Dear EU,

[northernladyuk]

Interesting point.... when did we get a chance to vote for whether we would need to vote for an MEP?

It became part of the EEC in 1979. However, the UK always retained the power to leave the EEC / EC / EU at any point without giving notice, if it didn't like the European Parliament.

[BlasterBates]

Not even that. You should be able to cancel membership at any point, although you may not get a refund on membership for a partial year.

That's the point that having paid you remain a member whether you want to or not until the period has expired over which you paid. So if you pay an annual membership fee you remain a member and you can complain all you like, they won't remove your access to the service and they won't refund you. The point is if they remove their service then you're entitled to a refund, which is why they wouldn't do it, a bit like a shop not taking back a mars bar you paid for.

[original PM]

It became part of the EEC in 1979. However, the UK always retained the power to leave the EEC / EC / EU at any point without giving notice, if it didn't like the European Parliament.

At the time it may have seemed like a good idea

but then 1979 was actually 36 years ago.

and to put that into context 36 years prior to 1979 was 1943 and all that that entailed.

The point I guess is that was what correct 36 years ago may no longer be valid in todays world.

[northernladyuk]

At the time it may have seemed like a good idea

but then 1979 was actually 36 years ago.

and to put that into context 36 years prior to 1979 was 1943 and all that that entailed.

The point I guess is that was what correct 36 years ago may no longer be valid in todays world.

Which has no relationship to the argument that the EU is an unelected dictatorship, or your apparent view that member states cannot leave the EU at any point without giving two years' notice.

[original PM]

Which has no relationship to the argument that the EU is an unelected dictatorship, or your apparent view that member states cannot leave the EU at any point without giving two years' notice.

I was not really arguing that that is a bad thing - all I was really trying to say about that was that it is in the best interests of everyone that whatever happens it is actually as good as possible for the 99% not for the 1%

Never really gone along with the EU being an unelected dictatorship - more that it has just happened to come into being and now we are looking and saying we do not believe the being part of that is adding value to the UK.

[northernladyuk]

So it took 9 months to write a letter. How far will we get in the next 2 years?

[sasguru]

... we do not believe the being part of that is adding value to the UK.

The part of the UK that can't do sums believe that, the part that can don't.
One group is right, we shall find out in a few years.

[chopper]

So we join the AA because we want them to come and recover our car when it breaks down.

But what about when the AA changes its rules, so that it gets to tell us how to drive, where to park. And then further down the line starts telling us which shed we're allowed in the garden and which brand of beans to buy in the supermarket. Oh, and you have to transfer the deeds of your house to them and allow them to come and shag your wife. And that not only do we have to pay the cost of our membership, but that there are a load of members driving Yugos and Ladas and we should probably pay for their cars to be fixed and let them drive ours at the same time.

i.e. they go beyond the remit of what you wanted in the first place.

Isn't it right that we say "sod off"? And when we do, they threaten to take the engine and the steering wheel of our car with them? And every other AA member has to agree how we leave?

All we ever wanted was for them to fix our car or tow it to the nearest garage.

[sasguru]

So we join the AA because we want them to come and recover our car when it breaks down.

But what about when the AA changes its rules, so that it gets to tell us how to drive, where to park. And then further down the line starts telling us which shed we're allowed in the garden and which brand of beans to buy in the supermarket. Oh, and you have to transfer the deeds of your house to them and allow them to come and shag your wife. And that not only do we have to pay the cost of our membership, but that there are a load of members driving Yugos and Ladas and we should probably pay for their cars to be fixed and let them drive ours at the same time.

i.e. they go beyond the remit of what you wanted in the first place.

Isn't it right that we say "sod off"? And when we do, they threaten to take the engine and the steering wheel of our car with them? And every other AA member has to agree how we leave?

All we ever wanted was for them to fix our car or tow it to the nearest garage.

Only cretins beat a simplistic analogy to within an inch of its life.

HTH, BIKIW

[BrilloPad]

Only cretins beat a simplistic analogy to within an inch of its life.

HTH, BIKIW

That was very simplistic.