Referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Thanks

The "Net by population" chart is very informative.

The "% by income" is one that the anti-Europeans will not want to see, because it shows that the UK pays a lower proportion of its income than any of the other countries.

.probably because of the negotiated rebate

unfortunately joinerjohn did not come back with the figures, but they don't appear to support his claims that

joinerjohn said:

Put it this way JohnD,, We pay in as much in a year as Spain (that popular holiday destination) receives from the EU in a year. The EU still consider Spain to be a "Developing country" and therefore receives much more than they pay in to the club.
Their tourist industry alone pulls in much more than the UK could ever hope to achieve.

You tell me that this is fair and equitable (or am I being narrow minded?)

The Eurozone have their problems, yet it's the UK who's asked time and time again to help out. Didn't the Euro Commissioners realise we had a recession here in the UK as well? (or did they just go ahead safe in the knowledge that any British government would take it lying down, then tax the working population till the pips squeaked?)

Click to expand...

John D answer please.



Do you want to join the single currency, John - or are you just playing at being a Europhile?

I am in favour of members of the EU joining a single currency. I am in favour of the UK being part of the EU. So yes.

Today might not be the best day to do it though.

However you are off-topic (see thread title above)

Susiejb said:

I must admit that really I don't know myself whether its good to stay in or come out, we would need the pros and cons stated in very clear concise language that we could all understand to make the referendum worthwhile.

Click to expand...

Pros: Very few, and they all come with downsides. And there are none which could not be implemented by a simple agreement between the national governments involved.

Cons: Where do we start?

JohnD said:

I am in favour of members of the EU joining a single currency. I am in favour of the UK being part of the EU. So yes.

Today might not be the best day to do it though.

However you are off-topic (see thread title above)

Click to expand...

When did this forum ever stay on topic?

If we'd joined the single currency we'd be keeping Greece company by now.

We could start by asking ourselves what we have in common with our potential EU partners ... Other than them being our closest neighbours.

Unity is built upon common values and beliefs and we have so little in common with other EU members that membership would be a total disaster IMO.

I'd sooner become the 51st State of the US than be part of the totally dysfunctional animal the EU has become.

No politician (of either major party) will ever go to a referendum on this issue though because the outcome is a foregone conlusion.

MW

€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€

ooh!

megawatt said:

No politician (of either major party) will ever go to a referendum on this issue though because the outcome is a foregone conlusion.

MW

Click to expand...

The Irish voted NO.........Then were "persuaded" to vote YES.

They are doing fantastic now........

trazor said:

The Irish voted NO.........Then were "persuaded" to vote YES.

Click to expand...

And it wasn't just in Ireland where such "persuasion" took place.

This is the nature of the EU and of national governments which support it.

When the electorate (assuming it's allowed a vote in first place) votes "No" to any proposal for further powers being handed to the EU, it's taken as a sign that they just need to keep pushing and having vote after vote until they get the "correct" answer. But once a "Yes" vote has been bulldozed through, they consider that to be the final answer for all time.

three hundred and thirty views, but only 25 voted? lets hope that given the referendum the percentage of voters is higher than this, apathetic or what

Wotan

Maybe the two options offered for votes do not encompass all the opinions held.

wotan said:

three hundred and thirty views, but only 25 voted? lets hope that given the referendum the percentage of voters is higher than this, apathetic or what

Wotan

Click to expand...

339 now I've had my 15th view

JohnD said:

Maybe the two options offered for votes do not encompass all the opinions held.

Click to expand...

Now , now JohnD, what you really mean is , the two options offered do not encompass, "Your Opinion"
Sorry I didn't get back earlier though. I 'm afraid I can't back up my statement about Espana earlier as I plucked the figures out of thin air (much as politicians do when talking of Europe and money)
Suffice to say Spain's tourism industry has suffered of late. They made around 40bn Euro's in 2006, but this has since dropped to a mere 31bn because of the worldwide recession.(still only 9bn less though and it seems it's the British bars that have suffered more than most)) However, they still are the second largest tourist industry in the world, and are expected to keep this place (the info is out there on the internet if you care to look,. At this time of the night I just cant be @rsed)


BTW (my personal opinion) Europe has done very little for the UK. Recent cases include the Thameslink contract (going to Seimens instead of Bombardier here in Derby) Another rail contract went to Hitachi (who promised to build a factory here in the UK, but will assemble the trains and carriages in Belgium)
Historically the French ban imports of British Beef/Lamb/Pork, whenever they want to (simply by blockading ports or burning the lorries taking the livestock into their country)
The Germans have never quite forgiven us for winning the (don't mention the) war. Italy couldn't care less about Europe, (they'll agree with whoever they feel is right (even if it's wrong, just as long as Berlusconi provides them with some young distractions)) The Greeks feel miffed about avoiding paying taxes for so long then suddenly Europe is telling them they must pay tax. Portugal and Ireland are not far behind Greece. Let's face it, if Greece goes t**s up, then surely Ireland and Portugal will follow (shortly followed by Italy and others)
In real terms, I honestly think the Euro (as a currency) won't last more than a few years at most, (yet you JohnD, feel we should join, and still sit on the fence by saying "Today may not be the best day to do it." ) FFS make your mind up man. You either accept Europe and all it entails or reject their intrusion into our laws, sovereignty etc.

PS, being as most of Europe own our energy companies amongst other industries,, perhaps it's never been a case of what Europe can do for the UK, but what the UK has already done for Europe.