 | Home > Off Topic > European Union - Yea or nay? |
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| wslr Member Since: 18 Jul 2010 Location: Wellington, Somerset Posts: 581  
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I must start by saying that although I support the EU project in terms of commercial and economic free trade, I've always thought anything more would end in tears, including the single currency.
I'm not yet like my father, who joined UKIP and goes around generally being miserable (although the latter is likely sooner rather than later), but with all the rumblings recently, I thought I'd ask the question which is on my mind... What benefits other than economic ones does the EU offer the average UK citizen - Because I can only think of negatives? |
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30th Oct 2011 8:50am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Drainage?
Aquaducts?  Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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30th Oct 2011 9:10am |
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| scotty38 Member Since: 21 May 2011 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 571  
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Yes, but besides drainage and aquaducts, what have they given us? |
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30th Oct 2011 9:37am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Norway's a very different economy though. A population of less than 5 million people where a very large percentage are employed by the state, mostly funded by their hugh oil reserves. Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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30th Oct 2011 9:45am |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3150 
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Not sure how to respond to this one, I love the idea of a united Europe, just not the way it is currently done. The typical british "pull up the drawbridge" attitude really winds me up though. My partner is Portuguese and the hassle and abuse she gets from brits is pathetic. These days I prefer being in Europe anyway, its much more friendly, better roads, generally better value for money (especially diesel). The problem with our relationship with the EU is it seems a bit one way, and we get to pick and choose which bits to abide by. I guess thats the problem of having a "one foot in, one foot out" kind of relationship. 2011 110 USW
1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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30th Oct 2011 10:02am |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665 
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Single Currency is my biggest worry. Without Sterling I think we would simply disappear from the global stage.
Not that I am an expert, but I think we make a lot of money on currency trading. Also what would be next? Seeing the London Stock Exchange disappear? We would just be a tiny island with no political to commercial strenght then IMHO. Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) Last edited by MartinK on 30th Oct 2011 10:42am. Edited 1 time in total |
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30th Oct 2011 10:38am |
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| willy eckerslike Member Since: 15 Jun 2009 Location: North yorks Posts: 1789 
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Should have stayed in the commonwealth, been better off now. Original Member Pie n Pea Club.
110 HCPU Tipper |
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30th Oct 2011 10:41am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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Why did the so called intelligent people in Brussels allow weaker currencies like the drachma, lira and peso into the euro?
Why did the so called intelligent people in Brussels allow the rapid expansion of the EU into Eastern Europe? How come it is only the UK which really abides by EU laws and regulations? Remember France ignored EU directives to allow import of British beef at end of BSE crisis. Will all the Eastern European white van man towing cars back to Eastern Europe o trailers suddenly be fitting tachos, having full operators licence, abide by driving hours? There is nothing wrong with a free trade area. Political and economical union? 
The old EU/ECC was a small group of countries with a small impact on world stage in terms of population and economy. The growing populations and economies are China, India, Indonesia etc The only way that the European politicians could be big on the world stage is by RECKLESS expansion without regard to the dangers and the rules which they, themselves put into place. The Italian and Greece economies did not meet EU rules BEFORE entering the Euro. With 50% of the Greek debt being written off, no wonder small Eastern European countries are keen to enter the Euro zone. Now if you have a mortgage, what would your mortgage company say if you wanted 50%+ of your debt written off? On yer bike would be the politest expression from them. One size does NOT fit all. The sooner the political idiots in Brussel comes out of cloud cuckoo land the better. Brendan |
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30th Oct 2011 10:57am |
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| BigMike Member Since: 13 Jul 2010 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2253
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Peso?
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30th Oct 2011 12:01pm |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3150
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Isn't that what we are already?  2011 110 USW
1973 Series III 1-Ton 1972 Series III 1-Ton Cherrypicker 1969 IIA 1-Ton 1966 IIA 88" |
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30th Oct 2011 1:01pm |
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| ZeDefender Member Since: 15 Sep 2011 Location: Munich Posts: 4731  
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As a Brit who moved to Germany 16 years ago:
Britain should either be a team player and pull with the rest of Europe to power a strong and fair economy throughout (yes, that does include joining the Euro and being selfless enough to take the blows with everyone else) or... Pull out of Europe entirely, forgo all European help, subsidies etc. and act entirely to it's own advantage and at its own peril... and try to fight off Chinese, Russian and American economic expansion on its own (okay - not so much American )
To be honest, I don't really care after all these years. Britain for me is Suffolk and Glasgow where my parents live and kids study... and we go now as tourists on holiday  Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing... |
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30th Oct 2011 4:15pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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What European help? IIRC Britain is the second largest NETT contributor. Largest nett contributor is Germany! Biggest benefactors? Greece and the former Eastern European bloc countries. So on that argument alone both Britain and Germany would be better off outside the EU Brendan |
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30th Oct 2011 4:42pm |
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| ZeDefender Member Since: 15 Sep 2011 Location: Munich Posts: 4731
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Better off maybe, yet strangely Germany is resolute in supporting it... something about long-term vision perhaps? If Greece, Spain, Portugal etc. collapse I doubt it will be good, even for a "selfish Britain" (apart from cheaper holidays, strip-mining, slavery etc.) - not sure I would keep my nationality if things became that dirty... 
p.s. don't take this too seriously - I love this kind of debate Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing... |
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30th Oct 2011 5:29pm |
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| robpenrose Member Since: 15 Jan 2011 Location: Hampshire or Cornwall Posts: 338
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what about Cornwall. Where does it fit into the EU..........
Something about get off my land... Current:D4 HSE Gone: BMW Z4MC Gone: Defender TD5 90 CSW Previous: Discovery TD5 ES (Gone) |
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31st Oct 2011 1:29am |
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