Re: EU Referendum
 

Nothing. If anyone suggests there will be a mass round-up and deportation of British citizens in any country in the EU they're either certifiably insane or have been smoking crack.

Re: EU Referendum
 

Maybe they'll choose to go home.

Re: EU Referendum
 

The Sun is apparently in favour. The electorate usually follows. :(

Collect up your gold bars, arm yourself to the teeth and head for your retreat in the hills. Erect razor wire fences on both sides of the moat.

Can I come? I'll bring the tea. :)

Re: EU Referendum
 

It should come as no surprise that the UK are having this vote, if Britain was 100% committed to the EEC then why did they keep the GBP And not switch over to the Euro ?

Re: EU Referendum
 

Ok thanks

Re: EU Referendum
 

But might it not be the extrémité mince de la cale? ;)

Re: EU Referendum
 

Rule #17? :rolleyes:

["Thin end of the wedge", thanks Google; BristolUK, not so much.]

I don't see how that phrase applies to the scenario under discussion. :unsure:

If Germany sees value in allowing a skilled British citizen to work in Germany, I have no doubt they will be allowed to do so. Equally, the idea that an unemployed British labourer should be allowed to wander into Germany looking for work is daft. It was daft before the EU/EEA came along, it has been daft for the past 40+ years, and it will continue to be daft as long as the unrestricted freedom of movement rules are allowed to exist.

Re: EU Referendum
 

Well, it might not directly be membership of the EU that gave citizens of all the member states residency rights and all the rest but it was surely a major part.

So if we were no longer members of the EU, might it not be feasible that we would also not be signatories to the various other agreements? Is it impossible to withdraw agreement?

What about unskilled?
Not just Germany though is it.
What happens when/if Brits start saying "I thought we voted against these people coming here?"

What about citizens in other countries when/if they say "these people voted to leave, why are they still here?"

This looks like a thin end of the wedge to me.

There were still limits affecting how much money one could take on holiday to Europe as recently as the 70s. It had to go in your passport.

Re: EU Referendum
 

Perhaps you can provide us with a list of countries around the world that still operate exchange controls. It will be a short list! :lol:

FWIW Maggie ripped up the British exchange controls just a few weeks after being elected in 1979.

Re: EU Referendum
 

Is it seriously "daft" for me to, upon graduating college in a suitable degree, use my freedom of movement privileges to live in the UK and look for work in my skilled profession? Notwithstanding that without my EU passport I wouldn't be sufficiently qualified (ie University educated, multiple years of experience and an employer to sponsor me) to immigrate to the UK?

Why is it OK for British retirees to still get easy access to countries like Spain, Italy, Malta, but someone who wants to live in the UK and work needs to jump through a bunch of hoops? (In case of Brexit/loss of FoM privileges)

Re: EU Referendum
 

It may have been "daft" 40 years ago, but it isn't now. The world is so much more interconnected, whether we like it or not. Why should we impose artificial borders on the next generation and limit their opportunities? On the news tonight they reported on a new regional airport in Eastern Poland which has thousands of Poles commuting into Luton, and in doing so, developing the Polish economy while providing labour to Britain. This is progress to my mind.

You breezily dismiss the idea of European conflict, but what of the Balkan war just twenty years ago, what of the maurauding Russian and English football hooligans or extreme right factions in each European country. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that we haven't quashed our violent past. Brexit is not going to cause any wars, but it might lead to a disintegration of Europe, and then who knows what can happen in 20 years time.

Re: EU Referendum
 

That was just a small point of something that changed before and after. If we go back to 'before' who knows what happens?

I went to the Soviet Union and Egypt in the 80s and 90s. Similar currency restrictions existed.

Re: EU Referendum
 

That is the polar opposite of what I said! .... Didn't bother to read the rest, as you clearly didn't pay much attention to what I wrote.

Re: EU Referendum
 

I don't necessarily agree. There are plenty examples of people using "freedom of movement" to come to the UK from Eastern Europe and take jobs at below UK market rate. Is it any wonder that the skilled and unskilled labourer are sick of what has happened over the past 15-20 years. It's easy for you, and others with their fancy degrees to talk about how wonderful freedom of movement is, but the reality for many others is dramatically different, and not recognizing that is actually risking causing the tension that could turn ugly.

There is nothing in western Europe that even remotely resembles what was happening in Yugoslavia in the early 1990's. In common with the roots of the WWII the cause was unemployment, hopelessness, and poverty. The biggest single bulwark against war and civil war is a population that has a lot of "stuff" - if you live in a shack and own a donkey you haven't got much to lose, but if you have a nice house, with two cars, and take a couple of holidays each year then you aren't going to throw it all away, pick up an AK47 and kill your neighbours, you just aren't. That said, I don't believe it is Britain's responsibility to import hordes of East Europeans to alleviate East European poverty.

Re: EU Referendum
 

Or maybe the locals are demanding above the market rate?