US warns Britain on EU referendum BY VALENTINA POP ... I wonder when the British people will get it? Or they are (1) an active and inclusive member of the EU, and actually mean something on the world stage, or (2) be out of the EU and be the toy of everyone else... BTW - I'm getting tired of the intellectual dishonesty of the British elite and policymakers... What I mean by this is, well let me use an anecdote. On BBC One there is this new series about Queen Victoria's children... I yesterday learnt that she and Prince Albert spoke German in private, together with their children. And that when the children where old, they had distinctive German accents. The Queen had to hide her pro-German sentiments 24/7 from the British populace... The British populace needs to get real: you are no different than the bulk of us, Europeans.
They will be the toy of everyone else if they become a member of the EU. If they are not part of the EU, it will give them the freedom to do whatever they think is most appropriate for their country, without all the headache and bureaucracy of the EU. There is also a strong argument to be made for decentralisation of powers. The UK does not need to be part of the EU to cooperate with them. The only thing the EU has done is add more pointless regulations and consumer product bannings. People in the EU want their old light bulbs back.
You do realise it's all just hype? Some analyses have found these spiral bulbs to be even worse for the environment, as their supposed lifetimes, light output, and efficiency are often misleading or exaggerated. And the energy they save is insignificant compared with heating costs (and you will have to turn up your heater because these new bulbs just achieve their efficiency by giving off less heat). More people are just leaving their lights on all the time because it takes so long for these spiral CFL bulbs to put out full brightness after being turned on. It is complete insanity, but that's what you get when the EU bureaucrats think they know better than the consumer. Osram was intentionally making their light bulbs burn out faster, just so they could claim how much longer their new bulbs would last. A good quality incandescent light bulb lasts 1500 hours, I have a few 100 watt ones that are made to last 2000 hours and 3000 hours. By contrast, the new "energy saving" bulbs usually do not last as long as they claim, because they are not designed to be turned on/off, deal with vibration, or be used in enclosed fixtures where they can overheat. In fact, it is recommended that they not be used in lamps right under places where people sit, because of the UV radiation can cause skin and eye irritation, and they are not recommended to be used outside in the winter because the freezing cold prevents them from putting out much light. In fact, come to think of it, these new spiral bulbs are not really suitable for most places in your home! Just shows the stupidity of the bumbling EU leaders. The quality of the light is just awful also. Now our homes are just like dreary hospitals and government institutions. If people liked fluorescent light so much, they would have been installing them in their homes, but no one was. Most people like the soft pleasing glow of the old bulbs, a quality of light that those awful "energy saving" bulbs just can not match, despite the false claims and endless government sponsored hype. Seems like the EU is becoming like the Soviet Union with all the outrageous mandates and quotas they are imposing on the private economy. But at least people in the Soviet Union had real light bulbs. Interesting how the people that claim to like these new spiral bulbs, and support them being forced on everyone, seem to be the same ones that support giving more power to the EU. What could be the connection? Could it be that both of them are a little dim ?
I can't see why it is in the UK's interest to be a member. It usurps our own parliament and costs us money we can ill afford. We get nothing back from it that we can't get from free trade agreements. We have no influence worth anything in the EU, so I'd rather be without influence on the outside like every other independent country. We can't stay in because it suits the US. That's ludicrous.
I'd like to see a link to those analyses. Are you implying that in Scandinavia people had been using the old light bulbs as a SOURCE OF HEAT?????heating of their homes??????? Nobody is imposing anything. If you don't like them you don't have to buy them. Lit up candles, torches or petrol lamps. Haven't heard many complaining about it though... So if you are smart you could simply remember to just put a colored filter/glass encasing (with reflecting/deflecting interior) and have the color and brightness you want. Just because you got used to something doesn't mean new is bad. 'Adaptable' is what defines the surviving species. Those who want their food ready chewed will always complain of weak jaw muscles.
That's the thing, You may be surprised to hear it, but the majority of Americans are very much against what they see as the potential for a "one-world" government. And many are very suspicious of the UN. Not that the average American even cares, but most of them are not the type that wants their nation to give up sovereignty to an outside entity. It is not Americans that want the UK to join the EU, but rather just the current American president and his progressive political allies. The former American president would have been completely against it.
