Confused Britain

[darmstadt]

I am surprised we have made it to this page and nobody has piped up with UKIP calypso.

Would that be the one that UKIP said they would give royalties to the Red Cross which seems to have been reported in all the press yet the Red Cross say that UKIP have never approached them nor is there any mention of that on the Amazon page? Here is is: http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...ml#post2009146

[expat]

What exactly is undemocratic about that. as for the queen she has no power so quite why you feel the need to bring her into the equation I do not know.

That is not so: as well as the queen having power to deny or overturn legislation (which admittedly has not been used recently) she and her son have the power to have bills modified before they are even presented to Parliament, merely because the bills' provisions may conflict with their own personal interests. No wonder the first power is never used, it isn't needed.

BTW while we're banging on about democracy, what is democratic about clerics having guaranteed seats in the legislature? That's only the UK and Iran AFAIK, and at least Iran has clerics of more than one sect, the UK has only CofE.

[DodgyAgent]

That is not so: as well as the queen having power to deny or overturn legislation (which admittedly has not been used recently) she and her son have the power to have bills modified before they are even presented to Parliament, merely because the bills' provisions may conflict with their own personal interests. No wonder the first power is never used, it isn't needed.

BTW while we're banging on about democracy, what is democratic about clerics having guaranteed seats in the legislature? That's only the UK and Iran AFAIK, and at least Iran has clerics of more than one sect, the UK has only CofE.

Another binary brain. The powers of the monarchy are nominal and are never exercised. As for your ridiculous comparison with Iran then anyone with an ounce of sense would suggest that the Iranians should replace their ruling clergy with ours. Or is their system fairer and more democratic? Iranian woman spared stoning for adultery - Telegraph

[DodgyAgent]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4283b61a-5...44feab7de.html

Sir, As a Brit working in Brussels I am one of many UK citizens who benefit from the EU Treaty provisions on the free movement of labour (“Cameron takes Britain closer to the exit door”, editorial, October 21). As an EU citizen it was relatively straightforward to secure employment here. As an employer in Brussels I have tried to recruit from outside the EU and have learnt from first-hand experience how complex it is for non-EU citizens to get a job.
If the UK were to leave the EU, I will no longer be an EU citizen, and it will presumably become as complex for my employers to employ me. They may well decide, as I myself have done in the past, that it is simply too difficult. I guess I’ll then just have to return to the UK and, with no guarantee of employment there, claim benefit. Probably not what Mr Cameron had in mind but, then again, as a non-UK resident I probably won’t get a vote.

[petergriffin]

Since when does adding a link to the Telegraph confer an aura of credibility to a weak argument?

[DodgyAgent]

Since when does adding a link to the FTconfer an aura of credibility to a weak argument?

FTFY

[petergriffin]

FTFY

1) FT is a more reliable source than the DT
2) My post quotes part of the article, while you just throw random links that don't prove your point.

[vetran]

What exactly is undemocratic about that. as for the queen she has no power so quite why you feel the need to bring her into the equation I do not know.

Desperation

[Zero Liability]

What you have just said shows exactly why Britain is confused. It is clear that there is an anti-EU and anti-immigrant sentiment. What is not clear is what the solution should be.

A noisy and loud minority of voters would quite gladly get rid of both (the EU and the immigrants). Is this a responsible approach? would the British citizen better off with no ties with the EU member states? This has not been discussed yet. Farage&co just don't want to speak about that.

They have no desire to stop all migration, simply to introduce a points based system like Australia's and apply it across the board.

Trade ties with the EU would remain as they benefit as much from trade with the UK as it does from them, and they're not exactly in a healthy position economically, anyway.

[petergriffin]

Trade ties with the EU would remain as they benefit from trade with it as it does from them, .

What makes you think this would happen? It takes two to tango! On which position of strength would Britain negotiate advantageous deals with the European Union?

Or do you think that member states would undercut the EU altogether and negotiate directly with Britain?

and they're not exactly in a healthy position economically, anyway

Britain imports more than it exports, so yes, they are in healthy position of balance.