Leaving the EU?

BobQ

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/british-business-we-need-to-stay-in-the-eu--or-risk-losing-up-to-92bn-a-year-8622925.html

“To Britain, membership is estimated to be worth between £31bn and £92bn per year in income gains, or between £1,200 to £3,500 for every household.

What we should now be doing is fighting hard to deliver a more competitive Europe, to combat the criticism of those that champion our departure. We should push to strengthen and deepen the Single Market to include digital, energy, transport and telecoms, which could boost Britain’s GDP by £110bn.”

British business speaks.......

Graham_Devon

British Business has spoken many times.

However, what they say is that it's worth X amount to us.

How much will we lose by leaving the EU? And how much would we gain?

No one will state.

The article you link to explores this, and another group of business people state we would be better off outside of the EU, you just didn't bother quoting that.

matbe

Between 31 and 92 billion?

Is that a complete guess ?sounds a bit vague to me.

michaels

Do those figures include how much extra we pay for food because of the CAP? Do they include our contributions to the EU budget?

And even if they are all included is it really impossible that we would not accept that level of loss if it gave us back sovereignty over many areas which we currently no longer have a say on? I'm not sure where I stand on the question but I think I should be asked not told.

BobQ

Graham_Devon wrote: »

.

The article you link to explores this, and another group of business people state we would be better off outside of the EU, you just didn't bother quoting that.

Neither have you!

I think the signatories to this letter represent a significant cross section of UK business leaders. Who signed the letter you refer to?

Roland Rudd, chairman, Business for New Europe; Dame Helen Alexander, chairman, UBM; Sir Win Bischoff , chairman, Lloyds Banking Group; Sir Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Group; Sir Roger Carr, chairman, Centrica; Sir Andrew Cahn, vice chairman, Nomura, public policy EMEA; David Cruickshank, chairman, Deloitte LLP; Lord Davies of Abersoch, vice chairman, Corsair Capital; Guy Dawson, director, ASA International; Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, deputy chairman, Scottish Power; Sir Adrian Montague, chairman, 3i; Nicolas Petrovic, CEO, Eurostar; Sir Michael Rake, chairman, BT; Anthony Salz, vice chairman, Rothschild; Sir Nicholas Scheele, chairman, Key Safety Systems Inc; Sir Nigel Sheinwald, non-executive director, Shell; Sir Martin Sorr elL, chief executive, WPP; Malcolm Sweeting, senior partner, Clifford Chance; Bill Winters, CEO, Renshaw Bay

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

But in their letter the businessmen write that on a purely economic basis, exiting the EU would be deeply damaging to Britain. “The economic case to stay in the EU is overwhelming,”

and...

“The benefits of membership overwhelmingly outweigh the costs, and to suggest otherwise is putting politics before economics.”

Exactly right.

armour

Of course big business wants to stay in the EU, the homogenisation of excessive regulation makes it easier for them to grab market share.
Here's a story from the weekend press to illustrate the point

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10064787/EU-to-ban-olive-oil-jugs-from-restaurants.html

Some of you will say that this is a non issue. Tell that to the Andalusian olive grove owner whose income is threatned.

vivatifosi

Surely it is much better to stay in and renegotiate than to stomp off in a huff? Nobody is suggesting that the EU is perfect. Withdrawal should only be the last option. The one that is used if all else fails.

Moby

vivatifosi wrote: »

Surely it is much better to stay in and renegotiate than to stomp off in a huff? Nobody is suggesting that the EU is perfect. Withdrawal should only be the last option. The one that is used if all else fails.

Exactly....people who use the failings within the EU to advocate withdrawal are completely irresponsible with our future. Read Geoffrey Howe's article in the Observer this Sunday and you'll see that.

RJP33

What I have never understood is what the EU achieves for us that a simple free trade deal wouldn't?

Also key is the fact that it stops us signing our own trade deals, which has massive potential financial benefits for the UK.

I wouldn't be surprised if it actually made economic sense for the UK to be outside the EU.

Moby

RJP33 wrote: »

What I have never understood is what the EU achieves for us that a simple free trade deal wouldn't?

Also key is the fact that it stops us signing our own trade deals, which has massive potential financial benefits for the UK.

I wouldn't be surprised if it actually made economic sense for the UK to be outside the EU.

It gives us access to markets we wouldn't have under simple free trade deals e.g.the reason Cameron is now in the US.