To me this is the problem - these 'wider benefits' - what are they and at what cost ? And does anyone know for a fact how us leaving the EU would affect anything negatively ? My issue is that the British people were encouraged to accept an open trading partneship with other European countries and over time that has altered to a federal organisation that now can issue directives/laws etc that directly affect the UK. All done with no direct mandate from the British people. Done by govts of all persuations. It really is time we were educated about it, without the sneering attitude of some of those wholly committed to the EU and the wild eyed scaremongering of the red tops.
My main 'wider benefit' is that the EU directs funding in to areas that left to their own devices the government (certainly this one) would not, particularly regeneration. Huge amounts of funding for deprived areas come from the EU. I accpet completely that much of that is money we put in in the first place but it would not IMO be spent on those areas otherwise. One major issue that gets glossed over and sneered at is the EU has brought a prolonged period of peace to one of the historically bloodiest continents on earth. How long that will last though if they continue to pursue enforced austerity on member countries in some sort of 'Treaty of Versailles blame individual countries for everything' approach remains to be seen. I completely agree there needs to be a proper debate and a completely honest one. The problem is it will get lost in the Conservatives tearing each other apart over the issue. And that the real issues will get lost in some random, out of context court of human rights case example and no politicians being prepared to say the positives that migration brings
Worst programme on the telly..ent watched it for years and years...as soon as it went to invited audience only and there questions, it wasn't worth a toss.. As big a stage-manged pantomime, of propaganda..as any Stalinist or Nazi theater for the past....
With regard to peace in Europe, I wonder how much is down to the strength of NATO and the desire of the old Soviet states for independence ? That's not demeaning anything that encourages nations to talk rather than fight. Europe generally is going to have to cope with an ever escalating economic crisis, exacerbated by the strict conditions of Euro membership perhaps ? Whether a more Federal organisation can cope with different nations rather than different states of the same nation (as per USA) remains to be seen. I dunno, it's complicated.
Very complicated. Which is perhaps why a simple yes/no referendum might not be the best way forward...
Agree with that. Not heard any educated arguments about it - you either get told it's good or bad. It's so complicated I haven't got an opinion on it.
Yeah, but it stops your party arguing, takes the wind out of UKIP's sails and maybe encourages floating voters to vote for you. Balls to proper debate....
Unless it actually comes off and you sneak an election win (which they won't IMHO) and then you have to deal with an internal party civil war. Seems a very desperate act to me.
He is desperate. I think the vote will be split even more than the last election. Think the Tories will eventually fragment into more right wing traditionalist and new Tory-lite, more central parties. Labour are pathetic at the moment, although all Miliband has to do currently is sit and watch the Tories have the EU debate all by themselves..
True but thats no consolation if the European agenda is not compatible with ours....or any other country in Europe for that matter.
Would you be happy in investing in an organisation that hasn't had its accounts audited in 10+ years, that requires two head offices, and an administration that numerous staff that are overpaid, underqualified, and totally overstaffed
THE EU has been a very good thing for all of europe including the UK It has prevented another european World war, which it set out to do with the formation of the weurppean Steel and coal agreement following the last war. Whether or they have or are going to far is another issue