I agree that remain will probably win due to people resorting to the status quo. I also agree the problems in the EU will not go away. The eurocrats will keep on the path to ever closer fiscal and political union whilst the inhabitants of the EU will become even more disillusioned leading to demands for referendums on membership of the EU in other countries. I don't however think there will be any kind of demand from Scottish electorate for another vote on separation from the rest of the UK, certainly not unless the oil price rocketed and remained at a high price for quite a while. Alas, Merkel's foolish open door policy has created a situation whereby the far right in many European countries have grown enormously, a right proper mess.
Well I am sure you have some examples of this evolution of the EU institutions OFH - what reforms are they proposing and discussing with the national governments? As I don't read the British press, I must have missed the sound-bites. Within 5 years, Albania and Serbia will have either joined or will be a long way down the road to joining.
Hope they do. I'm looking forward to stop subsidising our friends in the far north. The Barnett formula should be scrapped.
I would swap the tranquillity of life in France for the rat race of materialism any day..... and in fact I do. It comes down to values. The meaning of life is not in materialism and economic pie in the sky goals.... Sadly many people who choose that route do it to get more for themselves.... and no doubt feel good about giving a little to 'the needy'. IMO I want all people to have the same standard of living based on the notion of communities. So I am more than happy for the good folk of Albania and elsewhere to have their opportunities. It is just an accident of fate that some of us life in a first world country whilst 100,000s of thousands die every year of totally treatable illnesses elsewhere. And yes most politics stinks... and there are good people like Jo Cox who want to make a difference too...
The most honest and effective societies are those where individuals take responsibility for their families and themselves knowing full well the taxes they pay are used to help the less fortunate in society. The alternatives, often quoted by Cologne, result in despair for the masses in contrast to the grace and favours shown to dictator's lackeys.i.e. Putin's Russia and China. The UK is the most crowded country in Europe, we can help the less fortunate in other countries but not by them relocating here. One of the worst policies in Europe is the unfair advantage caused by the subsidised European Common Agricultural Policy. This prevents the third world competing on a level playing field, it causes tremendous hardship, where are all the do-gooders on this issue?
I suppose you have to be fortunate enough to be able to swap your life for the tranquillity in France - is not having a holiday home materialistic?
The subject of an over-populated country is an interesting one. Why is the answer stopping people from different countries coming in? Perhaps the answer is a China-style restriction of births? That involves 'intervention' though, 'Nanny State' and all that. Easier to point the finger at all those foreigners.
The one thing that all sides have agreed on is that in the event of a leave vote there would be job losses. The number is open to dispute, but no one has suggested that it wouldn't happen. A pretty simple question then. If you were told that your job would be one of the ones going, would you still vote to leave knowing full well what effect it could have on your family? If you answer no, then why should you impose it on someone else?
Maybe they should look at the reasons why Britain has 3 times more teenage pregnancies than any other European country before pointing the finger at immigration.
Is the leave leadership crumbling? Gove has to apologize for the Nazi comments he made, and now says that the issue of Turkey is 10 - 20 years down the line. Meanwhile Farage has pulled out of a debate on Channel 4 with his old adversary Paxman. There is You Tube footage of a previous encounter between the two when Paxman made him look very foolish.
Just because Cameron hasn't done it I will. The benefits of the EU are: 1. We have the freedom to live, work or retire anywhere in Europe (and around 2 million have done this). 2. It sustains millions of jobs. 3. Holidays are much easier (and safer - you have the right to emergency treatment, and also consular protection from any EU. embassy anywhere in the World). 4. Consumer protection. Better environmental rules & workers rights eg. maternity pay. 5. Cross country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. 6. The net benefit of EU. membership has been estimated as between 62 and 78 billion pounds by the CBI. 7. We have greater influence in a globalized World within it. I could go on and on here. Now the myths of Brexit: 1. Britain will be overrun by EU. migrants, placing pressure on our social services. Pressure on wages etc. Fact: Nobody can actually say how many are in Britain because there is no effective registration system. The estimate is 3.3 million. Unemployment is very low in the UK. & immigrants are not only able to integrate into this workplace but also create new jobs - every seventh new business is started by an immigrant in the UK. which is responsible for providing 14% of all new jobs. 2. Tales about how expensive Europe is (the 350 million per week story). Fact: Half of all money paid by the UK. is reinvested there, either through agricultural subsidies, EU. financed projects or research grants. In terms of what the UK. actually pays in relation to GDP. after all these rebates, it drops to number 10 in Europe. 3. Over estimation of Britain's trading power. Fact: A union of 28 states has more negotiating power than one alone. Obama has been very clear on this one. Any deal made with the EU. post Brexit would have to be agreed to by 72% of the delegates in Brussels (not just by the German car industry). 4. The criticism of a rule crazy unelected bureaucracy in Brussels. Fact: Bureaucracy does get on many people's nerves, not just in Britain, but, this serves the interests of the largest trading block in the World - and is to this end. Decisions are made exclusively by representatives of the national governments and elected politicians (including British - the only reason they have less influence is because so many of them are from Ukip and never go to meetings, just run up their expenses). In 90% of all cases laws were made which the British voted for.. 5. The banks will stay, and London will continue as the financial centre of Europe. Fact: Investments are already leaving. The claim is that through leaving the EU. we will regain our sovereignty - but, we will have to strike alternative deals from a position of weakness, and every deal limits sovereignty. I'm sorry that I cannot find short sharp slogans which are repeatable in the pub - like Brexit can, I just pray that the British people will not be deluded and led by the nose tomorrow into something which younger generations will damn them for in years to come.
If I was a lefty which thankfully I'm not I would consider somebody having a second home which is hardly used, elitist at best, downright greedy at worse. Maybe those good folk from Albania will be offered opportunities.
The Germans are already lobbying against tariffs in the event of Brexit, even before the vote because they are concerned about unemployment in their own country. The only thing the EU has excelled on is unemployment, it is a job loss machine.
The leave leadership has done remarkably well to arrive at this stage with the polls at 44% each. The remain team had the luxury of the government departments behind their totally uninspiring and unconvincing campaign. Cameron now knows he only conned half of the voting public.
The German car industry is not the German government SH. so you can't use the expression 'the Germans' in that way. Also, as stated in my last post, any deal made with the EU. needs the support of 72% of the EU. parliament - some industrialists here can pipe on as much as they want but it doesn't change that.
And the leave campaign has had the luxury of having had Fleet Street printing only stories detremental to the EU. and ignoring the positives for about the last 30 years - a continuous flow of propaganda which, unfortunately, conditions the way many British people think about 'what goes on in Brussels'. Maybe you should read up about Bojo's journalistic history.
You must know well the German industrial leaders have great influence in Germany. Markus Kerber said it would be very very foolish to impose tariffs on the UK. Common sense would prevail.
