Should the UK remain in Europe

[Snapper]

Following yesterday's vote in the Commons I thought I'd conduct my own very rough, straw-pole to see what everyone thinks as to whether the UK should remain a part of the European Union?

I think there are some intetesting times coming up for Europe so I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks.

[florida4sun]

Devil if we do, Devil if we don't. If we pull out, they close ranks, if we do not we keep haemorrhaging money. We are seeing small signs in the growth of a UK manufacturing. Build that back up and we will be winners again and pull out for sure.

[luckylady]

A rock and a hard place comes to mind. Why should we bale out other countries time and time again. That don't think it’s their responsibility to at least try to resolve their own money problems.
I wish we could cut loose, but at the moment I doubt we are in a financial position to deal with the consequences of doing so.

[Lyn]

Never wanted to go in in the first place.

[freddiehollie]

Remember all the things we buy from Europe!! as well as, BMW, AUDI, MERCEDES, VW, CITROEN, PEUGEOT, RENAULT, ALFA etc etc.

They wouldn't want to lose or could afford to lose our custom.

[Sniff]

The idea that the UK can somehow "pull out of Europe" is ridiculous. In today's hugely interlinked trade and financial, it's practically impossible to imagine any country operating independantly, especially when you're talking about the closest geographical neighbours. Yes, the EU benefits from sales to UK, but the reverse is also true. The notion that "pulling out" would leave Europe adrift and the UK in some kind of isolated nirvana is just wishful thinking. The UK is suffering from the economic global downturn as much as any other country, probably more so because of the UK reliance on the banking sector.

If your question is intended to be "Should the UK remain part of the European Union?" then I would question whether it was ever really in it, which is perhaps part of the problem for the UK. It wanted to be part of the club, but didn't want to follow all the club rules. It wanted freedom of trade, but didn't want to join the Euro. It wanted freedom of movement, but didn't want to join Schengen. The UK should not have to bail out countries like Greece, I agree, but in theory neither should Germany, and the UK involvement is absolutely nothing compared to what Germany and France are facing. But that's the problem with a common currency - you gain from common benefits, and you lose from common problems.

The Euro is a huge issue that will probably tear the EU apart soon. But as a currency it's doing OK. I've been in Germany for 11 years now, and the Euro is stronger against the UK pound at the moment than at almost any time in it's brief history.

[taylona]

I am unhappy with the EU. For me it is all about jobs for our children and a future for them. I've never had a say in the EU and my parents thought we were entering a Common Market not a European State.

I would like to understand what we pay in, what we get out, how much it costs to run the EU, how much trade do we get with it and what we'd get without it.

As I wrote to my local MP, I have to look at my bank balance and see what I can afford, what is value for money and what I am getting for it. No one seems able to do this for me with the EU. Bottom line is 'can I afford to belong to this club?'

[Sniff]

I am unhappy with the EU. For me it is all about jobs for our children and a future for them. I've never had a say in the EU and my parents thought we were entering a Common Market not a European State.

I would like to understand what we pay in, what we get out, how much it costs to run the EU, how much trade do we get with it and what we'd get without it.

As I wrote to my local MP, I have to look at my bank balance and see what I can afford, what is value for money and what I am getting for it. No one seems able to do this for me with the EU. Bottom line is 'can I afford to belong to this club?'

Part of the problem is that the UK doesn't really "belong to this club". For many reasons the UK chose to only partially belong to Europe, and I think that is wrong. It pisses off the other European countries much more than you might realise, as they see the UK as wanting all the benefits but without paying the price of membership. Of course that view is not 100% correct either. But I do believe the UK should either have been fully in (including common currency and Schengen agreement) or fully out. That's why I voted that the "UK should renegotiate its relationship" - and I suspect that any referendum of the UK public right now would end in total withdrawal. I would vote for UK to stay in EU, because the benefits to me personally have been huge, but I realise that's not true for everyone.

[SteveandJan]

I am very unhappy with the EU and I have never had a chance to vote. For me like Denise it's about the future of my children. I don't believe it is a good thing, even before the financial problems. At the moment the UK government is taking the Commission to court because the EU commission wants the largest clearing house on financial transactions to locate out of the UK. That's says it all for me. Financial Services are a big service sector in the UK and this would have a huge impact on revenue and jobs for the UK, if they get their way. They churn out directive after directive every day. The UK pays in more than we get back, so I think it's time to say, it really hasn't worked for us. Anyway, who on earth thought a one size fits all would work. It would be the same if someone said "hey villa owners, you have to abide by one set of rules regardless of your size of villa", we know it wouldn't work for us and it clearly hasn't worked with the EU.

[wrpac00]

Part of the problem is that the UK doesn't really "belong to this club". For many reasons the UK chose to only partially belong to Europe, and I think that is wrong. It pisses off the other European countries much more than you might realise, as they see the UK as wanting all the benefits but without paying the price of membership. Of course that view is not 100% correct either. But I do believe the UK should either have been fully in (including common currency and Schengen agreement) or fully out. That's why I voted that the "UK should renegotiate its relationship" - and I suspect that any referendum of the UK public right now would end in total withdrawal. I would vote for UK to stay in EU, because the benefits to me personally have been huge, but I realise that's not true for everyone.

I think you are missing some of the main points keith. It really bugs me (wanted to use stronger words) when we are told what we can and cannot do, what we can call things and what we cannot and some of the stupid laws they impose on us like letting in doctors that can't speak English or are qualified enough killing Brits is TOTALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Under NO circumstances should the UK be fully in and personally I would prefer us to to be fully out. They all hate us especially France (that's why we will never be part of the club) and we get stitched up time and time again. We put more money into the EU than will ever get out of it so I have never seen any advantages of being in it.