Just thought that it has been a long time since we had a political thread - so here goes. Was David Cameron right to announce a referendum on Britain's continued EU membership ? how should Labour respond to this ? Could Britain gain anything from leaving ? Could this have a decisive effect on the referendum result in Scotland (effectively breaking up Great Britain) ? And of course, of central concern to us, what consequences could a British (English) exit have on English football - and naturally for us as a European owned club ? Lots of questions I know - so just pick out the one which interests you most !
Cameron's stance puts me in mind of Groucho Marx: "PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON'T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT PEOPLE LIKE ME AS A MEMBER". Not exactly sure why, now I've copied it!
Do you want a long detailed reply colognehornet? I think that if I gave you one it might not get read. To view British politics from over here does seem very much like people in their castle pulling up the drawbridge at the sight of people coming over the horizon. The same could be said about our new president, who makes Cameron seem like the best thing since GT. To see some of the comments in the British press makes you realize that the rubbish that they peddle takes no account of the wider world. They used to say that live in the US and you would not know what was happening outside that country. I suspect that many politicians in Britain today would like a similar world.
Terrible timing in my opinion. I'm sure it will win him a short term boost in the polls and with his backbenchers, but he is being attacked from three sides, and the more people think about this, the more likely they are to go along with one or more of them. The Labour line is that this is the wrong time to create four years of uncertainty, while the Lib Dems' main point seems to be that you should only hold a referendum if negotiation fails. As far as football is concerned I don't think it would make too much difference. The world's biggest Anglophobe currently runs/ruins European football, what difference would a couple of right wing immigration policies make?
As for Watford specifically, we would be profitable, and surely not even the staunchest of Tory backbenchers would suggest deporting top rate taxpayers who entered the country legally, and have lived and worked in England for years. We would therefore be able to keep our existing squad together, and manage the problem in the years ahead.
Based on what the EU tries to do with Jersey, for us the UK leaving would be great news as then the EU would stop thinking that because we're part of the British Isles, they can interfere.
Just declare war on Belgium and all should be fine. Berwick upon Tweed were at war with the Soviet Union: lo and behold, the Communists never tried to interfere with the town.
There's a difference though - the Communists mistakenly believed that Berwick is in Scotland and were too fearful of tartan reprisals. Had they realised it is in England.........
One good thing about the EU: it makes sure that this can't happen http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21209808
Not sure that's necessarily a good thing. Would have been delighted to see some scousers swing after Heysel. On topic, Cameron's a prick - we're dicing with a triple dip recession and he decides to create 4 years of uncertainty which is going to make foregin investors very nervous about coming over here. I'm very pro Europe but if we're going to do this thing ket's do it quickly and have done with it. Yet again Mr cameron wants to have his cake and eat it but as he's so bloody transparent everfyone knows exactly what he's up to. I doubt being out of the EU would have a major impact on British footbal but then, of course, it depends on what the implications for any UK business are. Russian, Ukrainian and Swiss teams seems to do all right though.
Agree Cameron is a complete prick - upsetting investment is all this country needs right now and he's just done it because he wants to win back the mail and sun voters who squeezed him past the post last time and who have now turned to ukip. This is pure electioneering - if he was serious about a referendum he would go for one now and not wait until after the next election which I believe and really really hope he loses.
I saw David Camerons speaking and he has done two things. One is clever and the other is not. The stupid one first is he has given your country two years of financial worry, because he will not win the next election. Unluckily for you the Labour party will win and will spend too much money again on things you do not need. The clever thing he has done is stop the people who will stab his back stabbing him. I know the Conservatives are good at fighting themselves about Europe and by agreeing to this vote he has stopped this, unless the rest of his group are so stupid they will continue fighting. Also knowing he will lose the next election you will never have the vote becaus the Labour party or the Social Democrats would never let you have a vote as they do not trust you to vote the way they want.
I see there's elections in Iceland in April. I've doen quite a lot of work on the EU accession side and have met your industry Minister Steingrimmur a couple of times (quite a nice bloke actually). How do you see that panning out and what impact will it have on accession? I cannot see the icelandic people saying yes in a million years. What do you think>?
Dan. Our politicians are a bit different because there are so few Ãslendingar we all know almost everyone and they are not from a separated group like eveywhere else, even if they wanted this, did the British politicians nearly all go to special schools like Eton Fettes Cambridge and Oxford. Our politicians want us to join but the people do not. Every few weeks we have the politicans responsible here to tell how things are going to be when we join the EU and I think we will join, because that is what the politicians want and we will be given a time to say our thoughts, which for one time will be ignored. Our opinion polls say no and have been like this for a long time. The main worry is our fishing industry. If we join everyone will come and take the fish and leave nothing. We take a lot but not enough to totally kill all the fish population. With the EU there will be no stopping anyone.
