MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
UK EU 2017 membership referendum clears first hurdle but triggers further controversy
The Tory plan for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union cleared its first hurdle in the House of Lords last week. The Bill was given an unopposed second reading after a lengthy seven-hour debate in the Lords, in which more than 60 peers spoke. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesWhat is the EU more afraid of, reform or losing the UK? I reckon the reforms will be forthcoming. However, I would vote to leave as I don't think Northern European countries are economically compatible with the Mediterranean ones.
Jan 13th, 2014 - 10:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0Has ta Mañana isn't my cup of tea thank you!
I would suggest that the East Europeans economies are not economically compatible with the majority of EU economies. If you lived in Spain and wanted to seek work where would you go, the UK or for instance Romania, Bulgariaor Poland. The benefits system in the UK is by far more inviting.
Jan 13th, 2014 - 10:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0And where do the OAPs go when they retire??
Jan 13th, 2014 - 12:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0SPAIN!!!! WHERE ELSE WOULD THEY GO BUT SUNNY SPAIN. RICH IN CULTURE AND GREAT FOOD...I MILLION OR SO OAPS ARE RESIDING IN SPAIN....they are not silly.
@1 There are many inconsistencies. Northern Europe is incompatible with southern Europe. Northern Europe is incompatible with eastern Europe. Unfortunately, eastern Europe is incompatible with southern Europe. The real problem is the European Commission, who are set on creating a European “peasant” class. Take from those that have created socially stable and economically viable societies and give to “communist-inspired” unstable and economically poor groupings. A “proper” real world would tell the “communist-inspired” unstable and economically poor groupings to get their fingers out and improve their own countries. To bar them from taking the “short” route by leeching off those who have worked.
Jan 13th, 2014 - 01:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@2 There are very few economies that are compatible with the UK economy. Germany is a possibility. But it's worth noting that the UK is now seeking to change the rules. No benefits until you've paid in for 2 years, it says. No benefits until you've paid in, it says. And the problem is....? Here's a thought. Down to Tesco. Pick up £1.00 loaf of bread. Walk out. Pay nothing. Isn't that fraud? Or theft? Wouldn't it be best to take all european politicians to a torture chamber for “treatment”? Would communist, labour, liberal, nazi politicians benefit from only having one ball and no cock? Or, from their starting point, no balls and no cock? What about Ed “No balls” Balls?
Actually, eastern european economies are best compatible to african economies.
There should be a “second string”. Two strings are better than one string when ready to garotte or hang someone.
@3 Actually, they are silly. Let's take a look at spain. Massive monuments for doing nothing or being farts. So “economicaly viable”, it depends on other countries. So democratic that, despite being more than 1,500 the times the size of its victim, it can't win. Is there some valid reason why imperialist, colonialist spain shouldn't be bombed, missiled, eradicated?
One thing is for certain, Germany are not going to saddle themselves with the dubious honour of being the only country paying the bills. I reckon they will pretty much give the UK anything they want than to be left with the EU mess on their own.
Jan 13th, 2014 - 03:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The UK public never signed up for a European Union they thought it was a Common Market...how did this change to a single market...
Jan 13th, 2014 - 03:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The UK imports more from the EU than it exports to it...so who needs whom?
Who governs the single market...the EU.
The UK should have a common market with Europe and be able to deal with the rest of the world on it's own terms...
100 Tory Mp's have stated they want power back to Parliament...Now ..not 2017
Renegotiation or out...
It was announced in the Telegraph last week that the chances of pushing this through have already gone.
Jan 13th, 2014 - 04:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I bet CaMoron is glad, until 2015 when he and Nick Clegg, his cosy mate from whatever they called themselves will be out.
1 Britworker
Jan 13th, 2014 - 04:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0For me, having listened to all the “guarantees” of a referendum by Camer-moron and knowing about all the promices that he he utterly failed to deliver on, I am not holding my breath.
David Cameron, a man who stands for “absolutely nothing at all” and is always first and going second. the UK would be better off without him and his fly-by-night, second rate party of wife swappers and sycophants.
