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Well, I suppose leaving the EU would not be a bad idea at all, as long as we can retain the same privileges as before. After all, one might suggest it would be really stupid to vote for something that reduces our quality of life, limits our freedoms, inconvenience our lives, complicates our trade and improverish us. Nobody sensible would cut off his nose to spite his face, right?So as long as we can retain our hard-won privileges which entitled us to call ourselves modern people living in a modern world, I have no problem with leaving the EU.Following are our hard-won privileges which we should not throw away lightly unless the government can replace them with something at least comparable:Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDPThe UK has greater global influence as a member of the EUThe EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and ChinaWith Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighboursTariff-free trade within the EUThe abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among membersParticipation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU memberThe EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and servicesThe EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and servicesCheaper food and alcohol imports from continental EuropeAs a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EUFree movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier LeagueUntil the Brexit vote, the EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillionAccess to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EUNo paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single marketPrice transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the EurozoneFDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single MarketThe UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EUBritish banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EUCornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” projectFinancial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UKEU funding for the British film industryEU funding for British theatre, music and danceEU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby leagueGlasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economiesEU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practicesStrict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EUHuman Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental RightsThe death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membershipMinority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU lawThe right to reside in any EU member stateThe freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictionsThe mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EUThe mutual recognition of educational diplomasThe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EUThe freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)The freedom to set up a business in 28 countriesThe ability to retire in any member statePension transferabilityThe right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member stateEU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continentThe right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EUThe EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislationReductions in sewage emissionsImprovements in the quality of beaches and bathing waterEU standards on the quality of drinking waterRestrictions on landfill dumpingEU targets for recyclingCommon EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic wasteThe implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areasEU policies have stimulated offshore wind farmsStrict safety standards for cars, buses and trucksProtection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industryMembership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovationThe UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for researchEU funding for UK universitiesCooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of EuratomMinimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtimeMinimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant womenRights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birthEU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientationEU rules governing health and safety at workThe rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment lawThe UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen areaSince 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budgetEU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, pedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crimeThe European common arrest warrantEurope-wide patent and copyright protectionEU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safetyImproved food labelingA ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additivesCheaper air travel due to EU competition lawsCommon EU air passenger rightsDeregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered pricesMutual recognition of the common European driving licenseThe introduction of the European pet passportThe abolition of mobile telephone roaming chargesThe EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday AgreementA frictionless Irish borderThe EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of GibraltarThe EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British touristsEU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogueDuty-free booze in any quantity you need for family useFree travel insurance for travel anywhere in the EUImportantly, the EU is large enough to be able to negotiate down and regulate the costs of medications. Therefore EU citizens avoid the incredible prices people pay for medications in countries such as the USABut instead of hearing about the plentiful benefits of leaving the EU, all you hear are Leavers whining like bitches: Why can't Brexiters get over winning?Here are other examples of cutting off our noses to spite our faces, which is something one should never do, unless one is pathologically mentally-impaired:What is the arithmetic of Brexit?Are Brexit supporters correct or wrong to assume there's no net benefit of paying into the EU?Hope this improves your understanding of facts, Bruce Barnes and thanks for the A2ACORRECTION: The answer originally contained an incorrect statement about 10 billion Euro of aid the EU had offered to the UK to help with the pandemic. Commission approves € 10.3 billion UK aid scheme. This is not true as I had misread the complicated rules of the TFEU (Temporary Framework) where it states the “Temporary Framework enables Member States to combine all support measures with each other”. It is also feasible that no member states combined with the UK to assist the UK with the aid requirement.

