In 1975, I voted in a referendum Common Market , England in/out Europe. everyone I have spoken to since, say they voted NO. [ was it a fix? ] but we are still IN. My question is,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, do you want us to be in the Europe machine ? My opinion, and mine only , so far. OUT.
Voted no as well, trouble was everybody else around (in Southampton!) seemed to be voting yes. We should have made more of the Commonwealth - I`m mot that keen on Aussies, but they`re preferable to Greeks!!
Don't need to be in or out. We should do what the Swiss and Norwegians do and sign up to the European Free Trade Agreement and withdraw from full membership of the European Union. Simples....
Me too. we shold rule our own. people outside of our country should button up, and I always loved the commonwealth, and still hanker after it.
I believe in the concept of the European Union, but disagree with a lot of the way it is managed and ran..
An amalgamation of unequal contributions. Was OK to join in '75 as there was only 12 members. Its growth was approved all members including successive UK governments. Ruined by inevatible beauracracy.
IN Europa integration can only enhance our position. As we are not neutral like Norway and Switzerland we have to make decisions. As much as people like to think we arent the power we used to be, We are third fiddle in Europe behind the Germans and the French, without the EU we would have no input on legislation that would hinder our somewhat weak position. eventhough the EU can appear unfair, half the scare stories you hear are nothing but scare stories with no factual basis. I for one am glad we are in it, Without EU law on freedom of movement and education I would not hvae met my girlfriend (shes from finland and studies here in Scotland)
In reply to Uni-Mackem, freedom of movement was not the reason that you met your girlfriend. Even without the EU charter there was nothing stopping either you or her visiting each others country, even if a visa was required. What this charter has done is to allow all the waifs and strays access to the UK with little or no restrictions, with the sole intention of milking the srate of coffers that should by right go to those that have, over the years paid their contributions. The sooner we close that huge loop hole called the Channel tunnel the better. The EU is nothing more than a gravy train, and a very rich one for unelected arseholes who call themselves EU members of parliament. I say the sooner we leave the better, and lighten the burden on those who have their hard earned cash stolen to support the scroungers. By the way that's only my opinion, i doubt many will agree with me.
I think you're looking at this from the angle of recent events, the current debt crisis and somehow the myth of rampant immigration has surfaced too ...why not have a go at the Asylum Seekers too while you're about it? Let's look at the gains: The freedom of movement, the reduction frontiers barriers in the variant forms of national boundaries has allowed the free movement of goods and capital to the enormous benefit of businesses in the UK. Many people work outside of the UK in EU nations without the usual beaurocratic nonsense and of course we have many people here working as professionals from many EU nations as well as labourers from places such as Poland, which are of further benefit due to lower wage expectations and they are rightly known for their hard work. Politically, we would have been isolated and not involved in key decisions which directly and indirectly impact our economy. As a bloc of nations and for many years the EU has collectively provided a middle ground against then powerful socialist states of Russia on one side and America on the other. ...I could go on, but there's a lot more to the EU than immigration, the current Greek/EU debt crisis or misunderstood sovereignty issues.
Greek people are actively being encouraged to move to the uk as they will get more benefits etc as the Greeks are bankrupt. Ridiculous!
The only Europeans who have the same rights to U.K. benefits are the original 12 countries. Who would we trade with as most of our trade is with Europe
I voted yes as did every body i knew at the time. A lot now claim to have voted no no . I voted on the basis that the concept of a united states of europe was the best way to stop another war in europe plus, even back then employers were playing one set of workers off against another in a different country. I had hoped for european wide trade unions and a single left of centre poltical movement across all countries to work against the power of muliti national companies. We have had the first, no war, but still need to work on getting the concept of a wholly elected democratic structure to represent the people of europe rather than the vested interests of the rich and powerful in each country. I would still vote yes.
The United States of Germany. our government in Londen, will become little more than a county council.
hmm no war in Europe? Ok none between the democratic countries in Europe, but the war in Yugoslavia, Russia/Georgia, actually here is a list since 1975 1984–1999 Kurdish–Turkish conflict 1988–1994 Nagorno-Karabakh War 1989–2000 1989 Romanian Revolution 1991 Ten-Day War 1991–1992 South Ossetian War of Independence 1991–1993 Georgian Civil War 1991–1995 Croatian War of Independence 1992 War of Transnistria 1992 Ossetian-Ingush conflict 1992–1993 First War in Abkhazia 1992–1995 Bosnian War 1994–1996 First Chechen War 1997 Unrest in Albania 1998–1999 Kosovo War 1998–present Republican Dissidents Conflict 1998 Second War in Abkhazia 1999 Dagestan War 1999–2009 Second Chechen War 1999–2001 Insurgency in the Preševo Valley 21st century 2001 Insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia 2002 Perejil Island crisis 2004–present Kurdish–Turkish conflict 2004 Unrest in Kosovo 2004 Adjara crisis 2007 Civil war in Ingushetia 2008 War in South Ossetia 2009–present Insurgency in the North Caucasus 2011–present Kosovo–Serbia border clashes So saying there has been no war, because of the EU is silly, as there has been, and no doubt will be again.
But there has never been a war between 2 democratic countries either, and democracy was around a long time before the EU and I would say all member states of the EU are democratic, so its Democracy not the EU that is to thank with that imho.
