Farage v Clegg - EU debates.

If I could pick one person in politics that I would like to punch in the face the most then it is Nigel Farage.

Who has watched the EU debates between Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage?

Unfortunately the polls suggest that Farage is the 'winner'. This suggests to me that we are nation of idiots or only Europhobes took part in the poll. Added to the fact that Clegg is an unpopular politician anyway and Farage is relatively unknown.

UKIP embraces populism and nationalism, something that has always worked out well historically...... :erm:

There has always been a sizeable minority of the electorate who are opposed to the concept of the UK being a part of "Europe" whether that means the EU, the International Court of justice, the Euro or whatever. Although a minority the number is significant and worth a political party courting them. Hence the debate.

I think my disillusionment with politics and politicians dates back to when Britain was trying to join what was then called 'The Common Market'. When Harold Wilson' Labour Government were applying for admission this was opposed by the Tories. When the Tories got elected and Ted Heath applied for membership, what did Labour do - they opposed the application. And Maggie Thatcher blew hot and cold depending on where the votes are.

My personal opinion:
Admittedly EU Membership does cost us; but can we afford the cost of not being members?
Do we want to be, economically speaking, an unofficial 51st US state? It is a wise move not to embrace the Euro at this time - I'm not an economist so I can't say that I know when would be the right time to do so - maybe once the current crises in some of the weaker economies are resolved.
Sometimes we are over-zealous in implementing EU regulations, i.e. we do so more fully than, say France, Italy and several of the less developed countries.
Politically, we are better off as part of Europe, rather than the European arm of the Commonwealth or as an American puppet.

I have seen some of Nigel's speeches in the Euro Parliament and imo he is right about much regarding the EU itself in general and the EU top brass in particular.

@D-type as for Sweden we loose more then we gain from the EU in my opinion.

We pay more to the EU then we get back (netto payers) and being an EU-member also means that some areas have it difficult due
to competition from other countries where the salaries are much lower and where the employment legislations are much looser.

Especially the long haul trucking branch in Sweden are almost free from Swedish truckers because there are truckers from other
countries that do the same hauling for a fraction of the cost.

EU have also grown way too big and is to big and powerful for its good. It costs too much to administer and law makers constantly tries to hide new
surveillance laws in suggestions for other laws to try to sneak.implement new laws.

The countries of Europe are too different to be artificially bunched together into a USE-union.

We stood alone before .There are too many silly laws,and only Germany and the UK above by them .The French truckers are blocking Calais again tonight ,if it's not them it's the Farmers ,the French Police are frightened of them all .Half the countries in the EU don't have any industries ,and rely on tourism .We are all different countries,with different ways of making a living and different values how can we all eat out of the same pot ?

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Originally Posted by driveace

We stood alone before .There are too many silly laws,and only Germany and the UK above by them .The French truckers are blocking Calais again tonight ,if it's not them it's the Farmers ,the French Police are frightened of them all .Half the countries in the EU don't have any industries ,and rely on tourism .We are all different countries,with different ways of making a living and different values how can we all eat out of the same pot ?

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This sums up my thoughts really. I just feel its too hard for all the variety of cultures and economies in Europe to be as one.

There needs to be some other solution for me. I don't see the EU as the perfect answer.

How is that different from say, a sheep farmer in Yorkshire, a b&b owner in Cornwall, a financial analyst from London and a sheet metal worker from Sunderland. There is as much difference in the one country as there is across the EU. Many of the "silly" laws actually originate from inside the country, not from the EU, the EU just recommends the standardisation across member states. From the outside we'd lose all the advantages and also any power to have any say over the direction of the group. I detest the xenophobic politics

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

This sums up my thoughts really. I just feel its too hard for all the variety of cultures and economies in Europe to be as one.

There needs to be some other solution for me. I don't see the EU as the perfect answer.

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There's no one universal solution for Europe. Those who tried hard to find it ended up doing things we all remember too well. Europe needs a variety of solutions. The essence of Europe is its diversity. It doesn't get more European than coming to the neighboring town, and hearing a whole different accent and buying different stuff in the grocery store.

What really would unite Europe is mutual respect and freedom across the board. I can't quite imagine unelected bureaucrats from Brussels being committed to that, though.

Can anyone give me an example of 'a silly law' that came from the EU that doesn't come from what you heard from the bloke down the pub or out of a paper that begins with 'The Daily'?

It seems to me that it's too long since we had a sensible debate on the EU in this country and as a result most people are unaware of the purpose it serves and the benefits we get from it.