UK out of the EU?

[sandandfoam]

What do you think of Camerons promise for an 'in/out' referendum on EU membership?

 

[Breathe]

I think it's a load of old bollocks; Cameron, like all politicians, talks crap and would only do this if he had some reason to do it that was beneficial to him and his little gang.

... wow, I've become a grumpy, cynical old man.

 

[lunakilo]

For some reason, my first thought. The only reason My country is part of the EU-club is because of the UK.
It had to do with the price of bacon

It seems quite ironical that Britain might end up leaving nad Denmark end up staying.

Having an 'in/out' referendum on EU membership is not necessarily a bad idea, but you have to be willing to accept the consequences.
I don't see a problem asking people what they want, but a lot of people will probably vote to leave.
So if Cameron is ok with that as a possible outcome, then I see no problem.

 

[Breathe]

Having an 'in/out' referendum on EU membership is not necessarily a bad idea, but you have to be willing to accept the consequences.

What kind of consequences do you expect would happen as a result of this referendum, both with 'in' and with 'out' results? Somehow I think even the referendum itself would cause some of the other European nations to be more distrustful of Britain and British interests, since Britain's frequently whining about something or other that the EU is doing to the EU.

And... really? Bacon helped Denmark into the EU...?

 

[Flankerl]

This would be awesome and DeGaulle would be proud.

Finally the aircraft carrier would be gone from the EU.

 

[sandandfoam]

DeGaulle would be proud.

Grumpy old fellas often get their way in the end

 

[HonestJoe]

What do you think of Camerons promise for an 'in/out' referendum on EU membership?

That the election campaign is starting earlier than ususal.

 

[Flankerl]

Grumpy old fellas often get their way in the end

No one wanted to listen to him once he was out of office. And then it became true what he already knew beforehand.


That poor man.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Cameron wants the benefits with out the costs.

If we leave, so will many of our foreign owned businesses, who see us as an easy doorway into the European market. Some Businesses like to trade through us because it is easier to trade in English others because we are the least regulated.

 

[Leftimies]

As a fierce supporter of federation, I kinda frow upon the idea, but then again, UK's withdrawal from EU might be the only way EU ever is going to unify. UK is too proud to be part of such federation, and moreover, the countries within it (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) have various movements against the united kingdom itself. I think UK is too messy a country to be in EU, barking at it all the time and being the spoiled kid besides, it would break the continential profile of EU as well.

UK out = more stable, albeit weaker EU.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

As a fierce supporter of federation, I kinda frow upon the idea, but then again, UK's withdrawal from EU might be the only way EU ever is going to unify. UK is too proud to be part of such federation, and moreover, the countries within it (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) have various movements against the united kingdom itself. I think UK is too messy a country to be in EU, barking at it all the time and being the spoiled kid besides, it would break the continential profile of EU as well.

UK out = more stable, albeit weaker EU.

You might end up with Scotland in and the rest of the UK out.
France and Scotland have a long history as allies. Even their law is similar.
If I were a young man I would settle in France while the going was good.

 

[xkatz]

While I am an American I am also Eurosceptic so I guess I support the referendum even though IDK if Cameron/the British gov't would really try to withdraw from the EU if the majority of voters said they wanted out.

 

[Leftimies]

You might end up with Scotland in and the rest of the UK out.
France and Scotland have a long history as allies. Even their law is similar.
If I were a young man I would settle in France while the going was good.

actually, this makes sense. Scotland also is affiliated by some with Nordic countries, albeit the strongest with Norway which is out. so maybe your France connection is better basis for that course of events.

 

[YmirGF]

This would be awesome and DeGaulle would be proud.

Finally the aircraft carrier would be gone from the EU.

I wonder how long Germany would stay in the EU if the UK came to its senses and pulled out.

 

[lunakilo]

What kind of consequences do you expect would happen as a result of this referendum, both with 'in' and with 'out' results? Somehow I think even the referendum itself would cause some of the other European nations to be more distrustful of Britain and British interests, since Britain's frequently whining about something or other that the EU is doing to the EU.

I just ment the consequence that a referendum might result in Britain leaving the EU. It is quite possible that this would be the outcome.
I don't think I can grasp the consequences of what would happen if Britain did leave.

And... really? Bacon helped Denmark into the EU...?

Yes
The UK and Denmark were both founding members of EFTA, but when the UK decided to join the EEC, Denmark decided to do the same because the UK was at that time the country that we had the largest export to, mainly danish bacon

So, yes, Denmark joined the EEC in order to keep up the price of bacon

It is funny how the british have ended up some of the most eurosceptic people in the EU, and the danish some of the least eurosceptic.

That the election campaign is starting earlier than ususal.

Yes, I agree.
Very possibly this is just campaigning. I don't know what the man actually said, and even if he can single handedly force a referendum through if he wanted to, I don't know if he means what he sais, or if he just said what he said because he wanted to provoke someone to do or say something, or if he is just useng the topic of the EU to draw attention away from other things.

 

[Secret Chief]

As with previous referenda, this one has nothing to do with finding out the general population's majority opinion, it is all about internal politics. On top of the Tory party's own Eurosceptic section, Cameron is having to respond to the growing popularity of UKIP, which is eating into the Tory vote.

 

[Secret Chief]

...and if it is so important why is it not for another 4 years? Oh yes, that's after the next election.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Referenda in the UK are advisory only.
Parliament is sovereign and would need to vote to leave the EU.

There is no certainty as to how parliament would vote, or even its make up after the next election.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Grumpy old fellas often get their way in the end

I do quite often.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I wonder how long Germany would stay in the EU if the UK came to its senses and pulled out.

You read my mind Ymir. :yes:

I also wonder if the German citizens where to vote on this what the outcome would be?