By Ayesha Begum, Senior Editor
Among new passports and new 50p coins, Brexit holds many exciting opportunities for Britons for generations to come.
Although the UK technically is to leave the EU on Friday 31st January 2020, ‘Brexit’ doesn’t really happen for another year until the transition period ceases. For Brexiteers, Brexit appears to signify the release of the supposed chains of control held by the EU and when Britons stop becoming ‘slaves’ for the union. It is frightening that people do not understand the concept of a transition period where nothing will change for a year thus, effectively, Brexit has been ‘delayed’ by another year, despite claims of "getting Brexit done".
This period is in place primarily for businesses and companies that trade and work alongside the EU to renegotiate contracts and such - this is one of the many warning premonitions that Brexit is not a good idea and was not meant to be; if the UK was so financially secure without the EU, these negotiations, surely, would not have to occur.
In the meantime, I have compiled a list of things that my generation will bear the brunt of while those that decided this fate continue to live lavishly with tax breaks and loopholes granted by the Conservative government.
1) Many university courses have an optional year abroad. This is available through Erasmus+, an EU student exchange programme where UK universities are linked with other universities within the EU to provide their students with an opportunity for travel and experiencing other cultures.
Our teachers themselves have had the opportunity to embark on such a remarkable journey, however, this may cease to exist when we reach that stage of our academic careers. The imminent disbandment of this project can already be seen through recent amendments passed in the House of Commons that have proposed less funding for this specific scheme.
2) One in ten jobs in the UK are linked to trading with the EU. Many people have heard of concerns surrounding the loss of jobs but not many seem to realise the actual extent of this. Who knows what kind of once in a lifetime job opportunities the government and ‘the people’ have suddenly made unavailable to some of us?
3) There are many projections about the state of the economy once Brexit was truly happened, some predicting the flourishing of the monetary district and others suggesting a significant collapse and downfall.
Many Brexiteers argue that the economy will flourish as the UK will not be contributing any funds to EU membership and such as the UK pays £5.7 billion a year to be a member of the EU Single Market - the world’s largest free trade zone. This may appear as a hefty sum, however, when compared to the £91 billion price tag attached to the contribution made to the British economy through merely being part of the EU, the initial donation seems more than fair; if anything, it seems too little. If anything, some people need to realise that the net cost of Brexit so far has amounted to £130 billion which is more than the UK have paid the EU in the past 47 years.
Again, forecasts of the downfall of the country upon ‘properly’ leaving the UK have already been seen, yet no one heeds these warnings. I myself remember shortly after the 2016 referendum watching the news lament over the value of the pound that had dropped with such force that it was the lowest since 1985. The sudden extortionate rise of food exported from the EU also recalled the same message.
4) As pro-Brexit supporters have shown their utter disdain for anything associated with the EU, this must mean that they choose to distance and disassociate themselves with anything that has a morsel of influence from the EU.
Unfortunately, for the rest of us, this means that, according to the aforementioned logic, we will have restricted access to many of the cultural hubs and monuments that mark our North-Eastern pride.
The Gateshead Sage received £5 million worth of funding from the EU in its creation. Even to this day, this large influence remains intact as 20% of musicians that play at the Sage come from outside of the UK.
Half of staff in hotels in the Lake District are migrants. This is significant to Brexit as many pro-Brexit campaigns used scaremongering tactics of being ‘overrun’ by immigrants both within the EU and outside and that leaving the EU would be the only way to solve this when, in fact, it is these people that are taking the jobs nobody else wants and are holding up the country’s economy and people with their precarious pillars.
The Angel of the North cost £800,000 to build of which the EU contributed £150,000 towards - almost 20% of the production was covered by the EU. It is ironic that this body that had most likely never heard of Newcastle prior to the proposal of this project have more of an affinity with the place than the rest of the country due to the bitter division between the North and South.
Despite feeling such resentment and genuine fear, at least we can look forward to the disbandment of the Brexit Party, a new 50p coin, and a new, blue passport.
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