Seems that England is looking at splitting away from the EU

Where does that quote come from, CI?

if you google the words with quotes around them, you'll find them in over 400 sources



it's a feed from the Associated Press



here's one location

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/as-europe-plots-closer-political-and-fiscal-ties-britain-contemplates-split-from-neighbours-180135371.html

I think that the UK never really joined the EU. (Actually, there's no other member state with so many 'extra rules'.)

I don't think that it would be very bad for Europe - it would be worse for the UK's economy, though ... and for British expatriates and tourists.

I wonder, if Scotland gets some kind of independence, the could take over the UK's membership. (Which actually really would help them in such a case.)

When the English come over the channel to complain about the prices and the service, i think the "Frogs" will enjoy it much, much more, especially when they have to change their money.

Spain has said no to anything like that.

This is all about the EU budget. In the UK there has always been a certain amount of Euro scepticism championed by the Daily Mail and the Eurosceptic party UKIP. UKIP has no Westminster MPs, but does have a number of MEPs, (Members of the European Parliament.) This is down to two reasons, the MEP elections are run on the PR system and European elections very rarely are held at the same time as Westminster elections so the Euro elections are treated as a way to show dissatisfaction with the government.

At the moment there is a Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition running things with Labour in opposition. The Liberals are the most pro-European party in parliament, but the right wing of the Conservative party is very Euro sceptic. The coalition wanted a freeze of the EU budget in real terms, which would mean an increase in monetary terms. Labour joined with Conservative rebels to force a vote through parliament demanding a cut in real terms, which could mean a freeze in monetary terms.

That's the background, so Cameron flies out to the summit wanting to do a Thatcher and get certain powers repatriated. The Eurozone crisis, perceived extravangance in Brussels and conflict with the European court over prisoner's voting rights and extradition of Islamist terrorists to Jordan has brought Euroscepticism to the fore. Both Labour and the Conservatives are toying with the idea of an in/out referendum, but while this may be tempting to Little Englanders the actual consequences for the UK would be disastrous. If there is a referendum the leadership of all three parties will support staying in, and only UKIP, Conservative (and a few Labour) backbenchers will support leaving. Even then it will be a close run thing.

I agree, izzy.

What's happening now with "No-no-" Cameron can'tbe good for him, too:
- either, he agrees to some kind of compromise and has at home to deal with his party plus a reasonable number of Conservative MPs,
- or he really stays to his 'NO' and has to pay later = has to declare why England then has to pay more than before.

Both will lead to an In-Out-Referendum.

When you follow the said papers and look at some of the Eurosceptic blogs of MPs and MEPs ... well, if they don't know what's going in Europe, in the EU, in the Council of Europe (to that, the European Court of Human Rights is related = it has nothing to do with the EU but a lot with the UK who co-founded that court and had Arnold Duncan McNair, 1st Baron McNair, as the very first president in 1959) ..... how could and should Jane and John Doe know what's all about?

Without understanding all the complicated issues involved, I would agree that splitting away from the EU would be the wrong move - especially now. It's because they are all struggling, and staying would be admitting they also need to do something about their monetary system - which they need to do.

It's better for England for the long-term outlook.

Yes, cutting out now is like selling stocks when and because the market is (temporarilly) down.

You're quite right about the court being nothing to do with the EU, and we signed up to the court long before we joined the EU, but that doesn't stop the two being linked in the mind of the Daily Mail reader.

Can I clear something else up, a lot of the responses from Americans on this thread gives the impression that they think the UK is part of the Eurozone. The UK has its own currency, pound sterling, we don't use Euros over here.

Btw, although I'm a Labour supporter I do think the Labour party was playing politics when they joined with Tory rebels to vote down the budget freeze.

With so many having to agree to the approval of the EU budget, it seems like an intractable problem when one state with differing problems and issues can say "no," and stop the whole agreement.

I think there's a lot of big talk going on right now, this isn't Israel/Palestine, I think there'll be a fudge of some kind.

... and the thread originator seems to be confused about the UK and 'England'.

I guess you mean the United Kingdom?

When did such considerations ever hold them back?

Okay. But I'd honestly thought that (Conservative) MPs and MEPs of various blogs as well as journalists "specialised" in European politics should know better. Most don't .... and don't seem interested to get educated about it, too.

I'm really Anglophile. But this Europephobia which is to be found in many parts of the British society is ... naff.

Well, I am a very enthusiastic pro-European UK citizen, and very proud to be an EU citizen.