UK Finally Promised Referendum on EU

Today the Prime Minister has finally promised an in/out referendum on the EU.

Voters will be given the chance to choose 'out nation's destiny' and opt to stay in or leave the European Union by the end of 2017, David Cameron promised today.
In the biggest gamble of his premiership, the Prime Minister said he would campaign with 'all my heart and soul' to stay in the EU if he secures a deal to claw back powers from Brussels.

He promised to hold a straightforward ‘in/out’ referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU by the middle of the next Parliament, a move immediately ridiculed by the French government.

Speaking this morning to business leaders at the Bloomberg headquarters in central London, Mr Cameron declared: ‘It is time for the British people to have their say. It is time to settle this European question in British politics.'

www.dailymail.co.uk...



Well, I personally see this as blackmail more than anything else. The Prime Minister knows that he is not getting re-elected and has only promised this vote convieniently after the next election. Basically he realises that the UK people want a renegotiation on Europe or we pull out and he knows no other party apart from UKIP will offer this. This is essentially blackmailing the British public, because if he really meant it, he would do it before the next general election and not wait until 2017. I'm still voting UKIP.

Like I wrote in another thread, I hope you Brits get all the info you need to decide this. A separation from the EU would have consequences for your economy leaving the trade agreements and Schengen. UK got much money from Brussels without paying too much for being in the EU and this "Help" would stop too. And there is no Commonwealth anymore to level this out...

With the separation movement and memorandum in scotland, the problems in northern ireland and propably someday Wales might separate too, this ain't look pretty at the moment.

Well i say "OUT",
We have no control of or borders anymore hence why there are so many people out of work.

Originally posted by Talliostro
UK got much money from Brussels without paying too much for being in the EU and this "Help" would stop too.

I'm sorry but that is incorrect, the UK is one of the biggest contributers to the EU and we miss out on most handouts because we are already much further developed as a nation than nearly all of the other EU members. We are the EU's second biggest loser behind Germany.

Originally posted by majestic3
Well i say "OUT",
We have no control of or borders anymore hence why there are so many people out of work.

But the EU does create a lot of jobs in the UK too, most of our trade is done with EU members. We would have to make sure we negotiate a trade deal before we left but schengen can be scrapped immidiately, no more open borders please.

Don't know during the nineties and early 2000 years the UK got much money for development from the EU. So the economical state you are in now is a direct impact of the EU.

And I don't think that the whole unemployment and violence issue has something to do with the EU and the Schengen Treaty. Aren't these very unsatisfied people in second or third generation mostly from India and Pakistan, so Ex-Commonwealth?
If so, this would be a more homemade affair and not a merely EU problem. We have here in Germany a nearly similar problem with 2nd or 3rd Generation foreigners.
But I don't have any real insight in the internal problems of the UK to be honest. Here in Germany, there are dire things to solve than the UK leaving the EU

reply to post by Talliostro


We have no more commonwealth?

First I have heard of that one, and as for our membership in the EU financially we could easily survive without it, infact I could see us thriving without all the regulations that come with the EU.

Also I'm not sure the UK or England get more money than they put into the EU, the regulations and control they have costs us a fortune.... Wales may have been better off and some very few areas of the UK.

Countries that get more than they give with the EU are countries such as Lithuania,Poland and Greece, be it direct financial aid or investment in infostructure

reply to post by michael1983l


Camoron can say this all he likes, I wouldn't trust that liar with a potato gun. We were promised this referendum before he got elected, why in god's name should we allow him more time in power to not fulfill his promises..... We should be able to hold him accountable for his promises/lies

reply to post by Talliostro


You have been lied to. The UK has always been a net loser in the EU, how do you think we managed to negotiate a rebate, if all this time we were taking money from the EU?

Originally posted by Talliostro
. Here in Germany, there are dire things to solve than the UK leaving the EU

Also to add to this nugget here, I think you should be concerned with the UK leaving the EU, because as the UK is a net loser, when that money is withdrawn from the EU, it will have to be made up else where. Meaning Germany will have to increase its contributions. How else are you going to pay for lesbian outreach programmes in Kaunas?

I just hope we get an informed debate on the issues concerned, not just a load of Daily Mail knee jerk reactions. I want to see the pros and cons laid out in a proper debate.

Originally posted by michael1983l
You have been lied to. The UK has always been a net loser in the EU, how do you think we managed to negotiate a rebate, if all this time we were taking money from the EU?

Maybe
At least you get a vote, we weren't even asked if we want the EU Constitution or not. It got decided for us, like so many other things regarding the EU...
I would like to have a referendum about the EU too here in Germany, this would be truly interesting.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
I just hope we get an informed debate on the issues concerned, not just a load of Daily Mail knee jerk reactions. I want to see the pros and cons laid out in a proper debate.

I respect what you say, but whilst Brussels has any power over changing Laws in the UK and enforcing directives, then no matter what the pro's the answer will still always be a resounding OUT vote. I don't see Brussels handing back the powers to change British law any time soon. Oh and the Human Rights act needs tearing up too.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
I just hope we get an informed debate on the issues concerned, not just a load of Daily Mail knee jerk reactions. I want to see the pros and cons laid out in a proper debate.

