The EU Referundum for the UK.

[SENC]

I got 7/13, about the 50/50 odds one might expect for someone on this side of the ditch.

My family and I were in Britain on vacation at the time of the Brexit vote. It was a very interesting time to be there, and I've somewhat enjoyed following the issue since as a result. I've avoided the major political and news outlets for the most part, preferring to listen to the opinions of people on a few forums like this that I enjoy (and where folks are mostly civil even in disagreement).

I don't have a dog in this fight, though as an outside observer I've never been impressed with the EU on the whole - at least from this angle it has always seemed a bit biased to benefit Germany and France more than others. Probably inaccurate, just my perception. As for impacts, as an observer my hunch is that more economic damage has been done by the indecision of the last couple of years than would have been done by a timely exit (or a quick reversal and decision to stay). As with politicians here, it seems both sides are more focused on their own power than actually accomplishing anything - and there is nothing more economically damaging than not knowing what the government will do or allow next (we have plenty of experience with that over here in the last 15 years!). I suspect that whenever this finally gets resolved (in either direction) andbthe initial shock wears off that economic shackles will be removed and there will be a nice bounce. I hope that is the case, anyway. Good luck!

[UAB807F]

For someone across the pond, you've got an excellent grasp of what's going on here, or at least a view that ties in with my perceptions.

Our politicians, as you say, have been on ego trips for the last 3 years whilst carefully ensuring that they do as little as possible to enact the result. I do respect some though, the LibDems and SNP have always campaigned for EU membership and so like the Brexit Party they are just sticking to their guns. Hence I can't blame them for their opposition.

Conservative/Labour politicians though.... all elected on a manifesto to leave and then a significant majority have done everything to delay and in some cases nullify the vote. This has resulted in 3 years of dithering which however you wrap it up, it bad for business investment.

Cynically I could say this is the objective because we were promised financial disaster should we vote to leave and I can't help but think they are still hoping this will arrive so they can say "oh, let's not bother". But it's not going to happen, in fact I think the UK economy has held up well considering the confusion sown by our own government.

Finally I'm not convinced the EU is biased towards France/Germany, it's more a mainland Europe thing. Germany can benefit from cheaper easter Europe manufacturing because of it's proximity but then again the poorer eastern states get cash for investment. So I can see it's a good deal for mainland Europe, but we're not mainland Europe.

[billwill]

I had 43 participants in this quiz, but only 39 of those answered any questions and only 30 completed all the questions. Truly a rather small sample. Only two participants responded via the Facebook posting, the posting of the link on 3 other forums and emails to some friends including the link were far more effective.

The average score was only 67% correct, so clearly there are great gaps in knowledge about the EU, which I personally find appalling considering the importance of the Leave/Remain Brexit matter. I would have hoped that our population would get around 90% on their knowledge about the EU before voting in a referendum on this.

No-one got all 13 questions right.

Anyway here are the answers


1. There are 28 member states in the EU including the UK
3 out of 35 managed to get this wrong, considering how many times this has been mentioned in the media, I have to assume they were joking or their fingers slipped on this first question.

The definitive answer to this question and questions 2 and 3 will be found on this page, count them:
https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/countries_en


2. Norway is a member state of the EU
3 out of 34 got this wrong


3. Slovenia is a member state of the EU.
9 out of 34 got this wrong


4. There are 751 Members of the EU Parliament
9 out of 34 got this wrong
The definitive answer can be found here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/ ... -many-meps


5. The UK currently has 73 seats in the EU Parliament
7 out of 34 got this wrong
A definitive answer to questions 5, 6 can be found here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/ ... -many-meps


6. If Brexit occurs there will be 678 seats in the EU Parliament
9 out of 33 participants got this wrong

7. The 751 seats in the EU parliament includes the President.
20 of 32 participants got this wrong, but possibly there was
some confusion about "which" President as the EU has more
than one. I meant the President of the EU Parliament,
but didn't specifically say that.
An answer to the question can be found on Wikipedia,
which is a source that can't be regarded as totally
definitive, but is usually right:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apportion ... Parliament


8. Only the EU commission can initiate the creation of new EU Laws.
6 of the 30 participants got this wrong, but the words
"initiate" and "creation" are not rigourously defined so
it could be interpreted in a manner that I had not intended.
The facts as I understand it are that MEPs cannot draft a
new law for discussion in EU Parliament i.e. there is no
"Members Bill" procedure. An MEP must go to the EU Commission
and request that a bill is drafted an then submitted to
EU Parliament and Council for discussion and voting.
A definitive description of how EU laws are created can be found here:
https://europa.eu/european-union/eu-law ... cedures_en


