British Separation

[CurtSibling]

Oh, just ditch that defunct imperial attitude!

Blair's plans for a lean, mean Europe team-up may just make me vote for him.

 

[Shaitan]

I'm a Yank so I abstained on the poll. My personal feeling is that I hope separation does not happen. The United Kingdom (despite it's actual components and setup) has been a single state in my little mind since I was a young lad on Grandpa's knee listenting to war stories about the Brits.

 

[ellie]

Originally posted by CurtSibling
Oh, just ditch that defunct imperial attitude!

Blair's plans for a lean, mean Europe team-up may just make me vote for him.

lean mean europe??

uhm what do you mean?.

European economies are worse than the UK's atm

and thats quite an achievement!

 

[Mrogreturns]

I have a Welsh friend who says that the Scots want the sort of seperation where they get to- and I quote

"slag off at England and proclaim their independence while still leeching off the English taxpayer, and being able to freely find employment in England etc"

Whereas the Welsh want seperation so that people outside the UK will know they exist.

 

[ellie]

I have to admit it doesn not seem fair that the scottish parliament can do things such as abolish student fees, raise cash for pensioners etc without having to pay for it. Ie the whole uk pays for it.

If the EU gives massive funding to an independant scotland, as it does to ireland. Then they may be economically sucessfull. Ireland is a sucess story

However with the increasing number of eu states many with poor economies i personally expect either

a) the cash given to poorer eu members to decrease.

or

b) Those countries who currently contribute most (currently top 2 NET contributors are germany and uk) will be asked to contribute more

 

[ellie]

@curt

Looks like the PM not much closer to convincing the public

latest goverment sponsered poll

Q4. Which of the following best describes your own view of British participation in the Single European Currency?

I strongly support British participation 12%
I am generally in favour of British participation but could be persuaded against it if I thought it would be bad for the British economy 24%
I am generally opposed to British participation but could be persuaded in favour of it if I thought it would be good for the British economy 28%
I strongly oppose British participation 30%
Don't know 5%

Q5. If Britain were to join the Single European Currency now, do you think it would be good for Britain's economy, it would be bad for Britain's economy or would it make no difference?
Good 16%
Make no difference 26%
Bad 50%
Don't know 8%

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by ellie


lean mean europe??

uhm what do you mean?.

European economies are worse than the UK's atm

and thats quite an achievement!

Isn't the pound taking a battering from the Euro?

I was changing sterling into Euros recently, and I got that impression...

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by ellie
@curt

Looks like the PM not much closer to convincing the public

latest goverment sponsered poll

Q4. Which of the following best describes your own view of British participation in the Single European Currency?

I strongly support British participation 12%
I am generally in favour of British participation but could be persuaded against it if I thought it would be bad for the British economy 24%
I am generally opposed to British participation but could be persuaded in favour of it if I thought it would be good for the British economy 28%
I strongly oppose British participation 30%
Don't know 5%

Q5. If Britain were to join the Single European Currency now, do you think it would be good for Britain's economy, it would be bad for Britain's economy or would it make no difference?
Good 16%
Make no difference 26%
Bad 50%
Don't know 8%

If Blair can convince our people to follow Mr Bush into war, without a good reward for it...
I daresay he can get the plebs to back us joining Europe.

A unified Europe, I am all for it.

I am sick of petty infighting and wallowing in the past by the UK, it's time to get our noses in the Euro trough!

 

[ellie]

Originally posted by CurtSibling


Isn't the pound taking a battering from the Euro?

I was changing sterling into Euros recently, and I got that impression...

A weaker pound would not nessecarily be a bad thing

The strong pound in the past has caused hell for exporters like our company

I was talking of unemployment, gdp growth etc

take a look at germany france etc who are suffering atm.

 

[CurtSibling]

At the moment.

I am talking long term.
Leaders come and go...And the world is changing.
I do not want to see the UK left behind.
Unity is better, not standing alone.

I feel America will dump the UK whenever it suits them.
It would not take much for Britain to get the same treatment that the French and Germans got.
There is always a catalyst for their resentment of us, all it needs is a reason, and Rummy could deliver.

I feel more akin to my European cousins than my distant friends over the atlantic.

Just my tuppence worth.

 

[ellie]

Nod curt ;p we can amicably disagree ;p

 

[CurtSibling]

Of course!

History will prove me right!

 

[MrPresident]

History will prove me right!

Is history on your side? Will you bury us?

I feel America will dump the UK whenever it suits them.

I fail to see why America would suddenly dump their number one ally, especially considering their ability a making new friends.

I feel more akin to my European cousins than my distant friends over the atlantic.

Yeah, because we have nothing in common with America and so much in common with our European "friends". Should I translate that into the eight offical European languages so the Europeans can understand that as well?

If Blair can convince our people to follow Mr Bush into war

I don't think he did that, hence all the peace protests.

I am sick of petty infighting and wallowing in the past by the UK

And there isn't any petty infighting and wallowing the past in Europe?

 

[joycem10]

"I daresay he can get the plebs to back us joining Europe."

Whats a "PLEB"?

 

[TrailblazingScot]

A common person.

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by MrPresident
Is history on your side? Will you bury us?

Oi!
Are you calling me small, fat and bald?

Originally posted by MrPresident
I fail to see why America would suddenly dump their number one ally, especially considering their ability a making new friends.

The Bush regime has no qualms about dumping us, if we had a fundemental impasse.
Rummy is already on record saying "We don't need the UK."

Don't fool yourselves...
The USA has no friends or needs them.
...Only business partners, for a while.

Originally posted by MrPresident
Yeah, because we have nothing in common with America and so much in common with our European "friends". Should I translate that into the eight offical European languages so the Europeans can understand that as well?

Sell out if you want!
But was I decended from Americans? Were you?
I feel more akin with my continental roots.

I live in Europe.
I am a European.

Don't like it? Tough.

Originally posted by MrPresident
I don't think he did that, hence all the peace protests.

I thought the peace protests were 'irrelevant'.
So now they are a harbinger of Blair's ineffectual rule?

You can't have it both ways, old boy!

Originally posted by MrPresident
And there isn't any petty infighting and wallowing the past in Europe?

Britain is legendary for pointless past-wallowing and useless pomp.

 

[ellie]

I rather like the pomp and ceremony actually ;p

I dont understand personally why a euro state is needed.

Why not just free trade and cooperation?.

 

[MrPresident]

Are you calling me small, fat and bald?

If the shoe fits...

The Bush regime has no qualms about dumping us, if we had a fundemental impasse.

And we have no qualms about dumping them if we have a fundamental impasse.

The USA has no friends or needs them...Only business partners, for a while.

And are we any different?

I thought the peace protests were 'irrelevant'.

We went to war, didn't we? You said that Blair convinced the country to go to war and therefore he could convinced the country to join the Euro. Apart from the dubious logic it is factually wrong. Blair did not convince the country we should go to war. Opinion polls consistenly showed a majority against the war.

Britain is legendary for pointless past-wallowing and useless pomp.

I think you will find that Europe is just as much full of past-wallowing and useless pomp. Also throw in a bit of pointless paperwork and limited accountability.

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by ellie
I rather like the pomp and ceremony actually ;p

I dont understand personally why a euro state is needed.

Why not just free trade and cooperation?.

Ah, now I see!

Such sentimentality. The reason the lost our empire.

Bigger entities get more respect.
All we get is a pat on the head from bigger nations.

A unified Europe would demand respect.

 

[MrPresident]

You would give up your independence for respect?