The EU debate

mayonnaise

Bantex wrote: »

The interests of big business are not always in line with benefits for the population as a whole.

The banking collapse sort of showed this.

Big business is interested in one thing only; making money.
And they seem to think they can make more of it by staying in the EU.
Why? Because trading with our biggest import/export partner will become dearer. I thought that was obvious.

armour

You're right about big business being interested in making money Mayonnaise. It likes the EU because it helps it to do this by introducing regulation to give it a competitive advantage over the small guy.
Check out this EU 'initative' from a year ago which nearly made it.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4616109

Bantex_2

mayonnaise wrote: »

Big business is interested in one thing only; making money.
And they seem to think they can make more of it by staying in the EU.
Why? Because trading with our biggest import/export partner will become dearer. I thought that was obvious.

So trading may cost more, but at the moment a lot of trade is subsidised by taxpayers anyway. The CAP is a complete joke (except if you are a French farmer) and the EU is powerless to significantly change it. Just an example of "the project" putting unnecesary costs onto the people.

JWF

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

I am still no better informed on this subject, but I do know that Clegg has lost a lot of credibility.

I honestly did not think that Clegg had any integrity left anyway, principally for "I will never go into coalition with the Conservatives" and "I will not introduce tuition fees". I can't imagine his opinion on anything has any significance on political outcomes at the next election - LibDems are already doomed to spend another 40 years in the wilderness.

Farage is a good speaker and it has to be said does have a strong appeal to a number of people. I can see some limited success for them in the next election, with their most significant impact occurring dependent on whether it is mostly Lab or Con voters they manage to woo most effectively.

Bantex_2

Could any of the pro EUs please explain to me what the point of upping the whole thing to Strasburg once a month at a massive cost in both time and money is all about? What good does it do the EU citizens?

missjames

I love nigel farage, I am voting for him, most of my friends are as well. He is good for the UK.

mayonnaise

missjames wrote: »

I love nigel farage, I am voting for him, most of my friends are as well. He is good for the UK.

Please do. Less chance of a Tory majority and a EU referendum.

wotsthat

Bantex wrote: »

Could any of the pro EUs please explain to me what the point of upping the whole thing to Strasburg once a month at a massive cost in both time and money is all about? What good does it do the EU citizens?

There was a point a few decades ago when we were in a cold war and trying to demonstrate clearly that there was a reconciled Europe.

I think that point has been made and increasingly this looks like a waste of money and human resource especially as the EU has enlarged.

I'd imagine this would be low down the priority list for a UK government trying to negotiate changes in our relationship with the EU.

Bantex_2

wotsthat wrote: »

There was a point a few decades ago when we were in a cold war and trying to demonstrate clearly that there was a reconciled Europe.

I think that point has been made and increasingly this looks like a waste of money and human resource especially as the EU has enlarged.

I'd imagine this would be low down the priority list for a UK government trying to negotiate changes in our relationship with the EU.

To me, it seems to demonstrate what a disfunctional, inefficient and (possibly) corrupt organisation the EU is. There seems to be no mechanism to reform it.

Generali

I heard an interview on Radio 5 with Farage last summer when I was in the UK and the rest of the family were asleep with jet lag in the car (wusses).

He is a very good speaker indeed and very persuasive. Despite thinking that the UK is far better off in the EU than outside despite many failings in EU laws and institutions I found myself agreeing with each individual point.

It was only later when I constructed his entire argument that I could see the gaps. Basically he ignores the massive benefits from free trade and gets stuck into the detail which, unusually, he makes interesting and important.

What is really important is what is the net gain/loss from the EU to the UK. IMHO there is a massive net gain from trade that hugely outweighs costs. Can I prove that? No. I did read Riccardo though and understand that free trade is the best thing in almost all circumstances. If anything Britain should be pushing for more free trade in Europe, something that Boris talks about from time-to-time.