9. The EU council consists of the Heads of State or
Prime Ministers of the Member States
16 of the 30 answers said this is not true and strictly
speaking that is correct because not all states have a
"Head of State" or "Prime minister" other titles might be
in use. Plus the President of the EU Commission, who is
not a head of state or head of government, is also a
member of the EU Council.
The composition of the council is defined here:
https://europa.eu/european-union/about- ... council_en

10. The President of the EU commission can be elected by a vote as
close as 50.0% to 49.9%.
6 of the 30 participants got this wrong. The election (or approval)
of the choice(s) of the EU council requires an absolute majority of
half the MEPs plus 1. Do the arithmetic with 750 MEPs, omitting
the President of the EU Parliament and you get the percentages
in the question.
You can find more information on the selection of the President of
the EU commission on these pages:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/ ... ident-2019
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/ ... S_BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf



11. European political parties are federations of national political
parties sharing a political affiliation. and are distinct
from political groups of the EU Parliament.
14 of the 30 participants for this question thought it to be
alse, but it is a direct quote from the page linked below.
It would seem that the EU Political parties have an important
role in selecting candidates for the post of President of
the EU Council, but once all the roles are sorted out,
the political groups of the EU parliament are the more
important factor.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/ ... S_BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf


12. In 2014, the UK representative on the EU Council voted in favour
of Jean-Claude Juncker as the candidate for President of
the EU Commission.
18 of the 30 participants for this question got it wrong.
The answer is mentioned on page 5 of this:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/ ... S_BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf

and here is an interesting article by the Guardian which may well be biased:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/ ... ent-wanted



13. The UK voters turnout for the 2019 EU elections was 37% The
turnout of voters for the 2016 EU referendum was nearly
twice as much: 71.8%
6 of the 30 participants said it was false and 24 said it was true.
They are sort of both right as the first figure 37% is correct,
but the second figure should be 72.2% {I appear to have looked at
a less definitive web page when I composed the question}.
The figures can be found on:
https://europarl.europa.eu/election-res ... n/turnout/

and:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/ ... referendum

[billwill]

Note that this website does not get the link correct for the long one ending in .pdf, you have to add this bit
)630264_EN.pdf
yourself before allowing your browser program to go to the page.

Note the closing bracket ) !

[englishmaninwales]

?The average score was only 67% correct, so clearly there are great gaps in knowledge about the EU, which I personally find appalling considering the importance of the Leave/Remain Brexit matter. I would have hoped that our population would get around 90% on their knowledge about the EU before voting in a referendum on this.?
Bill
Looking at your questions above the majority are the sort of one would expect on a pub trivia quiz nite or ?Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? TV quiz.
The vast majority of remainders and leavers I have spoken to have opinions based on their their experience and understanding of the relative benefits or otherwise of EU trade policies, protectionism, legislative function, ECJ, CAP, fishing, immigration, foreign policy, defence, bureaucracy and so on.
Knowing there are 751 members of the EU Parliament, is in my view, not really terribly important.

Of course, IMHO!
Malcolm.

Edited to add: I?m not telling my score

[Spyder fan]

I?m afraid that I have to post the Pete Taylor response as follows:

YAWN!

[billwill]

Had I put in really serious questions about opinions such as you mention I suspect no-one would have answered at all or the answers would be as varied and meaningless as the polls.

I really don't care much what individuals got right or wrong, it's just a wake up call.

[englishmaninwales]

Hardly a ?wake up call? at all. A rather meaningless quiz, unrepresentative and without any power whatsoever to draw any sensible conclusion(s).
A bit of fun, down the pub on a rainy Wednesday night.

Malcolm

[JonB]

December 12th 2019: and now we are voting again...

Observation: Anyone noticed how immigration seems to have slipped down the list of political priorities in the election campaigns? Yet it was such a big thing previously - to be replaced by Brexit options (get it done / second referendum / revoke it depending on your political colour) and boosting public spending.

[alan.barker]

I hope whoever is elected gets a clear majority.
Then maybe they can at last stop going round in circles.
All of this brexit has so far cost me nearly 25% of my UK pension with the poor exchange rate
Alan

[JonB]

Currency markets predict the pound will drop rapidly if Labour get in, or Conservatives fail to negotiate a trade deal with the EU post Brexit. So you're not out of the woods yet!

[ericbushby]

After the Tories win today, the exchange rate will increase slightly, not much, because the markets have already factored it in. So tomorrow I will buy my Euros for our customary Christmas and New Year holiday,
Tomorrow will be interesting in many ways,
Eric in Burnley

[alan.barker]

bonjour Eric,
et bon chance mon ami.
Passer un bon Noel.
amicalement
Alan

[SENC]

I hope you guys can end the stalemate, either way. We just seem to find new ways to extend our stalemates over here - solve one thing and find another to sling mud about!

[alan.barker]

Well Boris has been voted in with a big majority.
So maybe the stalemate will be finished and the UK will stop going round in circles.
I hope this will make the GBP stronger.
Alan