Off Topic Political Debate

News item:

Carney says EU has helped UK economy
The governor of the Bank of England says Britain's membership of the EU has re-inforced the "dynamism of the UK economy".
mmm

 

Another scare story....

 

Mr Carney emphasised that the bank was not taking sides in the EU referendum.

'WE WILL NOT BE MAKING, AND NOTHING WE SAY SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS MAKING, ANY RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO THAT DECISION'

 

Selective reporting Yorkie

I see Rees-Mogg tried to give him a bit of a kicking and failed slightly...

 

well that is what he said

 

There was a lack of comments yesterday on Mervyn King's views. I wonder why?

 

I cannot see Rees-Mogg giving anyone a "kicking" - if anybody is the epitome of "the product of centuries of inbreeding" it is him.

 

I must admit it is a bit galling to see people on both sides of the media/parliamentary debate painting all sorts of doom and gloom when in reality it will not matter a fig to them as they can afford to weather any sh1tstorm

 

I have been out to lunch with French and UK friends and while there as the subject came up did my own polling. The results show that 100% of the French want us to stay in. 99.5% of Brits want to stay in. The half percent could almost be discounted as he only lives here part of the year and did not care what happened, so would not vote.
The theme that came up from nearly everyone I was chatting to, was as nations we need to work together to solve problems, not retreat behind outdated ideas. The world is changing and we must change with it, and yes the EU needs reforming for the good of all. Far better to have the UK inside rather than shouting from across the Channel as their voices will be lost in the wind.

 

Ah, so it's now wind in Channel, Continent deaf.

 

Are you planning on reforming the Eurocrats that have no respect for national democracies. If the vote does not go their way they order further referendums until the 'correct' result is achieved. There is no power within the EU that can stop the formation of a United States of Europe. Shout as much as you like they don't take any notice of the proletariat.

 

I would have totally expected such a result, the French will be desperate for the UK to carry on contributing to the EU budget, it will be a huge loss and if I was an ex-pat I am sure I would have a different perspective as you have far more risk in a Brexit - fully understand that position. But I do find it laughable that the French can lecture the British on the need to work together - this is the nation that left NATO, ignores EU laws and the associated fines when it suits them and insists on the ridiculous situation of moving the whole EU Parliament to Strasbourg each month just because they need a presence on French soil. No doubt when the EU Army is formed the French will insist on it being based in France. Plus we are threatened with sanctions if our people exercise our democratic rights - it seems that we are wanted when it suits!

 

The french pride themselves on breaking rules although I have been massively surprised they actually refrain from smoking in most restaurants.

The expats in France have no need to worry, on Brexit nothing much would change, if anything.

 

Just reporting the views of a couple of hundred people SH and w_y. It might well be true that people who have moved over here are far more outward looking or else they wouldn't have made the move. It is not the French lecturing the Brits at all. It is a common cause to see some of the problems that exist resolved, and we cannot see how the Brexit supporters have shown that they are interested in anything outside the UK. Yes pay up some money every now and again, but the contribution could be so much more with the country's wealth and experience. As I pointed out some time ago, no one expects a EU Army for very many years, so that is not even a point worth discussing.

The people I was talking to cover all sorts of ages, trades as well as retired. None of us are politicians, so we only say what we see, but we do read both UK and French news, so we probably get a more balanced view than someone who only ever sees one biased UK paper. Everyone of us can see problems with the EU and the way it is slow to change, but exactly the same can be said about the UK.

 

You manage to put your own slant on everything W_Y. The reason for Strasbourg is that it was once German, is now French and represents the reconciliation between the 2. It is truly multi national and multi lingual and thus represents the European ideal - in the same way that Brussels was chosen ie. that it is multi lingual. But it doesn't really matter where a second capital is - if it were in Germany there would be uproar, the same goes for anywhere else, and if it were in London then it would be interpreted as a takeover bid. In the modern World you need partners and trade blocks - Britain's sovereignty would be far more threatened by closer links to the USA. and China is much too big to be talking about a special relationship. Geographically Germany and France are always going to be there - just over the water and it is only with them that we can have an 'equal' eye to eye relationship. Yes, the EU. needs reforming but this can only be done from within, and through the Europeans themselves taking their institution back by always holding it to account for its actions. The idea of a European super state has as much opposition in Germany or France or Spain as it does in the UK. but in those countries they understand that throwing all of your toys out of the pram when things don't go your way is no option.

 

No? Some facts please.

 

Myself and Nigel Lawson are both examples of committed francophiles having lived in France for many years long before you. Unlike you we place importance on the UK having the ability to make its own laws. This does not exclude sensible cooperation with fellow Europeans but we dislike being dominated by obscure unelected eurocrats who are acting similar to FIFA top officials. The UK public only ever signed up to a common market, not a superstate.

I will probably buy a second home in France in the next few years, brexit or not. The world will not stop revolving if the UK left this ailing organisation.
You may not have been to the UK for a while but I can assure you most people have access to all kinds of media.

If the population of the UK dislike the government they can vote to change which is a luxury that you do not possess in changing the fiddling eurocrats.

 

Which facts are you after, the french breaking rules they do not like or the fact that the best way the french can protect their nationals living in the UK is to take a reasonable attitude to our expats.

Unlike the penniless migrants the french quite like us buying their unwanted country houses which they sell to unwary Brits. They see the benefit in us employing builders, on the black or otherwise. It is not hard to see the positive effects of attracting relatively well off Brits.

 

You made a broad statement above. I thought you must have some information that had escaped me. This response shows that clearly you didn't have.