Why Britain joined EU?

movilogo

What was the rational behind joining in EU?

Is this decision ever reviewed there after?

Why can't we get out of EU?

purch

1. In 1972 it was a group of trading partners with very loose or non existant political ties ( or so we thought) , and it sounded like a good idea at the time.

2. No

3. The consequences of such a unilateral decision could be discussed (and probably will be) adnauseum

baileysbattlebus

Probably sheer bloody mindedness because de Gaulle didn't want us in........

I don't the decision has ever been reviewed.

There is no reason we can't get out of the EU

I can't see any government taking us out the EU

cogito

We only went in because Edward Heath wanted to be able to prance about on the European stage. Heath was a liar of the highest order who took us into a free trade group which was nothing of the sort and then had the brass neck to insist that he had always made the nature of the Common Market clear to the British public.

Labour opposed the EU for years until they realised its gravy train potential and after that, we became stuck with it. Politicians for or against have lied about Europe to the point where a reasonably intelligent voter hasn't the foggiest idea what it's all about. Except that it's an extremely expensive club to be a member of.

Optimist

We didn't join the EU. We joined the Common Market and then only because Edward Heath lied to get us to say Yes at the referendum.

Thrugelmir

We need the EU more than it needs us.

leveller2911

Thrugelmir wrote: »

We need the EU more than it needs us.

The problem is Thrugelmir the political elite won't give us the chance to say whether we want to stay in.......

I always read your posts and can see your an educated chap, but I can honestly say that 99.9% of people I have chatted to over the years would prefer us to come out.Your view is a very small minority .

We are a supposed Democracy so give us a vote......We are also a small country like Norway and they seem to be able to trade with other nations ok.
It would be interesting to see how the finances of the EU would be re-arranged if we pulled out.

Is it just me, but travelling through France it doesn't look like a poorer country than us ,so why are they getting so much in grant aid ?.

vivatifosi

Part of the problem with coming out is that we are more intertwined with other economies than other countries. If you look at France or Germany for example, they do have foreign companies there, but there are plenty of large indigenous firms.

I spent 15 years tracking the inward investment habits of American firms looking to invest in Europe. The UK got far more coming here than any other country. There is a danger that these companies will start to disinvest in the UK if our being part of the EU ceases to give them a foothold in a market. There are an awful lot of foreign parented companies here, far more than in most other countries (though Eastern Europe did pick up a lot of inward investment when it joined, as have Ireland and the Netherlands).

I do continue to think that the EU stinks as a political body and that all of the citizens of Europe ought to be standing up and demanding better.

Thrugelmir

leveller2911 wrote: »

The problem is Thrugelmir the political elite won'y give up the chance to say whether we want to stay in.......

I always read your posts and can see your an educated chap, but I can honestly say that 99.9% of people I have chatted to over the years would prefer us to come out.Your view is a very small minority .

We are a supposed Democracy so give us a vote......We are also a small country like Norway and they seem to be able to trade with other nations ok.
It would be interesting to see how the finances of the EU would be re-arranged if we pulled out.

Is it just me, but travelling through France it doesn't look like a poorer country than us ,so why are they getting so much in grant aid ?.

Politically I am anti. On the trade side positive.

With the issues that the UK currently faces ( and the EU for that matter). The politics should be put aside. The one size fits all is going to put enormous strain on the relationships between countries. We've got the best of the situation with our floating currency exchange rate.

Norway has reinvested a % of its North Sea oil and gas revenues for the longer term. The UK has spent it all , and now the fields are in decline. ( Unless taxation levels are reduced to encourage exploration and extraction for the more difficult reserves).

France is like the UK. Head for Teeside and you will see a different England. Hopefully the areas affected by Corus's decision to close will benefit from EU investment. As the UK Government is hardly awash with funds.

bambam101

I'm pro-european but it is a scandal that none of the major political parties will give the British people a referendum on the extent of are involvement with Europe. Just shows how much trust Westminster has in the general public.

But going forward we're better off in Europe and having the Euro as our currency. Also the amount of people who have holiday homes and investments all over the Euro Zone, would make it very hard, and short sighted to pull out.

The only other option that certain people think might work is to join the North American Free trade agreement, but it will never happen, due to geographical distance and we have not much to offer NAFTA, apart from financhial services etc.

bristol_pilot

One of the fundamental aims of the EU was to so intertwine the economies of Western Europe that a repeat of the Second World War (and WW1 and the 1870 Franco Prussian War and...) would never happen again. Since 1945 we have now had, apart from a few local difficulties, the longest period of peace there has ever been in Western Europe.