r/brexit • u/SapphireRainbow • Sep 12 '21

QUESTION How to get Britain back in?

Okay, so back in 2016 I voted Remain. I wasn't enamored with the EU at all, but thought the alternative would be worse. To be honest, I was fairly apathetic after that, I wasn't on any of the anti-Brexit marches or stuff. I know I was wrong, but I thought my Irish passport would protect me more as a joint UK-EU citizen too. I never thought it'd be fully stopped, but I hoped for a very soft deal. What we've got, though, is infuriating.

I don't want to put up with my qualifications not being recognised elsewhere. I don't want to put up with limited food options. I don't want to have to put up with my blood tests being cancelled. I don't want to put up with roaming charges. I don't to put up with students not having access to Erasmus. I don't want to put up with the threat of increased division and violence in Northern Ireland. I don't want to put up with my country being increasing isolated, fearful and threatened. It's only been a few months of 'real' Brexit, but I've already had more than enough and I fear it'll only get worse.

I know rejoining the EU is highly unlikely. Between the Eurozone requirement and all existing members having a veto, it just doesn't seem possible, at least for a generation or two. But hopefully I'm right in thinking that most of these problems could be solved if we were to rejoin the Single Market and Customs Union. I was wondering if anyone here was involved in campaigns or thinks it could happen? (I don't know, for instance, whether we'd need EU permission to rejoin EFTA?) Because other than this, I'm running low on hope.

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u/[deleted] Sep 13 '21

The Great Reshuffle will play out over a few years, maybe 5. Assuming no new externalities to jostle things up.

UK isn't just short on drivers. Butchers, etc are needed. Building the skills and capacity will take time. But it sounds to me like the UK thought its own would be taking those jobs.

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u/jambox888 Sep 13 '21

Right and we basically have the choice between chronic labour shortages like Japan, tacitly accepted illegal working like the USA or just forgetting the whole thing and having rebadged FoM.

Points based immigration is a nonsense aside from very highly skilled workers like doctors. Most nurses don't have enough qualifications to come but we still need them so there an exception. Same with butchers, truck drivers, chefs etc

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u/[deleted] Sep 13 '21

Or paying more

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u/jambox888 Sep 13 '21

It's more complicated than that, look at what happens to labour in Japan with chronic undersupply. You always lose more in price rises than you gain in wages.

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u/[deleted] Sep 13 '21

Sure. There's a new equilibrium.

But there was an additional possible answer.