Today, for no reason, I got this in my notifications:I of course hurried to have a look at what I have written which may have hurt the delicate feelings of Leavers, but honestly I could not find anything that can dent the sensibilities of the winners who have also already achieved their target of making the UK leave the EU.Anyway, I thought people might like to have a fair review of this bizarre action from Quora, so here is the original answer, which has been read over 29,000 times:Well, I suppose leaving the EU would not be a bad idea at all, as long as we can retain the same privileges as before. After all, one might suggest it would be really stupid to vote for something that reduces our quality of life, limits our freedoms, inconvenience our lives, complicates our trade and improverish us. Nobody sensible would cut off his nose to spite his face, right?So as long as we can retain our hard-won privileges which entitled us to call ourselves modern people living in a modern world, I have no problem with leaving the EU.Following are our hard-won privileges which we should not throw away lightly unless the government can replace them with something at least comparable:Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDPThe UK has greater global influence as a member of the EUThe EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and ChinaWith Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighboursTariff-free trade within the EUThe abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among membersParticipation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU memberThe EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and servicesThe EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and servicesCheaper food and alcohol imports from continental EuropeAs a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EUFree movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier LeagueUntil the Brexit vote, the EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillionAccess to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EUNo paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single marketPrice transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the EurozoneFDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single MarketThe UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EUBritish banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EUCornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” projectFinancial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UKEU funding for the British film industryEU funding for British theatre, music and danceEU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby leagueGlasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economiesEU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practicesStrict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EUHuman Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental RightsThe death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membershipMinority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU lawThe right to reside in any EU member stateThe freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictionsThe mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EUThe mutual recognition of educational diplomasThe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EUThe freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)The freedom to set up a business in 28 countriesThe ability to retire in any member statePension transferabilityThe right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member stateEU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continentThe right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EUThe EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislationReductions in sewage emissionsImprovements in the quality of beaches and bathing waterEU standards on the quality of drinking waterRestrictions on landfill dumpingEU targets for recyclingCommon EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic wasteThe implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areasEU policies have stimulated offshore wind farmsStrict safety standards for cars, buses and trucksProtection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industryMembership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovationThe UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for researchEU funding for UK universitiesCooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of EuratomMinimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtimeMinimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant womenRights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birthEU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientationEU rules governing health and safety at workThe rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment lawThe UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen areaSince 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budgetEU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, pedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crimeThe European common arrest warrantEurope-wide patent and copyright protectionEU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safetyImproved food labelingA ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additivesCheaper air travel due to EU competition lawsCommon EU air passenger rightsDeregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered pricesMutual recognition of the common European driving licenseThe introduction of the European pet passportThe abolition of mobile telephone roaming chargesThe EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday AgreementA frictionless Irish borderThe EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of GibraltarThe EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British touristsEU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogueDuty-free booze in any quantity you need for family useFree travel insurance for travel anywhere in the EUImportantly, the EU is large enough to be able to negotiate down and regulate the costs of medications. Therefore EU citizens avoid the incredible prices people pay for medications in countries such as the USABut instead of hearing about the plentiful benefits of leaving the EU, all you hear are Leavers whining like bitches: Why can't Brexiters get over winning?Here are other examples of cutting off our noses to spite our faces, which is something one should never do, unless one is pathologically mentally-impaired:What is the arithmetic of Brexit?Are Brexit supporters correct or wrong to assume there's no net benefit of paying into the EU?EDIT.Ah, got the answered re-instated. Facts are, well, hard to refute as a few Leavers may have discovered:

here are 98 reasons why we should have stayed in the EU and why we should keep campaigning to rejoin it. Pretty compelling I would say. By contrast the reasons Brexiters give for leaving are pretty lame by comparison98 Reasons To Stay In The EU: Benefits Of Membership For The UKMembership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDPThe UK has greater global influence as a member of the EUThe EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and ChinaWith Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighboursTariff-free trade within the EUThe abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among membersParticipation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU memberThe EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and servicesThe EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and servicesCheaper food and alcohol imports from continental EuropeAs a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EUFree movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier LeagueThe EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillionAccess to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EUNo paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single marketPrice transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the EurozoneFDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single MarketThe UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EUBritish banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EUCornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” projectFinancial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UKEU funding for the British film industryEU funding for British theatre, music and danceEU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby leagueGlasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economiesEU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practicesStrict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EUHuman Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental RightsThe death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membershipMinority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU lawThe right to reside in any EU member stateThe freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictionsThe mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EUThe mutual recognition of educational diplomasThe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EUThe freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)The freedom to set up a business in 28 countriesThe ability to retire in any member statePension transferabilityThe right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member stateEU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continentThe right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EUThe EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislationReductions in sewage emissionsImprovements in the quality of beaches and bathing waterEU standards on the quality of drinking waterRestrictions on landfill dumpingEU targets for recyclingCommon EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic wasteThe implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areasEU policies have stimulated offshore wind farmsStrict safety standards for cars, buses and trucksProtection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industryMembership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovationThe UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for researchEU funding for UK universitiesCooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of EuratomMinimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtimeMinimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant womenRights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birthEU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientationEU rules governing health and safety at workThe rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment lawThe UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen areaSince 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budgetEU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, pedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crimeThe European common arrest warrantEurope-wide patent and copyright protectionEU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safetyImproved food labelingA ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additivesCheaper air travel due to EU competition lawsCommon EU air passenger rightsDeregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered pricesMutual recognition of the common European driving licenseThe introduction of the European pet passportThe abolition of mobile telephone roaming chargesThe EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday AgreementA frictionless Irish borderThe EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of GibraltarThe EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British touristsEU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogueFound via Campaign to Remain – keep Britain in Europe Facebook pageFind out what you can do to stop Brexit from these websites:People’s Vote