The Tories, Britain's conservative party, are heading the polls as the likely winner of the UK general election on 6 May 2010. They are eurosceptics and have promised to seek more opt-outs from the EU (in matters of justice and social laws, notably) and possibly even consider a withdrawal of the UK from the Union.
The Economist has written a nice summary of the history of Britain's relationship with the European Union.
Not playing their games - The awkward relationship between Britain and the rest of Europe may be about to get a lot worse
But this is what's worrying:
David Cameron's splendid isolation - The extent to which Britain’s Tories and Europe’s leaders don’t understand each other is frightening
Please read and share your opinion.
The way I see it is that David Cameron, if elected, might do a lot of damage, not to the EU but to Britain itself. Further opt-outs will end up penalising the UK without much effect on other members. His isolationist policies will give a bad image to Britain and possibly ostracise the British politically and economically. All the Tories will achieve is missing opportunities to influence the future of Europe. The pound might well fall further, which would render imports, so important for British consumers, exceptionally expensive, with direct effect to augment the cost of life and make Britons poorer.
I had warned that the Irish refusal to ratify Lisbon two years ago would have harmful consequences. A majority of Irish did not realise just how dependent they were from the EU, and how much of their economic success was due to EU policies and aid. They got the message with the credit crunch. What will it take for the English to (for the Scots and Welsh won't vote Tory) to get the message ? I'd hate to see a country I like so dearly commit political suicide just by being presumptuous and ignorant of European matters.
The Economist has written a nice summary of the history of Britain's relationship with the European Union.
Not playing their games - The awkward relationship between Britain and the rest of Europe may be about to get a lot worse
But this is what's worrying:
David Cameron's splendid isolation - The extent to which Britain’s Tories and Europe’s leaders don’t understand each other is frightening
Please read and share your opinion.
The way I see it is that David Cameron, if elected, might do a lot of damage, not to the EU but to Britain itself. Further opt-outs will end up penalising the UK without much effect on other members. His isolationist policies will give a bad image to Britain and possibly ostracise the British politically and economically. All the Tories will achieve is missing opportunities to influence the future of Europe. The pound might well fall further, which would render imports, so important for British consumers, exceptionally expensive, with direct effect to augment the cost of life and make Britons poorer.
I had warned that the Irish refusal to ratify Lisbon two years ago would have harmful consequences. A majority of Irish did not realise just how dependent they were from the EU, and how much of their economic success was due to EU policies and aid. They got the message with the credit crunch. What will it take for the English to (for the Scots and Welsh won't vote Tory) to get the message ? I'd hate to see a country I like so dearly commit political suicide just by being presumptuous and ignorant of European matters.