Thread by @Dan010173

Nigel Farage says a huge reason for Brexit is to take back control of our own laws. He says the EU wants to "take control of every single aspect of our lives."

It's a seductive claim

Who wouldn't want control of our own laws?

But as this A-Z tweet proves, we ALREADY do!

1./

British values shape British laws made by British lawmakers in British Parliaments elected by British voters

Just think about ABORTION: illegal in Northern Ireland and legal in the rest of the UK. If the EU controlled every aspect of our lives, how could that be?

2./

The same applies to the age of concept which is 16 in the UK and from 14 to 18 in other EU countries

Then think about our laws on adoptions, allotments and ASBOs. They reflect British values and a British consensus (yes, there really is a UK Allotment Act)

Now for the Bs

3./

If we want to cull badgers, that's up to us. If we want to give ourselves an extra Bank Holiday for St. George's Day, that's up to us too

Our laws on personal bankruptcy, basic income, business rates are up and down to us

When we bailed out our banks, that was down to us

4./

UK governments can set legally binding targets for waiting times, including for cancer screening - nothing to do with the EU

Council tax is a British thing

Our court martials reflect British military history

Our parental custody rights are a compromise struck in Britain

5./

If you live in England, you might not notice so much but D is for Devolution. Huge areas of law are devolved to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Stormont

Divorce laws differ across the UK as do drunk driving limits

Class A drugs? A UK thing

6./

E is for Euthanasia

Can you legally kill yourself and can other people help? Legal in some EU states, illegal in most

It's TOTALLY down to the member states, another example that when it comes to matters of life and death, it is sovereign nations who decide their laws

7./

Is fracking legal?
Can you hunt foxes?
How free is our speech?
What happens when families separate?
What's the maximum odds for fixed odds betting terminals?

UK laws decide

These laws are a reaction to British conditions and British ways of life

Nowt to do with the EU

8./

Boris Johnson once said that if a man could marry another man he didn't see why men couldn't marry their dogs

He eventually voted for gay marriage, though, IN THE UK PARLIAMENT WHICH DECIDED THE LAW

The UK Parliament voted to tighten gun control after Hungerford & Dunblane

9./

British values are reflected in laws ancient and modern

Habeas corpus is a medieval legal principle on the individual's to avoid unjust detention

Hate Crime legislation was introduced in the UK from 1994 onwards

We also set our health insurance, holiday & housing laws

10./

What counts as incest?
The UK decides

What are our legal protection against ID theft?
The UK decides

Should we even have ID cards?
No - as decided by the UK

Income Tax & Inheritance Tax - how high should they be?
UK decisions

11./

English & Scottish JURY SERVICE are both distinct and unique across the world

Our jaywalking laws are lax compared with Germany

Our juvenile courts are much tougher

Criminal responsibility starting ages:
England & Wales - 10
Scotland - 12
France - 13
Denmark - 14

12./

The British taste for legal fudge is clear in our laws on prostitution and kerb crawling

We know it happens, we wish it didn't, and we have some laws that make us feel better about the fact while trying to protect those most at risk

(KYC = know your customer, btw)

13./

L is for Legal Aid

British laws on Legal Aid profoundly affect citizens' access to justice

Our libel laws are so well-developed that people come here from around the world to try their luck with libel cases

Our licensing laws (pub opening hours) have proved less popular

14./

The fact that the UK has a system of MONARCHY is absolutely fine by the EU

Other EU members with monarchies:
Belgium
Denmark
Netherlands
Spain
Sweden

How about Nigel Farage's claim that the EU tries to "control every aspect of our lives"?

Looking a bit dumb, isn't it?

15./

If the NHS isn't a reflection of British values, I don't know what is!

Has the EU ever tried to dismantle it?
Never!

Has the US?
It's happening right now! Look at what Trump is demanding for his trade deal!

Other massive Ns we decide:
Do we want NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS?

16./

What do you swear on when taking an oath in court?
(British laws reflect British values)

What are the laws on organ donation when someone passes away?
(British laws reflect British values)

When can you breach the Official Secrets Act?
(British laws reflect British values)

17./

If there's one law that affects EVERYONE in the country, it's the law on what age you have to work to before you can collect your pension

And guess what?

IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EU
It's totally decided by the UK Government

Same goes for probate and paternity leave

18./

Let's start with Quangos, dozens of which help determine UK laws in practice

OFCOM
OFGEM
OSTED
OFWAT

Then consider Quality of Care standards (social and nursing) which are set by the UK Parliaments (the Welsh Assembly recently passed Safe Staffing laws for the Welsh NHS).

19./

Not so long ago, rape within marriage was a legal impossibility on grounds that husbands had sexual rights over their wives

British rape laws reflect how society has changed

Most recently, we brought in laws on revenge porn to reflect smartphone uses (and abuses)

20./

S is for Search Warrant

The Home Secretary wants to empower policemen with tougher search warrants - no EU law stops her

The Prime Minister wants to reintroduce Stop & Search - no EU law stops him

The Chancellor wants to cut Stamp Duty - no EU law stops him

21./

Should we renew Trident, the UK's nuclear deterrent?
COMPLETELY UP TO US

Should we let Uber compete with traditional taxis on the streets of our towns & cities?
COMPLETELY UP TO US

Should we help or hinder collective bargaining and trade unions' power?
COMPLETELY UP TO US

22./

Universal Credit is a disaster made in Britain

Brexiteers like to play the victim and say we're shackled by rules we can't control

That's grandstanding poppycock

Imagine waiting SIX weeks with no disability pay because of the UK Government's latest policy wheeze

23/.

What age can you vote in elections?
(UK decides its laws)

What age can you legally vape?
(UK decides its laws)

What jail terms do we give vandals?
(UK decides its laws)

What counts as violent disorder?
(UK decides its laws)

24./

How we protect WITNESSES from intimidation, how we legally WIND UP companies, our maximum WAITING TIMES at A&E departments, the rules on WARDS OF COURT, the subtleties of WRONGFUL or constructive dismissal...

... all are reflections of British constitutional history

25./

X is for X-Ray
Exception to the rule: we rely on EU rules for safe transit of radioactive materials across borders - they help cancer screening x-ray machines

X is also for Xenodochium (from ancient Greek) pertaining to UK laws on inns and places where strangers may lodge

26./

Y is for York-Antwerp Rules

These centuries-old bodies of law (nowt to do with the EU) have evolved to deal with maritime disputes

They help commerce and ease trade between nations - so long as each country is willing to compromise and contribute

Bit like the EU, right?

27./

ZEBRA CROSSING laws have been in place since 1954 (long before we joined the EU)

ZOO WELFARE rules in the UK reflect a very British desire to treat animals humanely

As for ZONING ORDINANCES, they're inexistent (we choose not to pass laws like this)

28./

I hope you've enjoyed this read through an A to Z of British laws and values

I'm sure I've missed out loads so please feel free to chip in

And please share this thread WHENEVER you see someone making the lazy claim that the EU controls Britain or British laws

29./

So why do people fall for the lie that the EU wants to control every aspect of our lives?

It hails from the build-out of the single market when for years all we heard about were EU rules on standardising sausages or harmonising ham

A dull but necessary phase which is over

30./

During that build-out of the single market, we had to agree to go with the consensus or the SM would have got bogged down forever

And on 72 occasions, we were overruled

Was the British way of life affected?
Nah! Jim Grace explains them all...

https://twitter.com/mac_puck/status/1087360379691380736?lang=en

31./ ENDS