Bring back John Major

[KentPhilip]

So if every country put up a tariff of 100% on all imports and exports, that would have no net effect?

And 1,000%?

And 10,000%?

100% would stop all european trade. So the nations of the world would stop trading with europe, and vice versa. So they would just trade within their own units, which is fine.

[Old Greg]

100% would stop all european trade. So the nations of the world would stop trading with europe, and vice versa. So they would just trade within their own units, which is fine.

And 1,000%?

[sasguru]

And 1,000%?

You're just a big bully, mocking the afflicted.

Now carry on.

[Old Greg]

You're just a big bully, mocking the afflicted.

Now carry on.

At least you didn't spoil the punchline.

[darmstadt]

Don't need the EU....

Lib Dem MEPs voted last week for an EU budget, which was overall lower – a 6.5 per cent cut – but crucially included a 30 per cent increase in funding for research and innovation. This is important funding, and a clear sign of what can be achieved to help our economic recovery when we are at the heart of the European Union, rather than dithering outside.

It was essential because it will ensure the UK maintains its role as a world leader in science while safeguarding jobs and providing work across the UK.

In Cambridge a world-leading cluster of science and technology businesses generate annual revenue of £13 billion and provide 57,000 jobs. And there is no doubt a key support in this continued success story is our membership of the European Union and the international cooperation it brings.

More than £334 million has found its way from Brussels to universities, labs and research facilities across Cambridgeshire in the last five years. Funding has helped boost high-tech industries and fight killer diseases. Meanwhile, Cambridge has been involved in a £10 billion project to tackle Parkinson’s. It is a win for the area and the whole UK economy with every £1 of EU research spending generating an estimated £13 worth of industry added-value.

[Flashman]

You can indeed negotiate; the question is how strong your negotiating position will be and whether you'll get a better deal than Cameron can get in his negotiations with Merkel inside the EU. I think he can get a good deal from those negotiations.

Oh and Switzerland didn't have much choice as it's surrounded by the EU and needs free trade with them. In fact what Switzerland has done is give in to all EU demands simply to take part in the economic zone but can't join because the Swiss electorate are opposed to it. Basically they've joined the EU as a non-voting member but nobody in Switzerland's governing parties dares to say that openly.

Cameron has no intention of 'negotiating' with anyone. And even if he did no-one else in the EU is interested in negotiating with him!

It's just a smokescreen to take the Tories through the next General Election. Fodder for the Daily Mail readers if you will.

[Flashman]

Cambridge a world-leading cluster of science and technology businesses generate annual revenue of £13 billion and provide 57,000 jobs. And there is no doubt a key support in this continued success story is our membership of the European Union and the international cooperation it brings.

More than £334 million has found its way from Brussels to universities, labs and research facilities across Cambridgeshire in the last five years. Funding has helped boost high-tech industries and fight killer diseases. Meanwhile, Cambridge has been involved in a £10 billion project to tackle Parkinson’s. It is a win for the area and the whole UK economy with every £1 of EU research spending generating an estimated £13 worth of industry added-value

The 'EU' money come from the British taxpayer. The EU just gives us back some of our contribution while keeping the rest.

How very generous of them.

[darmstadt]

The 'EU' money come from the British taxpayer. The EU just gives us back some of our contribution while keeping the rest.

How very generous of them.

Er, not quite. Now sit down and think deeply about it again...

[Flashman]

Oh OK at least you're honest about that; I can't really enumerate it either, but I don't support radical changes in the status quo without having a much better enumeration of the effects. In fact I generally favour gradual change anyway; sort of 'conservative' if you like.

I just think that at the moment many people in Britain are underestimating how much the European Union idea is in flux and how much opportunity that offers for the British PM to get a better deal, so it really is too early to conclude that Britain should be out. Maybe Britain would be better out of the EU as it is now or as some federalists once hoped it would be, but maybe not; what we don't know is what the EU is going to look like in ten years time. I think it will look very different, much more about free trade and business and less about 'integration' and hopefully with a slimmed down bureaucracy and there's a huge opportunity now for the UK to be part of shaping that. But I see things from a different angle because I'm right here in Euroland and hear the debates, discuss things here and perhaps I see developments that aren't so obvious to people in Britain.

A complete fantasy.

The EU is moving in the opposite direction. The survival of the Euro will mean far greater financial integration across the Eurozone. It has too.

The formation of the military arm of the EU continues apace. Lots of work is being done in this area.

EU Diplomacy has shown success in the Iran/EU negotiations. Expect to see a lot more here.

The EU's Galileo satellite system will be operational by 2017. Europe wide 'Pay as you go' road charging will be brought in on the back of this. Also more military integration as EU militaries convert from the using the American GPS system to Galileo.

Politically the EU wants to encourage more cross border political parties. The EU Parliament is set up this way and it has more power or will do soon than the toytown stuff in Westminster.

Finance, transport, defence. diplomacy and on and on.....

Beats me why British media place such emphasis on Westminster politics. A long running soap opera to entertain the plebs? Sheer laziness?

Why do the British keep thinking of the EU as some sort of foreign power? All this talk of 'summits' and 'negotiations' with the EU. Yeah maybe in the 1960's! Its just fantasy stuff now.


The EU Government is our Government. We are all EU citizens now..........

[KentPhilip]

The 'EU' money come from the British taxpayer. The EU just gives us back some of our contribution while keeping the rest.

How very generous of them.

Exactly.