[Archived] EU Veto

[Redrose49er]

The world has moved on and national boudaries now mean less and less, we live in a global economy now. The EU is by far the UK's biggest trading partner and always will be. The EU contains a far bigger market than the US (500 million people), a market that is the richest on Earth, about 20% of global GDP. Any policy or decision that hampers our relationship with our closest neighbour needs to be viewed in the long run. The politics of further integration might be flawed but the UK needs Europe more than the other way around. I'm not a big fan of Europe, just realistic.

[Mattyblue]

The world has moved on and national boudaries now mean less and less, we live in a global economy now. The EU is by far the UK's biggest trading partner and always will be. The EU contains a far bigger market than the US (500 million people), a market that is the richest on Earth, about 20% of global GDP. Any policy or decision that hampers our relationship with our closest neighbour needs to be viewed in the long run. The politics of further integration might be flawed but the UK needs Europe more than the other way around. I'm not a big fan of Europe, just realistic.

That's fine, free trade with Europe would carry on if we left the EU. They need us as well- are the Germans, Italians and Spaish going to pull out of the Eurofighter project, for example, because we are not in the EU? Of course not!

I don't see why us wanting free trade with our neighbours means we have to sign up for a European super state.

[thenodrog]

That's fine, free trade with Europe would carry on if we left the EU. They need us as well- are the Germans, Italians and Spaish going to pull out of the Eurofighter project, for example, because we are not in the EU? Of course not!

I don't see why us wanting free trade with our neighbours means we have to sign up for a European super state.

Considering the amount of crippled, lame and limping ducks that Northern Europe is saddled with that is an interesting use of the word 'super' matty.

imo to generalise any country with a border on the Mediterranean sea is better not included in any European union that we should want to be aassociated with. Leave them out and we could have a much stronger 'european super state'.

[Redrose49er]

The thing that puzzles me is that the real power houses of Europe are Germany, UK and France (probably in that order). We have to accept Germany is #1, largest population, serious exporter, high added value economy. For some reason we feel the need to give up our powerful position and let a Franco-German Alliance dominate. If Germany, UK and France worked together they could basically drive the EU idealogy away from the PIGS, towards their own gain. Petty nationalism is dead, this is a globalised world. The argument about Free Trade is an intersting one, 20+ countries with the Euro v a UK £ is a trade barrier, free trade or not.

[thenodrog]

The argument about Free Trade is an intersting one, 20+ countries with the Euro v a UK £ is a trade barrier, free trade or not.

Depends how long those 20 actually have the euro. It's a fair bet that it will be consigned to the history bucket before too long.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

Cameron is a small brained little Englander who is under pressure from a load of freaky nutters from the home counties who think we should live in the 1950s.

How out of touch are you on this particular subject lol.

I suggest you go and study some of the national opinion polls and the thoughts of both the Labour “leadership” and Labour voters…………..

[Paul]

imo to generalise any country with a border on the Mediterranean sea is better not included in any European union that we should want to be aassociated with. Leave them out and we could have a much stronger 'european super state'.

I know a lot of people don't like French but soon there'd be no one left............

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

The world has moved on and national boudaries now mean less and less, we live in a global economy now. The EU is by far the UK's biggest trading partner and always will be. The EU contains a far bigger market than the US (500 million people), a market that is the richest on Earth, about 20% of global GDP. Any policy or decision that hampers our relationship with our closest neighbour needs to be viewed in the long run. The politics of further integration might be flawed but the UK needs Europe more than the other way around. I'm not a big fan of Europe, just realistic.

You've encapsulated my opinion there.

[BuckyRover]

France and Germany made it impossible for us to sign that treaty.

All Germany needs to do is get the ECB to underwrite Euro debt. They haven't and instead try to get a new treaty (which looks at the future rather than the massive elephant in the room).

Simply because it's not in Merkel's interest to underwrite the PIIGS as it would be political suicide. Just as it would be political suicide for Cameron to sign.

Also, this new treaty says that if you exceed a deficit of 0.5%, unelected EU commissars can replace your government and implement their tax and spend policy. So you don't even get to choose between labour/conservative with regard to spending plans.

21at century democracy

[Steve Moss]

Here is a neat link: http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2011/12/back_to_the_ang.html

And here is a link to the Anglosphere flag: http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/AnglosphereFlag.jpg

[dave birch]

Whilst the Europeans fiddle, the rest of the world burns (from a stock market pov)

It came to me, that someone in Europe must be lining themselves up for a massive windfall, when this gets settled.

It has got to be simpler than having committee after committee to decide what to do.

[Steve Moss]

I think this is a decent Wall Street Journal article on Britian's issues with Europe.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204791104577110163558996698.html

I also think the authors are correct. Britian should give the finger to the EU and join NAFTA.