[Randarosa]

Brit and Continental Buds......what's the word on the UK threatening to leave the European Union? Is it good or bad....and for whom? Will it happen? What will be the potential fall out?

 

[dudman]

Everyone bar none I have asked here in the UK including myself are strongly leaning towards leaving. However the politicians are spewing so much bullshit on either side of the debate who know which way it will go. One thing I am sure of at the moment is that I will properly vote to leave.

 

[Red800]

Yeah I'm the same as Dudman, I'm out, and only spoke to one person (Scottish) who is in favour of staying in.
It will have its good points and bad points as you can imagine, biggest for me will be the ability to control our borders, he says laughing, and to stop the EU forcing laws and regulations on the UK, they laws and regulations may be workable for mainland Europe but the UK is an island so is a different kettle of fish.
We would however be better able to make an informed decision if the scaremongering from both the in and out campaigns stopped.

 

[dean100yz]

Yep I'm out too

 

[Mick de V]

When things are not looking rosy, it always easier to say no rather than yes we'll try. Blame someone else for your trouble, which is what Brexit philosophy is based on. And put up the shutters.

Pretty similar to all populist movements flourishing around the world at the moment - Trump and Sanders in the US are great examples but there are many more in many countries.

Say no, reject whatever the "establishment" is putting forward, blame the "system", but have no realistic plan whatsoever to implement should you end up in power.

UK folks should remember that at the time they joined the EU, they still had some remnants of an empire that reached beyond their borders. That is no longer the case. If they leave the EU now, they will find themselves on their own. Isolated. Do they realise the implications of such a move? Most probably not. Populist propaganda is negative and short termist in essence.

Now, will the rest of the EU miss the UK? The answer to that question is not so clear cut...

 

[Ackers]

I'm certainly leaning towards the out vote. As said the scaremongering doesn't help anyone, apart from those dishing it and you can't trust the media to offer impartial advice either.

I believe the whole issue of trade is a load of rubbish. If you sell a product people want at a price that's right they'll buy if from you, wether your in the EU or not. They say there will be 10% duty increases on imports/exports but I'll bet the avoidance of eu trade bureaucrazy will easily outweigh that.

I imagine the French are bricking it, if we leave and make entry into the UK far stricter what will they do with all the migrants at Calais?

I think overall we will be better off as a nation out of it than in it?

 

[Chr1s_j]

At the moment I think we should stay in. Having said that, there is an awfully long way to go yet and both sides need to put forward their arguments for and against rather than just scaremongering either way which is all that seems to have happened thus far.

 

[VeeTwin]

Out, out, out. I saw a news article yesterday featuring the Vauxhall (car) plant & suggesting mass unemployment if we leave... I don't get this... If imported cars become more expensive they can just sell all their lovely Vauxhalls to us, offering great value. :jsm:

 

[Randarosa]

So, when is the vote? Will it pass? Who actually votes? Are the UK politicians bound by the vote, or is it just a referendum that they can subsequently ignore?

 

[Red800]

Vote is June 23rd and yes technically politicians could block the exit if the vote went that way.
Parliament would have to pass various laws to exit the EU.
I don't know how likely it would be for any MP/party to try and block the exit, it would be the end of their career for sure.
Everyone on the electoral register has a vote as far as I know.

 

[andrew fotheringham]

I'm for getting out as this could mean we as a country/nation can decide where my taxes are spent and on what. At the moment the Uk is one of the biggest payers of money into the eu funds and what do we get? nothing but other countries telling us what to do.

 

[noggin]

The auditors have refused to sign off the books for I think 23 years now, the place is corrupt. I agree with the original free trade market but all the additional legislation that have been voted for by politicians only. I think the Dutch are wanting to break away as well or are at least keeping an eye on our situation.

Google Common Purpose

 

[Maximum Velocity]

More politics topics? Is one not enough?

 

[CharLy]

Out

So glad we never subscribed to the euro

I think the scaremongering will increase over the next few months

I work for QinetiQ and they have already circulated a poorly written email to all staff saying they wish to stay in

 

[J_Spec]

Interesting to hear the perspective of "leave the EU to secure the border." How xenophobic! :stir:

 

[Ackers]

Interesting to hear the perspective of "leave the EU to secure the border." How xenophobic! :stir:

It's funny you should say that, all we are hearing from your side of the pond is how rather a lot of your fellow citizens are backing a man who wants to build a wall across Mexico

 

[Randarosa]

More politics topics? Is one not enough?

I thought about that before I created a seperate thread. Since the GPR thread is a bazillion posts long and mostly focused on numerous US topics, I felt a single non-American thread was best. Also, I didn't presume this thread would become toxic.

 

[Randarosa]

I hop it doesn't become toxic......hint, hint.

 

[Mick de V]

I don't really care either way, but an informed and intelligent debate would be interesting rather than the usual baseless populist assertions such as "ability to control our borders", "Europe forcing their regulations on the UK", "we contribute too much and do not see anything in return", "the place is corrupt" etc...

Lots of xenophobic overtones in the above rubbish and total misunderstanding of the way the EU works.
Every anti EU lobby in every EU member country complains about Europe bureaucracy, conveniently ignoring the fact that EU institutions and bureaucracy are elected/selected by/from member countries. Every anti EU lobby in every EU member country complains they're contributing too much and not getting enough in return. That's just part of trying to get a better deal at the negotiation table.

For those who care about facts, here's a digest of member contributions to the EC budget, in absolute value, per capita and relative to GNI :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8036097.stm#start

Re the auditors not signing the books, that is just another outright lie :
http://ec.europa.eu/news/2015/11/20151110_en.htm

Just my two bobs worth; hopefully not too toxic by Randy's standards.

 

[Maximum Velocity]

I hop it doesn't become toxic......hint, hint.

Don't worry!! I will do nothing I mostly distance myself from any politic discussion!