For me UKIP is the only way forward now, or just may be thats because I am a “fruitcake, a loony and a closet racist”
@8
Jan 13th, 2014 - 07:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No, you are right. I think UKIP is an excellent party to vote for, however, we should see how this plays out and see if we can end up with a best of both worlds solution. The only thing that worries me about leaving the EU is putting foreign investment at risk, but my heart says we should leave.
we have a choice,
Jan 13th, 2014 - 07:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0labour - but they not interest
lib/dem , but he is brainwashed
conservative - but he predicts to much what he cant guarantee
UKIP , says out out out ----
simple really- but they have to get some MPs first,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
my opinion,
2017 far to late,
we need a referendum now...,
“What is the EU more afraid of, reform or losing the UK?”
Jan 13th, 2014 - 08:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0lolololol.
Ah yes, the EU is shtting itself. Reform is highly likely.
Bring on the referendum.
Only 2 possibilities -
1) An end to moaning and the critics behave like good little EU citizens.
2) An end to moaning and critics never again hinder the EU.
If Cameron loses the 2015 election, he has only himself to blame,
Jan 13th, 2014 - 08:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0if UKIP sweeps the European Elections, Cameron and labour will be crying into the soup,
still,
it could end up with a four way hung parliament,
MPs hung from the benches,
shamefull lol.
@11
Jan 14th, 2014 - 08:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0You seem to be misguided in the belief that it is only the UK that wants reform of the EU. In the end it will be much cheaper to reform than to lose one of its main net contributors.
The EU is in desperate need of reform or it will fail completely.
Jan 14th, 2014 - 11:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0The UK Referendum should be a wake up call to the rest of Europe, evolve or die. Tackle corruption or die. Stagnate and die.
As for Labour and the Lib Dems, I believe that they have seriously misjudged the UK publics wishes in this. The vast majority want a referendum, mainly because they want to know just how Europe benefits the UK as a whole, not just benfiting a few. The Referendum will force all sides to explain their stance, whether pro-Europe or against Europe. So by attempting to block this Bill, they may alienate some of their regular voters, and that will affect any chance they have of being elected to government.
As for UKIP, well all it wants if for the UK to be out of Europe. It isn't offering the people of the UK to have their say in a Referendum, like the Conservatives are, so they are unlikely to win many seats in a General Election.
And since the Conservatives are offering the Referendum to the UK public, then they are more likely to be re-elected to government.
Labour, especially, is shooting itself in the foot over this, because most of the people who want out of Europe tend to be the working classes - their usual voter pool.
13 - dont like it ? Leave. (after all these years)
Jan 14th, 2014 - 12:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The EU has morphed into a monster, we all in the UK originally signed up to the EEC and organisation for trade cooperation and not this huge monster that wants to rule the whole of Europe.
Jan 14th, 2014 - 01:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It is an organisation that has not been able get any it's accounts audited.
It's a bit like Mercosur which started life as an instrument to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency.
Look at what that has now become .
A vote for UKIP will see Ed Milliband in 10 Downing Street.
Jan 14th, 2014 - 02:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The British Electoral system is not proportional representation it is a skewed (heavily to Labour) first past the post system.
If the Conservatives and Labour get the same number of votes, Labour wins more seats, as Labour strongholds are smaller.the proposal to change this to a fairer 600 equally sized constituencies was voted down by the Liberals and labour (I wonder why).
The next election will be fought out in the 100 key marginal seats. Most UKIP voters if forced to choose between the Tories and labour would choose Conservative.
Losing these voters to UKIP will allow labour to win the marginals and put Ed Milliband in No.10
A vote for UKIP is a vote for labour.
17
Jan 14th, 2014 - 03:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0UKIP are planning to do a vote swap with Conservatives to keep Labour out....likely it may not work, but you never know....probably be one sided....
The plan is, when needed ...the UKIP will vote Conservative...
You lot aren't closet racists.
Jan 14th, 2014 - 05:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There is no closet to blame...
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