observer Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 Well it seems the UK's net contribution will be increased by 60% next year, in order to pay for handouts to the new E'European Members. This means a rise from ?4.1billion in 20004 (?53 per UK houshold) to ?6.4billion (?260 per houshold) - source BBC Ceefax. Time we cut our losses and got out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted August 24, 2009 Report Share Posted August 24, 2009 I can't wait for Kije to come on here and justify this one!! We are being absolutely stitched by Europe and it is time to get out or get a massive reduction in what we pay into the infernal organisation. Most of our contributions probably pay for the brussels gravy train anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Given the UK has got no money....indeed we are borrowing ?500,000,000 a day ( yes, that's ?500 million ), guess we'll have to default on the payment. As I understand the situation, we used to get a rebate thereby reducing what we paid, seems that Mr Blair gave the rebate away when he was PM...wonder if that had anything to do with him wanting to be EU President. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8219344.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 no comment as usual then sgt?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 The usual blinkered pro European has now gone deaf and dumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Actually in fairness there are some aspects of the EU I like: the fact that as a business I can import and export goods and services throughout the EU without the reams of paperwork that there used to be; that if I'm minded to I can far more easily go and work and live in EU member states; and that when I have for example a package holiday in the EU then I am afforded better consumer protection. What I don't like is the shuffling of money from Brussel to member states, the provision of services in member states should be something that the governments of those states have to sort out for themselves. I have no desire or interest in the running of other sovereign states. The EU should be a very small and cheap to run organisation that simply identifies barriers to free trade, movement of people and consumer protection and really nothing much more than that. Happy to pay a few pounds a year for such a body but not the sort of levels being mentioned now....especially when I see that the money makes some very second rate people wealthy....very wealthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 A 3 step plan for all euro-sceptics out there:- 1) Vote UKIP (or BNP, whichever leads in the polls in your particular locality). 2) Get us out of the EU. Immediately. 3) Join EFTA. That would give us access to the European Economic Area, without ceding sovereignty to the garlic eating surrender monkies across the channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 If points one,two and three are possible, then carry it out. As I have said about other aspects of government, none of the main parties will do anything about things the majority of people favour. Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 You've got to laugh at Brown's pathetic excuse for this sick joke - "we've got to SHARE the burden" with other EU Countries! Hang on Gordon, what's this "share" buisiness? Ever since we joined this con-trick, we've paid MORE into it than we get out of it, along with the Frogs and Krauts; in order to fill the begging bowls of every poverty stricken and corrupt State that wants to jump onto the gravy train. And not being satisfied with money being thrown at their Countries, they sidle over here to claim benefits and milk our services - we must be the biggest mugs on the planet for putting up with it - yes - UKIP or BNP everytime from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 You've got to laugh at Brown's pathetic excuse for this sick joke - "we've got to SHARE the burden" with other EU Countries! Hold on Observer, I'm sometimes all for sharing, maybe other EU states would like some of the UKs ?2 trillion of debts. Never mind the UK contributing, with these debts which are increasing daily, we no longer have any money to contribute to anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 Past time for one of the mainstream parties (possibly a right of centre one, Paul? ) to give the electorate a genuine choice. ....but wasn't it our right of centre mainstream party which negotiated and signed Maastricht in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 25, 2009 Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 That is true ( John Major's Government), but there were plenty of rebels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2009 .... and prior to Maastricht, it was a Ted Heath Tory Government that signed us up to it in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 And as I recall we all had a vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Think "the vote" was for a "common market" not "a European UNION" - and they've made sure we've never had a "vote" since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Both of the main parties have been complicit in creating the farce which is the EU. And they both wonder why voters are apathetic when asked to choose (primarily) between them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Think "the vote" was for a "common market" not "a European UNION" - and they've made sure we've never had a "vote" since. Yes but you mentioned Ted Heath. The EU came later with Maastricht....which as you rightly say we didn't get to vote on. Interestingly enough, I'm not sure that if there was a vote on EU withdrawal, there would be much of a majority either way, in fact it could be pretty evenly spread between yes, no and abstaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 If the No camp in a referendum pointed out that withdrawal from the EU would:- i). give us back control over our own borders and our immigration policy, ii).allow us to scrap the chancers charter that is Human Rights Act, iii).impose usage charges and decent standrds of roadworthiness on foreign lorries on our roads, AND iv).save the Treasury billions of pounds per year, then I'd think it would be an absolute landslide. Don't forget that the Irish, who get more out of the EU than they put in and don't suffer the floods mass immigration that we do, voted no to the Lisbon Treaty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 But remember the yes lot would be campaigning as well, and after the two camps "beat each other up" with claim and counter claim, the abstainers might win the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 The Yes camp might be hard pressed to find any positives which most voters would care about. All they could do is spout about the advantages of the single market - which EFTA membership would get us anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Well it seems the richest country in Europe at the moment, with no budget deficit is Norway - and they're not in the EU! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Give the Irish some encouragement to fight for us all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Paddy has a habit of saying "no" first time round, then saying "yes" when asked again - tut, tut! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 So doing something once is a "habit" At least they have been given the chance to give an opinion on the rotten edifice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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