I suspect we will get exactly what you wish for. The latest Yougov polls showed that support for the EU now outstrips those that wish to leave. Mind you, there was no indication of where the polls were taken. If it was the square mile you would get much different results to say high street Bolton!

Personally, i am pro Europe for various reasons. Don't want to be in the Euro though. Basically, i am the same as this country! I want to have my cake and eat it when it comes to Europe!

reply to post by Talliostro


You should be allowed a vote, the whole EU project has been pushed onto the big players in Europe (Germany, France, Italy, UK and Spain) without any one of the National Governments having a mandate to do so. If I recall, all we have ever been asked is if we want to join a common market. Since the conception, the EU has turned into a dictatorship and no I am not being sensationalistic about that comment, by every sense, it is a dictatorship.

I hope Germany gets its referendum too.

Originally posted by Flavian

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
I just hope we get an informed debate on the issues concerned, not just a load of Daily Mail knee jerk reactions. I want to see the pros and cons laid out in a proper debate.

I suspect we will get exactly what you wish for. The latest Yougov polls showed that support for the EU now outstrips those that wish to leave. Mind you, there was no indication of where the polls were taken. If it was the square mile you would get much different results to say high street Bolton!

Personally, i am pro Europe for various reasons. Don't want to be in the Euro though. Basically, i am the same as this country! I want to have my cake and eat it when it comes to Europe!

The polls have been showing an overwhelmingly majority support to negotiate our terms or leave the EU consistantly for years now. Then all of a sudden, just before the Prime Minister (who is pro europe) does a speech on leaving, the polls suddenly flip flop..... and you believe them?

Originally posted by Talliostro
Like I wrote in another thread, I hope you Brits get all the info you need to decide this. A separation from the EU would have consequences for your economy leaving the trade agreements and Schengen. UK got much money from Brussels without paying too much for being in the EU and this "Help" would stop too. And there is no Commonwealth anymore to level this out...

With the separation movement and memorandum in scotland, the problems in northern ireland and propably someday Wales might separate too, this ain't look pretty at the moment.

Are you kidding us ? The EU was only ever meant to be a trading union - representing free trade agreements, or so the British people thought. They now make our laws , want fiscal and political union. We DID NOT vote for this takeover.

Do you realise that Britain is an island and has been a free nation for 12000 odd years - a technical free nation for 1000 years[ England ].

In the past 15 years we have had our sovereignty taken away, we cannot control our borders or laws.

We have had millions and millions of people flooding into the country - living free on benefits or taking our jobs.

Britain contributes more in funds each year then it takes from the EU.

How would America feel if it gave up its sovereignty in a political union with South and central America, where the laws were made in Rio and there was free movement of people across the border ? etc etc.

You know Britain fought a war to stop Germany invading - WW2, they have done it anyway by stealth, so please stop lecturing to us. We are being destroyed and taken down. It will end in tears and blood.

How many promises on the EU is that now? Two, three or four...i've lost count.

This latest 'promise' is just another electioneering crowbar.

It's not just the tories consistently lying about this, Labour did too.

It's outrageous..we're a mature electorate when it comes to general or local elections, perfectly able to determine who would be the best option for governing Britain for the next 4 or 5 years, as it suits the politicans...although we're ignorant, immature and cannot be given a choice on our own sovereignty no less, over the EU, as it doesn't suit the politicians.

No double standards there at all then.

Pro-EU-ites, will propagandise the issue by attempting to instil fear over 'disasterous trade consequences' if Britain exited from the EU...PURE RUBBISH.

We would still be in the free market, as we were before this entire 'closer integration BS' crept up on all of us.

NO country in the EU would cut it's nose off to spite it's face, what are they going to say.."You don't want to be our best friend anymore, so we are no longer going to trade with you" ?! Of course they wouldn't.

Europe managed perfectly well without the centralised bureacrats, and there's no reason whatsoever it would be any different when Britain leaves.

Originally posted by Talliostro
Don't know during the nineties and early 2000 years the UK got much money for development from the EU. So the economical state you are in now is a direct impact of the EU.

edit on 23/1/2013 by Talliostro because: (no reason given)

Not true - Britain is a net contributer ie it gives more in cash then it takes in funds from the EU every year.

It is the 27 ex soviet stakes that have changed everything IMO - they flooded us with poor people and needed alot of money on funds.

The EU is not a democracy - no one voted for it, no one even voted for the president or how the funds are distributed or for their mandate to make laws.

Britain has been destroyed by the EU. We should have a free trade agreement only. As I said it will end in war.

reply to post by MysterX


Much like I said in the OP. This speech is more a stunt than an actual promise. It is just blackmail, nothing else.

reply to post by michael1983l


That isn't strictly speaking true though is it? Polls of the general public have shown overwhelming support for leaving the EU. Polls amongst business (on the other hand) have consistently shown overwhelming support for further strengthening current ties to the EU.

So i guess the real questions are about defining our relationship with Europe (which is where Cameron has got this right). It is business that generates wealth through employment, sales revenues, taxation, etc - not the "man on the street". I have a real fear this will be either totally forgotten or else completely ignored by Joe Public come referendum time.