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October 16, 2006
Barroso on the EU
He's going to give a speech you know:
Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission, will
tonight challenge Gordon Brown and David Cameron to decide whether
Britain should play a leading role in Europe or "sulk from the
periphery".
How about leave and be free to rule ourselves?
"The United Kingdom will always have influence in Europe - its size,
its economic power and its international network will ensure that," Mr
Barroso will say. "So the question is does the UK want to shape a
positive agenda, which reflects its own agenda, or be dragged along as
a reluctant partner? Do you want to drive from the centre or sulk from
the periphery?"
We don't have the option available to drive from the centre. No one who wants a non-bureaucratic system has any chance. So, we should simply leave.
"If the UK wants to tackle climate change, if it wants to fight poverty
in Africa, if it wants to deliver greater external security, if it
wants to have an open, competitive environment, then the UK needs the
EU," he will say.
Climate change? We can be members of the EUTS (for all the good that is currently doing) without being members of the EU. Fight poverty in Africa? What has that to do with the EU? External security? You mean an EU Army? No thanks. And anyone who thinks the EU provides an open competetive environment has obviously been dropping some strong acid.
"It is not a question any longer of being for or against Europe. It is a question of how to reform Europe.
Finally, something I agree with. Here's a short list of reforms that have to happen:
1) CAP has got to go.
2) CFP has got to go.
3) Free trade now. Abolish all import duties and quotas unilaterally.
Do those three and we'll start to talk about the rest. Until then, the only possible reaction to the EU is 'Can we leave yet?'
October 16, 2006 in European Union | Permalink
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Comments
Timmy,
Won't the CAP go when all the farmers are getting even more money from growing biofuels?
Why fight what'll go of it's own accord.
Posted by: James von Simson | Oct 16, 2006 12:01:14 PM
I noticed on Sunday that AM interviewed Nigel Farage new boss of UKIP in a blink & you'll miss it interview & then spent about 1o minutes on Barroso (& not a word about his time as a Time Lord) in which, among other things, he made his statement about it no longer being whether we are for or against Europe (he ment the EU).
Typical of the BBC that they give so much more time to this EU apparatchik than to the leader of the party that placed 3rd in the last UK election where the voters knew their votes would count (ie PR one).
Posted by: Neil Craig | Oct 16, 2006 1:06:04 PM
We require CAP. The last time we had a pure free trade system in the Brittish Empire millions died. It does not work. It is like having free trade education, health, school system or housing. The wealthy get food and the poor don't. That is the way the real world works. We need capitalist ownership with subsidies on food security. Then encourage African nations to subsidide their own food industry too. If you right wing people have your way we will be dependent on other nations for our food. If that is good for Britain then??
Posted by: Bin Laden hates I because I am better. | Jul 21, 2007 12:55:01 AM
