Quote
David Cameron is prepared to consider a referendum on the UK's EU relationship, but only when the time is right, he has written in the Sunday Telegraph.
In the article, the prime minister said he wanted a "real choice" for voters but said that an immediate in/out referendum was not what most wanted.
BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said Mr Cameron was "opening the door" to a possible referendum.
Nearly 100 Conservative MPs have called for a poll during the next Parliament.
In a letter to the prime minister, they urged him to make it a legal commitment to hold a vote on the UK's relationship with the EU.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18659072
everyone is always talking about the EU... should we go in deeper or get out altogether....
but why would we change ? we're in a sweet spot right now.... going in any further would be too risky, we're better off sticking with the pound... and getting out would be a dumb move because of all the trade agreements we have/need
Knowing how the UK is, if it went the Euro the UK would be where Greece is right now. No doubt in that. Being on the Pound has probably saved it being as bad as some places.
Would it do any better not being in at all? I think not, I think it would be worse off with countries alienating the UK even further.
Alan is right, bit of a good place at the end of the day, not totally in but in enough to have a say and get SOME help if needed.
I agree with NeXus and knighty, we're in the best position of any country in Europe by far, this whole talk of pulling out is just another election string-along as I'm sure they really can't be that stupid.
I'm interested in how Switzerland trade so freely and deeply within the EU but without and of the liabilities or control transfer to the EU. Why couldnt we do the same?
Quote from: neXus on July 02, 2012, 01:07:13 AM
Knowing how the UK is, if it went the Euro the UK would be where Greece is right now. No doubt in that. Being on the Pound has probably saved it being as bad as some places.
Would it do any better not being in at all? I think not, I think it would be worse off with countries alienating the UK even further.
Alan is right, bit of a good place at the end of the day, not totally in but in enough to have a say and get SOME help if needed.
UK is nothing like Greece, Portugal, Ireland or Spain. The economies are very different. Also, the EU is different to the Euro.
The EU is about common markets, common agricultural policy, ECHR and many other things I've forgotten and don't know. Membership of the EU, doesn't have to mean adopting the Euro currency and I'm pretty sure nobody will be pushing that aspect of membership for a long long time.
So, the question is, does the EU as it currently stand suit the UK? I think it does, it has some stupid bureaucratic aspects that have been ridiculed in the past but without it, as a worker, I'd be in a worse place for sure.
It would take me a while to come up with specifics but I'm quite confident that my rights have been positively affected by membership of the EU.
I agree with the above comments about our current situation. I think it's important that we (and the other EU but non-Euro countries for that matter) keep a close eye on what happens for the next few months though. The Eurozone is in serious trouble and may have to make some large changes, if that happens we should be ready to re-evaluate our position. I'm not predicting what will happen or weather it will make our position in Europe better or worse, just saying that we should not assume that our current favourable position is always going to stay that way.
From that position, I think the talk of a possible referendum at an undisclosed future date is correct, we should see what the Eurozone ends up doing and then make a decision on the basis of all the facts.