Pumpkin. Noted your comments and a lot of what you say is well thought out.
It strikes me thar Europes central powers prop up Eastern Europe, be it financial or through employment.
Ive said before im in the in camp and that wont change. I understand it is flawed, but hand on heart, I dont beleive those flaws are worse than any that came before when we had sovereign rule. In fact for me, the EU puts checks in place to stop unfair or unjust government policy. I also think if the EU collapses (which I dont think it will, it gives Russia and advantage that they will exploit).
I fully expect the out camp will win, and it will be based solely on migration and 'human rights'.
Then Dave will make laws based on his majority governmentnd , business will have free reign over employment, the press will turn crime sentencing to 'out of touch judges', the NHS will still not be coping, we will still be living in austerity. But at least it will be our own fault.
Thanks. The newer states had to get their houses in order in terms of debt reduction to gain EU membership in 2004. Certain amounts of debt were written off, because it was deemed difficult in the adjustment periods and a legacy of communism. It's amazing that throughout this time the western EU states racked up debt like no one's business, and the same leniency shown some of the newer member states before 2004 was subsequently never applied to the group of PIIGS before and following the recession. The failure of the banks is legendary and legislation was always in place to bail their sorry arse out if they went bankrupt. When we questioned this policy, we were told there was no other option. Then years later we're told that some measures invoked by the troika were above and beyond the call of duty. In many ways the newer states are better off than PIIGS, but the cost of living is still significantly higher than average wages, some of which are less than €1000/month.
Russia has an advantage which it has mastered over the EU since 2008 - going from strength to strength. First, it was Georgia, then Ukraine, where the obvious pro-EU sentiments of both were undermined by very successful policies, whilst Brussels sat back and did little more than wag a finger at Putin. Crimea was then annexed, despite the outrage, but again Brussels did little more than give off hot air backed by little more than somewhat insignificant sanctions. (It should be mentioned that the disputed 'recognition' of Kosovo is another blunder and provided some 'justification' for annexing Crimea in the first place in Putin's eyes.) Russia's role has now graduated to supporting Assad with outright military power to change the playing field in Syria, minimising ISIS in the process, despite protestations from Brussels and Washington that getting heavy with ISIS would make the situation worse.
Whilst the EU promises Erdogan a virtual pot of gold and the removal of Visa requirements, to help with the refugee crisis, Erdogan continues to hunt down Kurdish militias which are very successful against ISIS, thus going against the 'stated aims' (if we can really believe this) of NATO and the EU. If anything, the EU has proven to be completely impotent, but this was evident a generation ago.
Cameron is now seen as a liability to the "Remain" camp, and you would need a metal detector to locate Corbyn's contribution. I've never seen such piss-artist-styled political 'leadership' (use the word loosely) in my life from the leaders of the two largest political parties in this country. Throw Osbourne (it would at least be more entertaining if it were Ozzy) and Geldof into the mix and the "Remain" camp is looking increasingly amusing. Still, I don't take a "Leave" vote for granted. Remember what happened with the Scottish Referendum when the penny dropped that it might leave the Union? Yes, well, politics do not necessarily maketh the man...
