In or Out of the EU

[VectraMan]

If the electorate had been consulted over the years about the increased control the EU has over us I think there would be fewer calls for a vote. Of course that may well be the intention.

Whatever supposed "increased control" the EU has over us was agreed by the democratically elected UK government and the electorate has been consulted at least every 5 years on who that is. If the UK electorate really were against the EU then we'd have had a comfortable UKIP landslide two weeks ago, whereas in reality they only got one MP. More to the point, the Euro-sceptic wing of the Tory party would have come to the fore (because politicians ultimately care about what gets them elected) instead of the broadly pro-EU party we have now.

A referendum every week wouldn't have changed a thing.

[BlasterBates]

Switzerland has signed up to all this "control" as well.

Why ?

Because all these regulations are rules by which you can access the EU market.

what will happen when the UK leaves is first of all they will pronounce that we are now longer bound by EU regulations, then they negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU and then reapply all the regulations that they supposedly got rid of.

Just go to Switzerland and look for a border guard that will check your passport....there isn't one, even though the Swiss love to check passports.

If the UK leaves it will still apply the same regulations, but without any influence about what the EU regulations are. You would be surprised how influential the UK is in shaping the EU.

The EU won't disappear when the UK leaves and it will still be dominant, but after the UK leaves it will be a big monster over which the UK has no influence.

This is like ignoring the second world war and saying we'll just keep out of it. The EU dominates the Swiss newspapers and its politics, and it's national bank is now stuffed full of Euros.

[BrilloPad]

Switzerland has signed up to all this "control" as well.

Why ?

Because all these regulations are rules by which you can access the EU market.

what will happen when the UK leaves is first of all they will pronounce that we are now longer bound by EU regulations, then they negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU and then reapply all the regulations that they supposedly got rid of.

Just go to Switzerland and look for a border guard that will chcek your passport....there isn't one.

If the UK leaves it will still apply the same regulations, but without any influence about what the EU regulations are. You would be surprised how influential the UK is in shaping the EU.

The EU won't disappear when the UK leaves and it will still be dominant, but after the UK leaves it will be a big monster over which the UK has no influence.

This is like ignoring the second world war and saying we'll just keep out of it. The EU dominates the Swiss newspapers and its politics.

So Germany is going to run Britain whatever we do? Its the 4th Reich...

[BlasterBates]

So Germany is going to run Britain whatever we do? Its the 4th Reich...

He who has the biggest economy calls the shots....

[MicrosoftBob]

It's the Scottish lot I don't understand, why the desire to be ruled by a federal superstate

[BrilloPad]

He who has the biggest economy calls the shots....

Right now Greece are calling the shots.

[Avalonia]

So if remaining a member is so clearly the right thing to do why have they been moving heaven and earth to avoid a referendum for years? And the answer is of course the establishment are terrified we might vote the wrong way and bring their gravy train down. A disgusting anti democratic sclerotic proto fascist super state.

[DodgyAgent]

Can you imagine if every new prospective membership relied on a union-wide referendum?

Actually, have we ever had a union-wide referendum?

There is no democracy within the EU as it is so referendums would be the only way people belonging to Nation states can have their say in how their country as part of the EU is governed.

[VectraMan]

There is no democracy within the EU

Except for the elections every couple of years of course.

[vetran]

A referendum every week wouldn't have changed a thing.

well judging by Ireland it will be a referendum every week until we get it right.

It might remind the EU rulers we want to be something different to their great dream.