The EU referendum will be held after the 2015 general election only if the Tories hold on to power but a new poll suggests that it's unlikely to take place unless Labour shifts its pro-EU stance to appeal to the eurosceptic voters and UKIP has emerged as the third largest party, replacing Lib Dems. The Labour Party remains the first choice for voters in Britain as the governing Conservative Party has reached its lowest level since its electoral victory in 2010, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found. The Tories are a distant second with 27 per cent (-1), followed by the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) with 11 per cent (=) and the Liberal Democrats with 10 per cent (=). http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/48571/labour-ahead-tories-at-lowest-level-since-2010-election-in-britain/
Mid-term polls are often very misleading when it comes to general election time, though, so there's no guarantee (and probably little chance!) of that poll being reflected in seats at the next general election.
Are you serious? Cameron couldn't even get a majority government when he was standing against Gordon Brown and that was an open goal. In my opinion the Conservative Party will never be able to get a majority vote in this country again, EU referendum or not.
Possibly, or possibly not - we'll have to see what happens in 2 years time. There's alot of 'long weeks' in politics between now and then, and even then with our silly electoral system percentage points in polls don't necessarily reflect actual seats in parliament anyway.
I think as usual this whole debate is a nice distraction from failing economic policy currently being implemented by the government, our membership is vital for economic growth and the so called magic free trade agreements we would get were we to leave the EU is not certain and would pose a huge risk to our economy (and not to mention being required to adhere to strict EU legislation without any input in it!)
The UK was an extremly strong young man. We are getting on a bit now. The EU is our pension. You can ill afford to be without a pension.
We will have to wait until the next election as the Coalition gave us fixed term parliaments. The Tories won't get a majority in 2 centuries if they continue on their present course.
Do you really think the EU will risk a trade war with the UK? It is not in any position to play hard ball given the amount it sells here. Any nation abides by the rules of the country it sells to. The EU is not unique in requiring that its rules are observed and it works both ways.
If the EU didn't overstep itself in domestic laws and affairs, it wouldn't place itself as being such an easy target for the UK press. The politicians are simply toys of that media. Example, we have known terrorists / terrorrist activists which the UK country process has determined should no longer live in the UK. EU court overules, costing time and money to UK tax payers. Stay out of these affairs and the EU would have a better reputation.
In favour of a selective justice apparatus, I see? Maybe that's how things are run over there in your native country, but not in Continental Europe. Thanks.
Well first of all, please don't presume to think that you speak on behalf of 380 million people, I can assure you that you do not. Lets go further with this "selective justice apparatus" shall we? Lets go outside the EU, to the ME, or the US, Africa, Asia.... Yes, indeed, there are 100's of independent justice systems in the world. Making a one size fits all for 450M European is nuts! If that was the case, the NL's sensible and effective drugs policies would be overturned. Would everyone get to drink and drive like the Belgians? Because most civilised countries around the world have made great strides which the Beligans have failed to. Working hours, shall we make it legal to allow a mid afternoon break such as in the Southern EU countries, or shall we all work 9-5? Shall Sweden make illegal it's snus tobacco? In the UK, should it be legal, in a residential area, to operate an overhead crane, over a busy street? Such that I have seen in Belgian and the NL, but is illegal in Ireland and the UK? How far do you want to take EU law? How much money do you want to spend in doing so? Member states laws should not be overridden by EU law, especially in the case of known terrorists, who do not have legal rights to residence in our countries.
I'm sorry, but you aren't making any sense... Besides, you have EU law and European law... Even the Russians have to listen to European law, hence, why, for example, Russia doesn't have the death penalty. On a global scale, you see a Europeanization as far as legal codes is concerned... Anyway, stop being so simplistic about such a difficult subject. Pepperspray is illegal in BE & NL, which means I've got to get mine in France... Redbull, until 2008, was illegal in France. Not so in BE and NL -- they already sold it at every corner or they handed it out for free at the gate of school... Until the EU took France to the shed. Meanwhile unemployment in Northern France is sky high, and they are raiding, absolutely raiding, Belgian/Flemish homes and terrorizing entire areas. A common European federal police would stop such things... Or what about those lame-ass Bulgarians or Romanians that steal all the copper of the railroads, meanwhile thousands of people are standing in the cold on the platform waiting for Godot, 'cuz the Bulgarians and Romanians stole all the copper! What is this? A third world country -- please, don't get me started on these savages. Apologies for the monologue. Meanwhile, no EU-police 'cuz the Brits are blocking the road on everything EU-related... - - - Updated - - - Speaking of pepperspray, anyone got a good address up in France? => you can send me a PM, thanks.
Hpw about you respond tyo my points and questions about how far common EU law goes? - - - Updated - - - Hpw about you respond tyo my points and questions about how far common EU law goes?
