Thought I'd start a new thread as this is going to be a major talking point this year...have not made up my mind yet...(unlike bucksfizz)....but thinking of voting for an exit as Europe is not doing Britain any good at all it seems....

the eu is in trouble whether uk stays in or not

as i wrote earlier, uk pulling out might just shake the eu legislators out of their smugness and concentrate their little brains on the major reforms that are required
i don't hold out much hope

Boris Johnson: Americans would never accept EU restrictions – so why should we?

Barack Obama's plan to urge voters to remain in the European Union is a 'piece of outrageous and exorbitant hypocrisy', Boris Johnson writes



By Boris Johnson

6:49AM GMT 14 Mar 2016


I love America. I believe in the American dream. Indeed, I hold that the story of the past 100 years has been very largely about how America rose to global greatness – and how America has helped to preserve and expand democracy around the world. In two global conflicts, and throughout the Cold War, the United States has fought for the founding ideals of the republic: that government of the people, by the people, for the people should not perish from the earth.

So it is on the face of it a bit peculiar that US government officials should believe that Britain must remain within the EU – a system in which democracy is increasingly undermined.

Some time in the next couple of months we are told that President Obama himself is going to arrive in this country, like some deus ex machina, to pronounce on the matter. Air Force One will touch down; a lectern with the presidential seal will be erected. The British people will be told to be good to themselves, to do the right thing. We will be informed by our most important ally that it is in our interests to stay in the EU, no matter how flawed we may feel that organisation to be. Never mind the loss of sovereignty; never mind the expense and the bureaucracy and the uncontrolled immigration.


"There is no country in the world that defends its own sovereignty with such hysterical vigilance as the United States of America"



The rest of the article is here:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/eureferendum/12192893/Americans-would-never-accept-EU-restrictions-so-why-should-we.html

I don't trust Barry any more.

Interesting read!

http://www.iii.co.uk/news-opinion/reuters/news/302007

And


Worth a quick read.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-commonwealth-idUKKCN0WH07Q?feedType=nl&feedName=ukmorningdigest

Merkel the maniac on her way out .
Merkel still won't listen to the German people.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ca52b21a-e940-11e5-888e-2eadd5fbc4a4.html#axzz42xcjZDVP

Neil Kinnock was on TV last night wandering around Wales talking to the public who all said they would vote out .Now Wales receives more investment than the rest of the UK and yet they still wanted out.
He seemed surprised.
Kinnock mind you has a plum job to protect in the EU ,another politician just thinking of himself .

good postings fred, but as usual, each side speaks with a certainty that is not based on actuality - it's all guesswork and propaganda

===============

just to cherry-pick from that iii article ......

it comments that, in the event of an "out" vote, india would want "more of its skilled workers" to have preferential immigrant status
i don't see that as any problem at all
the major gripe is the flood of unskilled workers




and finally
"Commercial imperatives are very powerful, much more powerful than politicians," William Dartmouth, deputy chairman of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), said.

exactly so!

Fred1, I don't know if you're aware but that article in your link post 225, and the opinion of that Ex - EU trade chief?...

But anyone who has worked for the EU and now receives a pension, then if they criticise the Brussels project then their pensions could be taken away...Same as Kinnock and the rest of the Europhile ex workers..

i'ld strongly question the actuality, never mind the legality of withdrawing someone's pension on the basis that they have criticised the eu regime

They could freeze them like we do with our ex pats.

We don't freeze pensions of ex pats as a matter of course. We do it for a small number of countries where we have no bilateral agreement such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The rest get the normal increases.

There are 12m pensioners living in countries where their pension is fully indexed including the UK. Non indexed pensioners amount to 500,000 and half of those live in Austalia.

freeze as in level rather than refuse to pay out at all i take it

Yes level with no increases. You get it paid no matter where you go.

The unfrozen countries are all of the EU and

Alderney
Macedonia
Barbados
Puerto Rico
Bermuda
Republic of Bosnia
Herzegovina
French Overseas Departments
Republic of Croatia
Guam
Sark
Guernsey
Samoa
Israel
Serbia & Montenegro
Jamaica
Turkey
Jersey
United States of America
Mauritius
Virgin Islands (USA)
Philippines

cynic try this link to the express of June 2009....It's regarding the Kinnocks EU gravy train ride, scroll halfway down the article.

express.co.uk/news/uk/107438/Lord-Lady-kinnock-s-10m-Euro-gravy-train


'He also qualifies for a pension which pays out 83,089 pounds a year and would cost 1.16 million to buy in the private sector. The terms require him to remain supportive of the EU project."

That also applies to others who have EU pensions......ITS ONE BIG GRAVY TRAIN, AND ENCOURAGES THOSE IN THE EU'S HOLD TO BETRAY THEIR OWN COUNTRIES....

i wonder if they got sepp blatter's lawyers to draw up the contracts

When I was looking in to the EU several years ago, it was then that I read(can't remember/find details now) about the terms and obligations of the EX employee's and remaining loyal to Brussels instead of their country, If they wished to keep receiving their EU pensions...Same with Clegg!

Sensible criticism can be supportive.

Compared with bankers, hedge funders, footballers and share gamblers, are their salaries and pensions disproportionate.

(Or those who are living off trust fund money earnt by others.)

There is a smell of jealousy about many postings.

unwarranted fred (re jealousy), even if their salaries and pensions are tax free

more to the point is the time-unlimited covenant that their pension may be forfeit if they say anything against eu and its governance etc
i would have thought this fell under the rules of unfair contract