. . . first the US and now the Germans tell us that we are essential to the future of the EU; interesting to work out whether or not that essential refers to us, too! The EU is about far more than politics; but do you believe we are at the core of the EU, or are we simply an essential means to other folks ends?
Essential to help sort out the French? Nobody likes them. Realistically, it probably means we're essential because we're not as skint as the rest of them and we can raise a decent military force.
Everything Britain does in the world is quid pro quo - this whole episode is merely a reminder from our partners in crime to the political elite classes to carry on playing the game. Its a cliche but clearly true that the UK by and large does as its told by the US; those desiring isolation from Europe rely on a closer relationship with the US, but forget that our "national interests" are secondary to those of the "international community" of which we are a part. Look at NATO and Afghanistan - we refer to that mission as being in our direct "national interest" even though we all know it is ostensibly an American conflict to do with American security. The UK refers to it as being in our national interest - and it is, but only in a second-order manner. The thing is, the things that matter to this Government - markets and collective security - are outside the realm of national control and thus "national interest" as we understand it. The direction the EU takes in the next decade will require careful manipulation to avoid these areas of importance being royally cocked up more than they already are. Of course, one's opinion on all this depends on what you want Britain to be - I'd be all for leaving the EU if I thought for a second we would take hold of our own political and economic future, and cease to be a client state for private equity and banking cartels. But we won't.
i read that we are more skint than any country has ever been without collapsing. all related to pensions.
I'm sure the money the City of London (district not whole place) rakes in helps and all. I'm sure that keeps us afloat.
The EU needs the square mile and canary wharf. On the assumption that most of the organisations operating their European operations in the City of London or CW would leave it would be an absolute disaster for the economy of the UK if we lost the City. The City is a law unto itself, makes for interesting reading if you aren't aware but it is very similar to separate states and we need to let them get on with it. We can't adjust our entire economy based on short term political agendas.
