrically checked - and will add cost to our exports.

If you think the massive queues at Dover are bad now...

Industry figures show that the business cost of Brexit has already risen to £250 billion - roughly the same as the cost of Covid - but Brexit costs are now rising faster than Covid costs.

No comments re the French and Germans cosying up to Russia then boys? Can you not for once see how lucky we are to be rid of such despicable, disingenuous and dishonest reptiles? Not only are they throwing Ukraine under the bus but destabilising all of the former Soviet states, so much for partners. It’s never been any different for these two who have manufactured the EU from day one to their own ends and what’s more as members, we’ve been helping pay for it. Thank goodness we’re out now and can make our own decisions on everything. Don’t worry though, whilst you search round for little tit bits of meaningless garbage and sound bites, the grown ups can see the light.

Massive stretch to say either country are cosying up to Putin, de-escalation is a sensible policy though. What is it you think the EU has to do with either country’s foreign policy though?

Obviously EU members do and always have set their own foreign policy and nobody wants the Russians to switch off the gas supply so diplomacy and negotiation should always be step 1.

I'm slightly more concerned about our government cosying up to the Americans and adopting their rhetoric which will only up the ante. I know Boris needs a distraction right now, but he could pick something that is potentially less apocalyptic. And I don't think the Tories will get a sensible trade deal with the Yanks no matter how much ass licking Boris does now.

Amazing. You two really do take the biscuit, can just not see anything your darling EU does that’s wrong. The French and Germans don’t give a monkeys about you and the rest of us and are only interested in feathering their own nests. The French are at it again on fishing despite the “agreement” we made with them and as for the Germans completely giving their energy security to Putin makes you weep. How utterly stupid. Get a grip both of you and open your eyes.

Whitesince63 wrote:Amazing. You two really do take the biscuit, can just not see anything your darling EU does that’s wrong. The French and Germans don’t give a monkeys about you and the rest of us and are only interested in feathering their own nests. The French are at it again on fishing despite the “agreement” we made with them and as for the Germans completely giving their energy security to Putin makes you weep. How utterly stupid. Get a grip both of you and open your eyes.

Not particularly interested in your Mystic Meg divination of what "The French" or "The Germans" are thinking because a) they are nations so have a broad representation of opinion and b) you are in no position to ascertain the logic or strategy  behind a nation's policies anyway. For an intelligent bloke you do come across as slightly prejudicial towards our neighbours but TBH I wouldn't expect anything less if you've been reading right wing propaganda like the Mail or Express all your life, so it's not your fault if you've been brainwashed like the rest of the Brexiteer sheep.

What does interest me is that on the one hand you bang on about the constraints that the EU allegedly put on it's members to act independently as a justification for leaving - and then complain when EU member states exert their right to pursue their own policies.

Can't you see the contradiction in what you're saying?