As to the future: well.
I do think some renegotiation would be useful on an EU-wide basis as, it seems to me, that much of what is railed against EU-wards is because we actually attempt to follow the rules laid down while other countries seem to get away with selectively forgetting about them.
Had Germany and France been given a damn good thrashing when they broke the fiscal compacts that they are now bashing Greece et al with, then at least some of the present troubles in the Eurozone might have been lessened.
Similarly for migration rules that the UK is keeping to, despite incessantly grumbling; Italy and France tend to do whatever they like and promise to do better next time. Proper enforcement for breaking the rules should be what we negotiate for, and watch as the rules we’ve been moaning about magically get transformed into workable ones or disappear entirely.
However, I suspect that a Tory-led renegotiation would be like Bill Murray’s “negotiation” in Quick Change - “… and I want a monster truck.” This will probably lead to the rest of the EU blowing a collective raspberry in our direction and the Tories saying “well, we tried, but we can’t stay in the club on that basis”, the referendum voting for out, and the EU taking subtle revenge in the form of some kind of banking tariff.
On that kind of renegotiation, I’d probably spoil my ballot. In would mean worse terms, out would mean worse terms.
I don’t see the point of being in the EU if you’re not in the Euro. Since I consider the Euro to be an all-time terrible idea, I would probably vote Out.
I know that many people oppose EU membership for unedifying reasons such as a dislike of bloody foreigners. All I can say is that if I have to vote the same way as those people then so be it.
Incidentally, I disagree with the OP’s assessment that it is “unsurprising” that cabinet ministers have said that they would vote to leave. It is something new, as is demonstrated by the fact that it has been all over the news lately. We are used to occasional Tory backbenchers coming out against the EU, but not members of the cabinet. The party line of all the parties up to now has always been pro-EU, and front-benchers have toed that line.
Unsurprising in a monkey-see monkey-do type way; UKIP does well in the local elections so they start to imitate what does well.
While politicians are well known for breaking promises (looking at Clegg…) I think Cameron would face a leadership challenge and quickly lose the leadership of the Tories if after the next general election they won a majority, only for him to say “Referendum? What referendum?”
He called for a referendum on the EU constitution in 2009, but I can’t find anything about that in the 2010 manifesto, whereas the ‘in or out’ referendum mentioned for 2015;
Put simply I just don’t think he’d get away with not holding the referendum if the Tories got a majority, if he tried he’d be out on his ear and some new leader would call it post-haste to try and salvage the Tory reputation.
I’m a Brit who’s spent almost all my life in the UK, but never voted.
I recently registered to vote and will vote UKIP in any European elections.
I don’t really have any strong feelings about immigration, but there’s enough layers of government in this country to waste taxpayers money without an ever increasing burden in Europe too.
In addition, the UK is forever frustrating and slowing the EU in reaching its goals, so I feel we should stop complaining and have the decency to step aside and allow the project to progress.
Sorry but no, at least for my Southern European country. Like so many of my generation I emigrated in the mid-1990s, when for several years we’d had an unofficial unemployment rate above 24% - and that was without counting anybody who’d obtained a degree in the last two years or anybody who’d been unemployed for more than five years (the current 28% figure includes both). Like so many, I came back, and now I’m seeing another generation leave. They are a lot less likely to come back when the pendulum swings, having seen what happened with us.
Spain blaming the EU for our economic mismanagement is what we call “an excuse from someone who doesn’t want to pay his debts”, once you know the guy it simply doesn’t fly.
You’ve left out a lot of time, 1995-?? That must be at least a decade, one which saw plenty of growth, not just in Europe. It also was a time of record low interest rates, set not by Spain but by a central European bank and not adjusted for Spain’s economy.
Oh, stay in! If I lived in Great Britain I would never want to give up the right to settle and work in the other EU countries. I understand that, with regard to national pride and sovereignty, many people object to being in the EU, but I don’t think it’s worth giving up the right of migration to reclaim absolute sovereignty.
I know you weren’t directing your remarks at me, but speaking personally, I would have much less of a problem giving up some sovereignty to the EU if it had a track record of making sensible decisions and good use of taxpayers’ money, as opposed to the reality which is generally speaking the exact opposite. It’s not an issue of national pride to me at all. I remember first coming across UKIP when they were the campaign to keep the pound (and thank goodness we did - though perhaps more by luck than by judgement. In my more charitable moments I might concede that keeping Britain out of the Euro was his biggest (only? :)) political achievement, though I have to suspect he really wanted to be part of the Euro but was prevented from this by circumstances).
More importantly, I’m not convinced most people are giving up the “right to migration” by leaving the EU. Yes, it may mean you lose the statutory right to do so, but in practice, you’re only going to be willing and able to move abroad if you either have the cash or the professional skills (or quite possibly both) to do so, and if you do, almost any country will welcome you with open arms whether they are in the EU or not. Despite what the Daily Mail might say, I doubt it is that easy for a family from another EU country to simply move to Britain and start claiming benefits, and I assume the reverse is true for impoverished Brits to move abroad. So I don’t think there is a genuine benefit here - I’m prepared to be contradicted if anyone knows better, though.
I think the main problem is the PR department. The EU does plenty of good stuff, they just rarely get any credit for it.
For quite some time there was a small EU sign right outside my uni building saying what they were building there with EU money. Every time I pointed it out to people they would say: “yeah, but the cucumbers”. Bloody cucumbers, that myth will never die.
Here is a list of good stuff the EU has done. It’s a PDF! I think a lot of that demonstrates good use of taxpayers’ money.
The best example of EU work is what I have seen happen in Romania. I first started going there when they were applying to join, and I didn’t think it was a good idea. However, the difference it has made to the country over just a few years is stunning. Not at all a waste of taxpayers’ money, if you ask me.
British and I voted to stay in. But I have to admit to some selfishness here: my girlfriend is French and lives in Paris (I’m in London). We visit each other fortnightly but sooner or later one of us will move to join the other and if the UK leaves the EU then that’ll complicate things hugely.
Besides, I’m generally in favour. We need more international bodies and agreements. Do you think, in a thousand year’s time, there will still be hundreds of little countries each doing their own thing? What a depressing thought. Get on with uniting the world already.
US citizen and I think the UK should stay in the EU.
First of all, there are tons of Brits living all over Europe and working and doing quite nicely…I can imagine many would be quite pissed off to try to suddenly get visas and work permits.
Secondly - running away and hiding doesn’t really help much. Sticking with “the club” is usually a better method of getting things accomplished in the long run. Sure - like any family there are nutcases who are more problem than they are worth - but in the long run, having some say in what happens across Europe if a far better idea than just standing off to the side and being ignored.
And most importantly - gee, that would mean the UK wouldn’t be able to be in Eurovision! Oh the pain! The loss! The grief!
Oops…I forgot, you don’t have to be in the EU to be a part of Eurovision. Never mind.
I voted as an EU citizen.