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Leaving the EU?

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Comments

  • wotsthat
    wotsthat Posts: 11,325 Forumite
    RJP33 wrote: »
    What I have never understood is what the EU achieves for us that a simple free trade deal wouldn't?

    The EU gives us that already. I really can't see the point of leaving the EU and giving up the free trade deal already in place only to have to negotiate another once we've left.

    Far better to keep the free trade deal we already have and negotiate better membership terms.
  • OffGridLiving
    OffGridLiving Posts: 585 Forumite
    I don't see an issue with having the same relationship that Norway have with the EU.
  • grizzly1911
    grizzly1911 Posts: 9,965 Forumite
    wotsthat wrote: »

    Far better to keep the free trade deal we already have and negotiate better membership terms.

    That bit simply never happens though apart form token give gestures.

    Interesting Rothschild is a signatory (for example) - I guess they don't want their carefully crafted game board turned over.
    "If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop... Being uneducated, you have no fear of the future.".....

    "big business is parasitic, like a mosquito, whereas I prefer the lighter touch, like that of a butterfly. "A butterfly can suck honey from the flower without damaging it," "Arunachalam Muruganantham
  • kwmlondon
    kwmlondon Posts: 1,734 Forumite
    I don't see an issue with having the same relationship that Norway have with the EU.

    I'm really weary of changing the status quo. We've spent decades making this system work for us and I just feel that nobody can say how much we'd gain or lose by leaving the EU because nobody knows. Everyone is just guessing and, you know what? I'm not a gabler. We MAY end up benefiting, but we may equally end up with a totally destroyed economy.

    We could end up like Jersey or Gurnsey in that we're just a massive tax haven. Great for the city of London, if you're in banking, but no other industry in the whole of the country. On paper we'd be hugely wealthy but only for the top 0.001%

    I don't know.

    Nobody knows.

    Are you prepared to gable EVERYTHING? Our whole future?

    I'd rather stick with the devil we know.
  • CLAPTON
    CLAPTON Posts: 41,865 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Big business love monopolies and cartels and lots of rules and regulations that keep out new competition.

    Starbucks, Amazon etc all love the EU because it makes it easier to screw ordinary people.

    Of course most of big business were absolutely convinced that Britain would collapse if we didn't join the Euro although they talk less about this now.
  • Graham_Devon
    Graham_Devon Posts: 58,560 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    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.

    Exactly - no one will answer this question. And if they attempt to, it's so full of holes, the generally fall right into one.

    Look recently at all the anger thrown at Starbucks, Amazon etc. The sole reason these companies can pay so little tax into our country is because of the EU.

    Our own trade deal would give us the power to deal with these things in whatever way we see fit.
  • RJP33
    RJP33 Posts: 339 Forumite
    Absolutely, I used to be pro-EU but now that tough questions are being asked I can't help but feel it's holding the UK back.
    Moby wrote: »
    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.
    I reckon we'd have a much easier time negotiating a UK - US free trade deal than an EU - US deal, with the US likely worried about some of the new EU entrants.

    Not to mention a Commonwealth free trade deal.
  • wotsthat
    wotsthat Posts: 11,325 Forumite
    That bit simply never happens though apart form token give gestures.

    Interesting Rothschild is a signatory (for example) - I guess they don't want their carefully crafted game board turned over.

    It's never happened because no UK government has ever had a stated policy to renegotiate. David Cameron has made a promise to take some powers back from Brussels - maybe he'll keep his word.

    I can't see an issue with business leaders giving their view - at least it's taking the argument from the political to economic sphere. Nigel Lawson, a former chancellor, lumbered into this argument after 'a lot of thought' and presented no supportive data whatsoever.
  • wotsthat
    wotsthat Posts: 11,325 Forumite
    Look recently at all the anger thrown at Starbucks, Amazon etc. The sole reason these companies can pay so little tax into our country is because of the EU.

    Why is that solely because of the EU?
  • prowla
    prowla Posts: 14,178 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The previous government systematically attacked the IT industry, by encouraging offshoring and by inviting cheap labour in to the UK.

    Given where we are as a result of that, this one having us leave the EU would probably kill it off completely.
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