Your voice in Europe, your vote on May 25th

[Guanche]

Just had the mind in neutral staring at the bloody yap dogs across the Brancco that I would happly shoot if I had a rifle when a thought came to me. Are European politics becoming as mind numbing as the American gun control problem.
Guns don't kill people people kill people. or to put it a Europiean way. The Eu and politics are not the problem, people are the problem.
As I say minds in neutral toooo much wine

[Michael]

Just great. The first one through here is Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson. A convicted fucking terrorist. 

[Guanche]

Hasn't she been re elected Michael. I seem to remember two convicted terrorist from NI being MEP's?

[Michael]

Hasn't she been re elected Michael. I seem to remember two convicted terrorist from NI being MEP's?

Sorry, yes, re-elected. 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Groan.

[Guanche]

The arch Europhile and Queen of the EU Frau Merkel says that gains for the Far Right are 'Regrettable' Now is she saying that the millions who voted for the far right or even the far left are wrong to exercise their democratic right, and its just unfortunate and must be addressed by giving them cake..... or jobs to bring them back into line? And then everything will be fine? A German perspective?
A better line might have been 'A large number of the EU voters all across the EU have spoken they don't like what they see and its up to the EU to listen and change' But no, its 'Regrettable' that they have voted this way.

No wonder I'm so pessimistic. Is it me

[Michael]

I was watching a panel show a few months ago on BBC NI. The panel consisted of comedians both from N.Ireland and the Republic so there was a certain amount of north/south banter.

One of the southern comics made a joke about the royal family.

So one of the northern guys says, 'Here, steady on, that's the Queen you're talking about.'

Southern comic replies, 'She's not my Queen!' then to howls of laughter, 'That would be Angela Merkel!' 

[Janet]

When was the last time France and the UK were on the same side? Must have been WWII ... before de Gaulle said Non to Britain joining the common market! And now look at us, on the same side inside the "common market"!

Thing is that although it will be business as normal in the main, they know now that something has to change. Even if they continue to insist that it's all a protest vote that will evaporate if the economy improves, they'll realize that that's a forlorn hope when the economy improves and the "protest vote" continues. At some point they'll get it.

And meanwhile, this all bodes fairly well for Dave's "renegotiation" plans ... which ironically will probably mean that the UK will be even more likely to vote to stay in the EU ... if there ever really is a referendum, of course ...

[Guanche]

I'm beginning to think it would be in the UK's interest not to have a referendum. I have no doubt that over the next couple of years the national governments and the EU management will do a 'Hearts and Minds' job on the public to ensure the UK stays in if there is a vote. I don't think they will have to try all that hard. A few scraps of EU powers returned to National Governments, a large smear campain on the Euroskeptics both left and right, a promise to 'Talk' about immigration and the EU mandarins will have the ball in the bag. Lots can happen in the next three years and the 'Crisis' will be a dim memory. There is no doubt that the UK's economy is improving. That's why they are waiting till 2017 plenty of time for the charm offensive!

Its a well used Tory trick play scrooge to save money. Then when its needed throw it at the public showering them with gifts to blind and bribe them with tax cuts and the like. Then give the credit to the EU and its fiscal powers. There can be no doubt that all main stream parties are Europhiles. And without a Euroskeptic opposition there will be nothing to temper the EU and its ambitions. That cannot be good in any democratic world. There must be naysayers!

So in the event of a straight 'In Out' vote the country will vote to stay in (I'll bet half a pint of very cheap EU beer on it) If they do vote 'In' that will be the end to any real opposition to the EU. With that vote it will allow the national government and EU to do as it pleases. I would say that within five years the UK will have the Euro and there will be the formation of the Federal States of Europe. An 'In' vote will effectively open the EU flood gates and the UK parties know it as does the EU.

Without a referendum the Euroskeptics and their opposition will be an open wound to the EU and a voice for the many people that the EU would walk over and ignore branding them racist or xenophobes or any other insult that suits them. I feel at the moment that a vote would, in a few years time fall right into the hands of the Europhiles and take us down a one way street in which we will have little or no control.

[Janet]

Couldn't agree more, and it's exactly the lines my mind was chuntering along as I was listening to Dave the other night going on about the Tories being the only party to "guarantee" an in-out referendum. That's precisely what's not needed! What's needed is a "what do you want" referendum ... but they're impossible to compose. Best to stay with the status quo and have the "protest vote" mould policy from the inside!