Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Some Germans don't want a Federal Union and they generally are from the far right of politics as in France with Le Pen and in this country with UKIP and the looney right of the tory party.

The more moderate see the social and financial advantages of more integration, rather than becoming a fringe member, hoping to pick up crumbs.

Just consider how more legislature federal integration will effect the organisation of Military Defence and how sourcing of Equipment will develop.

Probably, sourcing contracts will be from within the EU federal group whenever possible. Costing of defence may be conceived excluding UK.

Think of the possibilities of "trade" barriers, even if only driven out of convenience rather than EU legislation.

Just examples.

Isolationism comes at a cost.

That's not so. It is the average Germans that are fed up with federalism. In particular they are fed up with being the wallet of Europe. Military equipment is already developed Europe wide and has been for more than 30 years as was the Tornado. Italy built the wings. There won't be trade barriers as the EU needs our market. It won't even be isolation. It will be a trade agreement. There are countries that deal with the EU that way, such as Switzerland.

If you remember, it was called the Common Market.

Norway is not a member state of the EU, but is closely associated with the Union through its membership in the European Economic Area (EEA), in the context of being a European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member.

Norway's trade is dominated by the EU and Norway is the EU's 4th most important import partner. Norway to EU trade amounted to €91.85 billion in 2008, primarily energy supplies (only 14.1% is manufactured products). The EU's exports to Norway amounted to €43.58 billion, primarily manufactured products.

I have a list for mr cameron of ILLEGALS living in my area and working on the side .
and should be deported .
all they need to do is go to all the restrautrants they are full of them
and close them down till they pay the fine

Hi Haystack,

I am afraid that no matter how many fact and figures you can show to be proven regarding the EU, there will still be the same posters trying to convince you that black is white.

Greek.

Poland's health care ranks 27th out of 34 medical services included in the 6th edition of the Euro Health Consumer Index (EHI): and it is continuing to deteriorate.
they will not treat any non polish person unless they have insurance they will tell them
to go home . read more

SHOCK.....Labour goes from a 8% lead to a 11% lead.

Was it the queens speech.........one of shortest in history.......

electionista‏@electionista54m

UK - YouGov/Sun poll: CON 27%, LAB 38%, LDEM 11%, UKIP 17%

I am afraid that YouGov is probably the most unreliable polling system. They just poll people who sign up to be polled. That effectively pre-selects the polled population. YouGov has reputation of being way off the average view. It has become a place where activists can sign up to be polled. I signed up a few years ago to see how it works. I received polls on all sorts of things almost every day.

YEP but were talking RELATIVE here Hays. From 8% to 11%.

If the poll is wrong then what it is relative to is not important. Their polling numbers are often tiny as their signed up population get bored. They also cannot do demographically random
selections.

Sigh....... I give up.

I think it should be 13-14% to-day.

Talking about YouGov, I received this today

Dear ...

It's been a little while since we heard from you. We thought you might be interested in having your say about yesterday's big footballing news?

The survey can be accessed via the link below:

HAYS..........look out bud.........

just posted on twitter.......

Nick Robinson‏@bbcnickrobinson2m

Eurosceptics Tory MPs are plotting a Commons vote on an EU referendum next week. They're tabling an amendment to the Queens Speech

A bit pointless as it won't get enough support.

YOU NEVER KNOW, but more importantly its sending a message to the ETON Club.

Tanker reckons 76 euro tory sceptics, plus a few libs and a few others and maybe labour, and it could get enough support.

There won't be Libs and almost no Lab. You live in a fantasy world. Don't get too excited about what you read on Twitter.

The Eurosceptic amendment will just express regret that there is no EU referendum bill in the Queen's speech. That's pretty much of a non event.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22470021

BBC political editor Nick Robinson understands the Speaker is to accept the amendment, so it could be debated and voted on next Tuesday or Wednesday.

The prime minister has told his party that his coalition partners would oppose any attempt by the government to stage a Commons vote on the issue.

As you can see, the way you reported the story was incorrect. You said above, "Eurosceptics Tory MPs are plotting a Commons vote on an EU referendum" In reality they are just debating a motion to express regret about no Referendum on the EU. All a bit pointless.