TORY POLICY ON EU MEMBERSHIP ?

[olddutch]

Does anyone believe that the Tories - if elected with a working parliamentary majority - really intend to attempt to make any material changes to the UKs membership of the EU or the UKs terms of membership of the EU ?

If so, what do you think the Tories will genuinely try to change ?

[Zeuhl]

I honestly don't know.

Despite taking a moderate interest in politics and being a lapsed party member from the 90s.

Perhaps this is symptomatic of why they could still manage the seemingly impossible feat of failing to beat this worn-out government.

[MarkRae]

> If so, what do you think the Tories will genuinely try to change?

Nothing.

[jno]

it's hard to say. They still see themselves as the party of business (hard though Labour have tried to take on the mantle) and business is happy being in the EU, it's a major market. But they would also like to help themselves to Ukip voters who think wigs begin at Calais. My guess is they'd make a lot of fuss about national self-determination, try to cut down on money sent to Brussels, demand rebates and so forth, but not actually leave. The only alternative, really, is to get closer to the USAbut it's becoming clear that sucking up to Washington is domestically unpopular and that even the Americans aren't really all that desperate to have us around. Really, Britain's future is with Europe.

They won't be joining the eurozone any time soon, though, I confidently predict.

[MarkRae]

> They won't be joining the eurozone any time soon, though, I confidently predict.

No they won't. And nor will Labour, regrettably...

[jno]

well, I can see why tying yourself to the Greek economy might not be a vote-winner.

[MarkRae]

Do you actually know anything about economics...?

[Zeuhl]

Americans are lovely but when they 'go insular' as they can at any time, they wouldn't cross the room to Fosters on us if we were on fire. Unless we paid them off with the crown jewels.

Taking a dominant role in Europe (love it or hate it) is our best bet for a secure future.

BTW jno 'wigs start at Calais' ????? What? new one on me.

[MarkRae]

> Taking a dominant role in Europe (love it or hate it) is our best bet for a secure future.

Well said!


> BTW jno 'wigs start at Calais' ????? What? new one on me.

Replace the "i" with an "o" - fairly famous racist quote, to our nation's shame...

[jno]

yes, it comes from Love in a Cold Climate, I think (put into the mouth of a fictional version of her father by Nancy Mitford). That doesn't necessarily shame the whole nation, though. I altered the spelling because I've seen recently what happens when you utter a forbidden word on AB.

No, MarkRae, I know nought of economics. But to reverse my suggestion: do you think announcing that we will join the troubled eurozone *would* be a vote-winner?

[MarkRae]

> No, MarkRae, I know nought of economics

So shut up, then...

[jno]

"Are you lost daddy I arsked tenderly.

Shut up he explained."

Are you Ring Lardner by any chance?

[modeller]

No ! Because they can't . We would be outvoted, especially by France.
We either accept the EU as it is or get out.

Cameron has ruled out any referendum for us to give our opinion. So he can't even saywhat what the people want.

When Blair gave back £1Billion of our rebate and Brown signed the Lisbon treaty we were saying we agree with the EU as it is.

[olddutch]

Thanks for all your answers - especially Jno, Modeller, and Zeuhl

[jno]

just popping in with an apology to Nancy Mitford, it wasn't her at all - what her Uncle Matthew said was 'Frogs are slightly better than Huns or Wops, but abroad is unutterably bloody and foreigners are fiends’. (I don't know how much of that will get through the AB censor.) The accusation about wigs according to Wiki came from a Labour MP who accused Churchill of believing it. So it doesn't sound as if anyone actually *said* it.

[TTG]

Probably nothing if Cameron has plans to run for Eu president. He will shoe-kiss at every opportunity.

[brionon]

Modeller says -''We would be outvoted, especially by France''- It takes more than ONE country to outvote us!