[POLITICS] We are now represented by racists!!

[tryandgetoutalive]

Good point. But shouldn't people be allowed to vote on issues like the pound?

[ChloeS]

http://seekingalpha.com/article/125072-debt-loads-of-g20-nations-japan-u-s-deep-in-the-hole

Figures from March 2009

These were widely published around the G20 summit in London.
Remember Gordon's great 'we won't borrow at more than 40 percent of GDP'?
[Which he did during a period of massive sustained growth. Nice one Grodon...

estimated %age of GDP for 2009
Britain: 60
France: 70
Germany: 75
U.S.: 80
Italy: 105
Japan: 210

[bracalmontes]

Hmm, probably, currency can be an emotive issue and since it would be a considerable change with risk attached then a referendum might be called for.

That said, Germany was at least as attached to the Mark as we are to the Pound and they switched.

[adrianne010794]

Sort of - considering Germany is one of the central countries of the EU project, if they didn't switch the Euro wouldn't have taken off. Same if France kept the Franc.

[deadheartmcr]

As for the isolationist issue, Britain does well out of being in the EU. Yes, we put more money in than Eastern European countries - that's because we're massively better off. It's like having tax bands in the UK.
Yes, France and Germany have traditionally had a very large say (e.g. common agricultural policy helping french farmers), but that doesn't mean that Britain doesn't.
There is a large objection to Britain 'being ruled from Brussels', as if being a member means we have just handed over control. More than half of new laws that apply here are created in Europe. But that includes the British votes. That's why we elect members to go there. It also means we have a say in policy that affects every other member state as well. (That's right, we're controlling Spanish, German, Italian law).

So what's in it for us? Lots. We have several non-EU companies that choose to base themselves in the UK, a typical one was always Japanese cars, because once that factory is in the EU, then they also save export duty. There are benefits for those companies to be in the Eurozone as well, most notably the security of not having to deal with exchange rates.

These are just a couple of issues that get ignored by the parties whose main aim is to leave Europe, because they don't fit with the objective of the party. Knowing about these and lots of elements, I am nowhere near informed enough to vote on European issues. That's why we pay people who read this stuff day in day out, to understand the intricacies. That's why I'm worried that two of our 68 representatives are from the BNP.

There seems to be an attitude of 'Britain, well it used to be Great Britain.' As if it is the influx of immigrants is the reason Britain no longer controls a third of the globe. It is very similar to the nationalist rhetoric used now in Russia that since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country has become a laughing stock. [do you want your country to be a laughing stock? no? then join the nationalist right wing.] This oversimplification is very damaging. It is potentially equally damaging to veer wildly into the arms of anyone that isn't the BNP just to run from racism. The fascist and nazi governments of inter-war Europe were all made massively more popular by being anti-communist. Being 'anti' is much easier than finding solutions - just listen to opposition parties (or even most political campaigns).

I'd just like to add that it's nice to see that Garth was the first one to mention the input of various countries in the Second World War. A lot of BNP propaganda is about 'my father/grandfather fought for this country...blah blah blah, and now these Indians and Poles...blah blah blah.' so it's good to hear a nice positive outlook on our close relationship with other nations.