The Out campaign’s main economic argument – that Britain’s huge trade deficit is a secret weapon, because the EU would have more to lose than Britain from a breakdown in trade relations – is flatly wrong. Britain would need to negotiate access to the European single market for its service industries, whereas EU manufacturers would automatically enjoy virtually unlimited rights to sell whatever they wanted in Britain under global World Trade Organization rules. Britain would therefore need an EU association agreement, similar to those negotiated with Switzerland or Norway. Norway and Switzerland must abide by all EU single market standards and regulations, without any say in their formulation. They agree to translate all relevant EU laws into their domestic legislation without consulting domestic voters. They contribute substantially to the EU budget. And they must accept unlimited EU immigration, resulting in a higher share of EU immigrants in the Swiss and Norwegian populations than in the UK. If Britain rejected these encroachments on national sovereignty, its service industries would be locked out of the single market. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/22/why-britain-wont-vote-to-leave-the-eu
We do have a Commonwealth Free Trade Agreement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_free_trade (I know it's wiki, but feel free to find another link) in place. We also have lots of trade deals around the world - UKTI regularly has trade missions going around the globe https://www.gov.uk/search?q=trade missions. However while if we stay in the EU we can negotiate trade deals as part of the biggest trading bloc in the world (selling access to 503million people as potential customers) as has been done lots of times already with access to the EAP. Instead we would be negotiating with the biggest trading blocs in the world (the EU, the North American Free Trade Agreement (around 444million people) and the China and the South East Asia Free Trade Agreement to give access to our 60million population market. And while our individual economy is quite impressive (between 5th/6th largest in the world) - when you compare it to the economic power or the other trading blocs then our negotiating power is somewhat reduced...
I don't believe EU countries are going to let thousands of Britains live in their countries claiming benefits,why would or should they
I think that is the issue - there is little facts being given by the press or politicians (or if politicians are giving them, they aren't being reported, just the soundbites). So people aren't able to make an informed decision - or at least a better informed decision about this massively complex issue. It's either 'I'm scared of immigrants', 'A xenophobic fear', 'a security fear' or 'a fear of losing out' or 'a fear of being on our own' - these seem to be the arguments people are supposed to vote on!
You've already had Duncan Smith saying that remaining in the EU will be detrimental to our national security
Ian Duncan Smith - if there was ever a numpty to do the opposite of then he is definitely one of them!
I was going to offer tea and crumpets - your contribution sounds good. I'll just read all the articles I've been offered and then get a date set. The missus will be dying to meet you all!
I've also never seen an argument about leaving EU about how we would maintain a sustainable working age population, seeing as we are a hugely aging population at the moment thanks to the baby boomers, and need working age immigrants (the huge majority of immigrants are working age) to work and pay for the pensions of our aging population - Pensions being the biggest benefit and bigger than all other benefits combined and then some!
I bet we'd get the shock of our lives if we actually met each other,saying that o have met PISKIE and Sanj
Well as you can tell by my name I'm also partial (well more like my blood is mostly made up of) a bit of vodka - though now I do prefer Zubrowka bison grass vodka than Smirnoff! (being a European and all)
Ohh for a minute I thought you were suggesting that I was at the UKIP conference that is on in Llandudno now! I work in the Welsh Gov so I've been to a few up there, I used to go to the WJEC (Welsh Joint Education Committee) Student Innovation Awards. They are awards for GSCE and A-Level students for the best Design and Technology projects across Wales (a few have gone on to create successful companies or been on Dragon's Den). Also been there for a few Business Support road shows as well.
We don't have a free trade agreement with the common wealth, that's a wiki link discussing the concept of it. We aren't able to do deals with the rest of the world freely as we are limited by the EU customs rules and tariffs, that's just the facts I'm afraid!
