Pros and cons of the UK leaving the EU

[petergriffin]

Bad: for British holidaymakers

Good: for continental police forces

[centurian]

This to me implies we're on the way to becoming a second class member whether we want to or not.

The problem with that term is that it implies that "second class" is somehow inferior.

But if the "first class" simply means "first" for being bankrupted by the increasing weight of the cost of bailout, I'm glad we're in the second class.

[centurian]

Bad: for British holidaymakers

You know, one of the main arguments for us joining the Euro back in the 90s seemed to tap purely into that.

It was portrayed how evil exchange rate brokers were depriving us of a whole tenner(ish) for changing our currency for us to go to 2 weeks in Spain etc.

Worryingly, it did click with a few people because it was something tangible they could see when they had a holiday - whereas the counter argument that the loss of control over economic policy would cost some people significantly more than a tenner - was something they just couldn't picture - and was dismissed as scaremongering.

[Jeff Maginty]

..

[Doggy Styles]

The problem with that term is that it implies that "second class" is somehow inferior.

But if the "first class" simply means "first" for being bankrupted by the increasing weight of the cost of bailout, I'm glad we're in the second class.

Precisely. The term was chosen to match the bias of the writer. In which case, I'd say those stuck in the middle of the EU are second class.

[doodab]

The problem with that term is that it implies that "second class" is somehow inferior.

But if the "first class" simply means "first" for being bankrupted by the increasing weight of the cost of bailout, I'm glad we're in the second class.

That wasn't what was meant at all. I'm simply pointing out that in a two tier eu those who aren't part of the 'core', which would almost certainly include the UK, are necessarily going to have less influence. The other, more integrated countries simply aren't going to stand for those on the sidelines interfering. We'll probably become more like switzerland. It's reasonably obvious that the euro crisis has been pushing things that way for a while and I think it's a matter of time before we find ourselves marginalised on some important decisions.

[doodab]

Precisely. The term was chosen to match the bias of the writer. In which case, I'd say those stuck in the middle of the EU are second class.

What I'm saying is that in a two tier EU we're going to be in the second tier by choice, and I don't think the first tier countries are going to accept us sitting on the sidelines while demanding an equal share of power. Whatever happens we're going to lose influence.

[scooterscot]

Politicians are in the bankers pockets, which is why, even 2 years after the credit-crunch, the banking industry has still not been reformed and are carrying on as if the global financial meltdown was nothing to do with them.

Strange then how many politicians seem to be pro-Europe. Europe is not quite so reliant on the financial sector as the UK is, and so are more likely to push for the necessary reforms. I will laugh if the EU forces some strict rules on the UK finance industry that shafts the greedy arrogant over-paid City boys who have done so much damage to this country whilst enriching themselves massively at the expense of the rest of us. I suspect that in that event, we would find that the politicians were suddenly able to stand up to the EU when necessary in order to help their rich chums in the banking industry. Absolute shower, the lot of them!

WHS - UK democracy is in a sorry state it'll take outside influences to change the way the city operates. A government so week it cannot act and yet defends the very scoundrels that got us into this mess. Ralph and Huey

Being British used to mean something, an idea that was keenly understand across the land, tolerance, looking after thy neighbour. Now we're nothing more than pawns of the banks centralised across a single city. Little wonder the country is at risk form breaking up. What a mess.

[VectraMan]

What I'm saying is that in a two tier EU we're going to be in the second tier by choice, and I don't think the first tier countries are going to accept us sitting on the sidelines while demanding an equal share of power. Whatever happens we're going to lose influence.

I agree. We're already in a second tier, or second class EU because of not having the currency. The priority for the first class EU countries is always going to be the Eurozone.

The argument against us being in the Euro seems to be that with independence we can choose to make ourselves poorer to get out of recession. Well we did that and we still had a deeper and longer recession than France or Germany, and now we're facing a double-dip because of the currency we're supposedly independent of.

The only pro I can see to us leaving the EU is it will shut up the EU moaners.

[Doggy Styles]

The priority for the first class EU countries is always going to be paying for the poor countries in the Eurozone.

FTFY