Daily Express Campaign - Get Us Out Of Europe

[rjw63]

Reading the Express at work in the last 2 weeks, they have started a campaign to get Britain out of the European Union.

I agree with this - what do you think?

[AVFC-Prideofbrum]

What's the pros of cons of being in the EU?

[Chindie]

Haven't voted since none of the options represent my own view, but I'm roundly for the EU. It has it's downsides but I think we gain from it on the whole.

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

Financially it's a bit of a bollocks lately, but on the whole it's better to be in it than not.

[snowychap]

...get Britain out of the European Union

Get out of it? Are they mad?

We should be controlling it (and the rest of the world) as is the birthright of all Englishmen. 8) :winkold:

[Witton_Lane]

I had a mate that used to live with me who was trained in law, I raised this with him one drunken night and he seemed to think it was actually next to impossible to get out, due to something that happened in the early 70's. Can't remember what it actually was but it sounded pretty boring when I was pissed.

Erm, hope that helps.

[rjw63]

What's the pros of cons of being in the EU?

Don't know any pros.

Cons - ask Ireland

Plus we have to pump in billions apparently. Tony the Tory is a bit more clued up than me, he'll be along shortly I expect ;-)

[Chindie]

IIRC there actually wasn't a process to officially leave it until Lisbon was put in place. A formal way of leaving was introduced as part of that I think.

[rjw63]

Also it seems we were promised a referendum on this subject some years ago...still hasn't happened.

[daft]

I heard Obama would love a 51st state. Why not make that special relationship official.

[snowychap]

I heard Obama would love a 51st state. Why not make that special relationship official.

Here.

[Bazdavies79]

If possible, withdraw completely. Simples.

[rjw63]

97 views and only 9 votes?

It's like a UK bye election

[privateer]

I'm roundly for the EU

Me too, for those countries located on the continental land mass who wish to be part of a federal state run by words removed who are as corrupt and venal as FIFA delegates.

I would like to see England and NI prise itself free. I couldn't care less what Scotland and Wales decide to do.

[Condimentalist]

97 views and only 9 votes?

It's like a UK bye election

Probably to do with phrasing of the options in the polls. I was about to vote to stay but 'they are great' was a bit much.

A bit like Chindie and a couple of others in this thread, I would say it's better to stay in, and that we should really be trying to do more to influence EU policy ourselves.

That said, thank **** we're not in the Eurozone.

[tonyh29]

Out without a question of a doubt

Sadly we never really get any proper debate on this

Europe falls in the same category as global warming and God in that no matter what you say you'll never convince the other side

[Zatman]

Can you guys take Ireland with you?

[Awol]

Out. I like Europe as a place, they have better chefs, better looking women and nicer weather.... but they are not good at democracy.

Personally I don't want anyone making laws for the British people who we can not throw out at the next election if we don't like what they are up to. That is the situation we are in now and our sovereign rights as a people have been illegally given away by successive Tory and Labour Governments. Thanks to the Lisbon Treaty - that we were not given a promised referendum on - (came into force on 1st of Dec) the EU can now alter existing treaties and make new legislation without recourse to national Parliaments, but we would still have to comply with their rulings. In effect that means we are dictated to by people we can no longer hold accountable at the ballot box and that is the beginning of the end for democracy in the EU.

The argument that the UK economy would suffer if we got out is also balls. We import more than we export to other EU nations so they would still wish to trade with us on favourable terms, just as they do with Norway and Switzerland. It would also mean we'd be free to make trade agreements with whatever countries we choose to outside of the EU, and we'd not have to pay 45 million pounds per day to the EU (or get involved in the coming euro country bail outs).

Cameron came back from Brussels a few weeks ago, all chuffed with himself for limiting our increased EU contribution to only 3 billion pounds per year (in addition to the 16.3 billion we already pay), even though our own domestic budgets are being slashed across the board. Fact is the EU demanded more money from us and as a member State we are not allowed to say 'no'. On the poll linked below 73% of people disagree with this.

I'd like us out, but I'd settle for the people simply being asked what they want to do. The decision is simply not for politicians to make. The British people are sovereign and we allow government to do certain things on our collective behalf. Under Magna Carta (signed 1215) Parliament has a duty of care to preserve and protect the rights and freedoms of the people who elected it. Giving away our freedom as a nation (to the EU or anyone else) is not among the things they are empowered to do and is actually illegal. Strangely, they stopped teaching this part of history to kids in school and even many adults have never asked themselves the question; 'Why are we free?' If you don't understand your freedom then how can you hope to maintain it?

In the 70's we joined a Common Market to facilitate European trade. By adding power to this association slice by slice, today we have a European Union that has morphed into something entirely different, having primacy over our law making, immigration and border control, foreign policy, fishing, agriculture and more, with one single ultimate aim - a Federal EU superstate. That is what "ever closer union" means. If that's what the British people want, fine, but Parliament has a duty to ask us to make that decision.

Latest opinion poll here - click on pdf at bottom suggests that 75% of people in the UK think there should be an 'in or out' referendum, but none of the three main parties would allow it. Why do you think that is?

[daft]

Problem is, even if the majority of Englishmen would want out of the EU, it is not in the best interest of the politicians. There is simply no way that the governing body would allow for that.

[AVFC_Hitz]

Eddie Izzard once said that he sees himself as more European than British or English. I lean more towards this view aswell. If I wasn't such a dunce at languages I could quite happily see myself hopping around Europe, working and living, for the rest of my life. I think the downside is the differing cultures from the Eastern Bloc and the general bigotry towards people from there. The sooner we phase out the 'rugged individualism' that the Americans taught us, the sooner Europe can establish itself as a more powerful entity. The economy can be strengthened if more countries traded for the good of Europe and less for the good of themselves.