Should the UK be a part of the European Union?

Former_MSE_Debs
Former_MSE_Debs Posts: 890 Forumite
edited 4 December 2012 at 6:26PM in MoneySaving polls
Poll started 4 Dec 2012

Prime Minister David Cameron has hinted there may be a referendum on this hot topic, though he hasn't said when. However, it wouldn't be an in/out vote, instead it'd be whether the UK should renegotiate its position in Europe, so it is less integrated within the EU.

How would you vote, in an in/out and 'renegotiation' vote?





Did you vote? Why did you pick that option? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below. To see the results from last time, click this
«134

Comments

  • stevemcol
    stevemcol Posts: 1,666 Forumite
    IMHO the EU should be a free trade area, period. On that basis, yes, we should be part of it. I can't see any justification or need for federalisation. However, I don't see why the other EU members should be expected to treat the UK as a special case so I guess 'out' is a possible option. I've no doubt though that this decision would be damaging to the UK. The policiticians should never have been able to overstep the original concepts of the EEC without further referenda.
    Apparently I'm 10 years old on MSE. Happy birthday to me...etc
  • Didn't the PM promise a referendum on this before he was elected?
  • landsker
    landsker Posts: 65 Forumite
    A straightforward IN/OUT vote, not a fudged compromise designed to confuse the public, is absolutely necessary,, sooner, rather than later.
    I urge you all to support/join/donate to UKIP, the only straightforward party to advance this view.
    UKIP have a full policy on most current issue, see here:-
    http://www.ukip.org/content/ukip-policies

    We are NOT a one policy party, nor are we racists, closet or otherwise!
  • Ken68
    Ken68 Posts: 6,825
    First Anniversary First Post Energy Saving Champion Home Insurance Hacker!
    Forumite
    I think it is too late, too much invstment and can't see member states giving us an easy ride if we chose to leave.
    Makes sense for them to push us out before that.
    DON'T BUY BRITISH will be the slogan in the EU.
  • Most of our trade is within the EU and our large companies have EU partners. The recent budget problems need to be addressed but I can not understand people who want to leave the EU.
    Have they traveled in Europe? Many countries have better trains, roads, trams and have a better lifestyle. Not everything is perfect of course but we should be playing a bigger part at the heart of the EU to our benefit.
    I would say to doubters, drive around Europe and I think you will change your mind.
  • I don't understand the question. The UK is part of the EU. We had a referendum in the 1970s when we voted to stay in. You can't keep having referendums just because someone diidn't like the result of the last one.
    'Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.' George Carlin
  • System
    System Posts: 178,076
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Community Admin
    Not this old chestnut again; it's a non-story as the UK needs the EU.

    Perhaps rUK could have a Swiss style relationship with the EU after Scottish Independence, with Scotland remaining a member post 2014?

    Rump UK will have less influence than Italy and will be no longer be one of the big 3. So the position might be a moot point.
  • stevemcol
    stevemcol Posts: 1,666 Forumite
    I don't understand the question. The UK is part of the EU. We had a referendum in the 1970s when we voted to stay in. You can't keep having referendums just because someone diidn't like the result of the last one.

    Have you read the terms of the 1970s referendum? Do you think it in anyway represents the current face of the EU? We've been nibbled to death by ducks since then with treaty after treaty.
    Apparently I'm 10 years old on MSE. Happy birthday to me...etc
  • Big trade is India china America when America bounces back that is start trade links again with Australia New Zealand if they will have us back ,we would need to put our foot down with china on human rights don't think we have the clout though ,Europe is a blundering wreck ,also mass eviction policy for eu citizens that do not contribute as soon as our eu treaty ripped up get them out anyone that benefits through cheap labour in china and makes a massive business profit in this country should be charged a china tax on there profit which should be split between uk government and charities to help the world poor :beer:
  • Nick1973
    Nick1973 Posts: 18 Forumite
    edited 5 December 2012 at 2:55PM
    I have just voted No to both questions on the EU. I don't believe the EU at least in its current form is working. Its not rocket science to see that everybody in the European Union has suffered or is suffering as a result of Austerity. And people forget, while we are all being fed EU Propaganda about 'austerity measures' and 'The Euro' far darker laws and powers are constantly being created through the EU. It is not all about money. There are some very good reasons why we should not be a part of the EU for this very reason. If we become full EU members then you cannot expect to even think about renegotiating. If we became full EU members, then we are looking at something not far short of the start of a World dictatorship. It is definitely not safe. Police (European Police Force) would become more like an army and our laws would be so tight you would not be able to move without being arrested. If you think some of the laws, rules and regulations are difficult now, think what it would be like under the shadow of an EU government.

    We have to keep our country out of the EU, no matter what the consequences. There are plenty of other countries to trade with outside of the EU, some very wealthy and some producing extremely high quality goods at low prices. And don't ever forget the power of the Commonwealth. So we wouldn't be short of a bob or two. In fact the reality is that the EU would be the ones ending up short. As long as we stay out, then the EU will find it difficult to survive, they know this which is why they want us in. But make no mistake, if we become full members there really is no turning back, we would have to sit it out and hope that someday it all failed and we could go back to our 'normal' lives. Life wouldn't be as we currently know it under the EU, and there would be no UK Parliament, or if there was it would be simply to feed us laws which could have been passed to us directly from the EU. By the way, we wouldn't have a vote on many laws, if not all laws through our Parliament. They would just come into force.

    And also running a business and being self employed would cost much much more than it does now. We moan now, but setting up a Ltd company would become extremely expensive, and taxes would go far beyond what they are now. And of course we would most likely earn less and pay more (even more that we are having to put up with under our own government). We would be poorer as a whole.

    I don't believe we should renegotiate either, I believe that renegotiation would be like saying 'well we don't want to be a full member, but go on then, we'll accept a few things from you being as its you'. I think it should be 'no ifs, no buts, I don't want to hear anymore, goodbye EU'.

    The trade issue is a poor excuse for becoming full members. You'd have to be blind not to see that there are plenty of other trade routes, and the EU would have to deal with us at some point once they had got over themselves. But obviously it would be on our terms, not theirs.
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