[CaptainZapp]

Why? The UK sent a letter invoking article 50 and after an extension they're out.

The UK is a third country and no more an EU member.

Leaving is very simple if you're willing to face the consequences.

And this is the true problem of the UKs exit. That they're neither willing to face the truth nor the fact that's it a third country now with all restrictions that come with that status.

[Chris2048]

You are suggesting that the consequences of leaving where well defined, upfront and the UK was simply not "willing to face the truth" - this is not true. The consequences of leaving were established, and negotiated after the invocation.

You should also take note of my comment below - there is no "they" wrt the UK, as the country was divided, and actively fighting over the issue - with some actively trying to prevent a brexit.

[CaptainZapp]

> You are suggesting that the consequences of leaving where well defined,

I'm not suggesting that at all. Actually I think that it was enormous stupidity to send that letter before England even defined what it wanted exactly.

It didn't help at all that Ms. May tried to appease the Brexit extremists in the conservative party. People that, as we now know , cannot be appeased, ever, since they just move the goal post to an even more extreme position.

> You should also take note of my comment below - there is no "they" wrt the UK, as the country was divided, and actively fighting over the issue - with some actively trying to prevent a brexit.

I appreciate that. Nevertheless 52% of people that bothered to vote wanted out.

Pissing off their European partners at every turn also certainly doesn't help

Unless Britain gives up it's extremist position I predict a world of hurt once the EU is no more willing to kick the can further down the road.

Long queues at immigration, when vacationing in Spain will be the least of your worries.

[earnubs]

GB is a third country, UK is not entirely.

[CaptainZapp]

Which part of the UK is not out?

Ireland, as far as I know, is not part of the UK. While Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England are all out.

Which part of the UK is still in the EU?

(Honestly curious)

[messe]

From a trade perspective, Northern Ireland is treated as part of the EU at the moment. This allows the Irish border to remain open, as there's no feasible way of enforcing it otherwise. For some context: The European union as a whole has 137 border crossings with third countries to its east. The Irish-Northern Irish border has 275.

[CaptainZapp]

Thanks!

I didn't consider NEs current status.

This will open another can of worms, when some of the exceptions run out by the end of September.

[rsynnott]

Northern Ireland is still saying its goodbyes and looking for its jacket. And even GB is still caught up in hundreds of temporary exemptions and is in many senses operating as part of Europe.

[messe]

NI isn't going anywhere any time soon. There have been no realistic proposals on how to handle the border.

[rsynnott]

Oh, yeah, my intended meaning was that NI is the guest who's making noises about leaving the party but not realistically doing much about it :)

[messe]

Ah fair, I took it as "still there, but on the way out soon enough".

[Hamuko]

Northern Ireland is still abiding by EU free movement of goods rules and EU Customs Union rules, and goods from the rest of the UK are inspected when they get to Northern Ireland.

[earnubs]

Upvote for politeness :)