Britain Stands Firm!

[TheNegotiator 13]

Today, PM David Cameron faces MP questioning over his veto on new financial changes to the EU Treaty. Mr Cameron said no because there were no safeguards for Britain's financial services industry(lol, you gotta love the irony!) which accounts for a big chunk of British GDP. London in particular is currently a global financial hub and a severe clampdown on the industry would be a big problem for Britain - especially if it was Europe and not the British government who are in charge of implementing the changes. Merkel wants to protect the German economy and constitution from having to up front more money for inevitable future bailouts(and possibly current ones) and Sarkozy I suspect more than anything would love to see the UK on a Euro leash so to speak. But political wranglings aside, is it good for Britain to be in or out of Europe? There is no current Monetary integration and voters have already been promised a referendum on EU membership. I suspect that being totally out might see the pound strengthen but I don't know. Britain contributes large sums of cash to support European Union. But is there a strength in numbers aspect to this? Well my idea is yes, but not when the numbers are made up of all sorts of different countries and economies with very different agendas.

 

What do you think?

[SIUYA 11]

I kind of viewed it this way.....

he is taking a massive punt on the Europeans not begin able to fix the problems. If they dont which he must suspect they wont and hence does not want to get dragged down, then he has sidestepped a problem for the future....smart move.

 

Either that or it was just a massive blunder on his behalf and he became stroppy over something small walked out and like most politicians will not admit they f...d up and ask for a seat back at the table due to the apparent loss of face.

 

Either way its very hard to have influence at the table if you are not there.

[TheNegotiator 13]

Britain is still part of EU. Nothing has changed as such from what I can see. Unless of course they break the treaty without full member consent that should remain the same. It's just the current adjustments he has vetoed.

[Tams 20]

we have a globally integrated economy...

it is like a rubik's cube... you move one side, all the color relationships change.

no country can stand on its own;

even China, which had a long history of closed border,

will not be able to sustain its economy if Europe or USA goes bust.

[TheNegotiator 13]

Very true Tams. But the levels of integration vary immensely and often based on short term political gain rather than sound structural ideas(imo).

[RealDemo 10]

He says that the treaty wasn't in the best interests of Britain so he didn't sign. I'd really like to know what he thinks those "best interests" are?

 

Is it in Britains best interest to be left out of the economic decision making process of our closest neighbour?

 

.....I don't think you wanted to do that Dave did you.

[Marsupilami 10]

To my understanding, the treaty with its stronger regulations of the financial markets would have hurt London as a financial hub, and where would Britain's economy be without its banks in London ?

[Kiwi 16]

He says that the treaty wasn't in the best interests of Britain so he didn't sign. I'd really like to know what he thinks those "best interests" are?

 

Is it in Britains best interest to be left out of the economic decision making process of our closest neighbour?

 

.....I don't think you wanted to do that Dave did you.

 

 

It's always best not to waste one's time in interminable meetings that result in nothing of value.

 

As traders in the markets we have learned that its more valuable to spend ones time evaluating the probabilities of what could happen next and how we'd respond than to try to change the unchangeable. Britain might do well by a similar approach.

[RealDemo 10]

It's always best not to waste one's time in interminable meetings that result in nothing of value.

 

Oh yes I was forgetting how efficient the British government are in respect to that.

 

Never thought i'd back Cameron on anything but it was a great day in history for Britain

Looking forward to telling Europe to get off our backs on a regular basis

 

Vote UKIP they'll give you exactly what you want, as for negotiation you'll find that Britain has negociated itself out of many things it didn't agree with, Schengen being one of the major ones and the good old Maastricht treaty. Britain is a big 'opt-outer' and yet again it's 'opting out'.

 

Makes me wonder why they bother at all with Europe if they are so skeptical, just sink the tunnel and pull up the drawbridge, easy.

[RealDemo 10]

'run by Europe, but not in Europe' seems to be UKIP's accusation at Cameron.

 

The world always seems fed up, when was that perfect time when we weren't fed up?

 

Sometimes we've had reason to be really fed up.

[SIUYA 11]

I'm fed up with getting exactly what I deserved.

I am fed up with being over paid, underworked, and a good for nothing layabout.

bring back the Empire

 

Best start speculating again

[RealDemo 10]