Britain seems to be moving closer to a referendum on whether or not to stay in the EU. Could we afford to do so? It is our biggest trade partner; an isolated Britain could be seen as a tiny island group of little significance to anyone.

But if we stay in, we will have to live with greater integration, particularly of the financial systems, which are claimed to be our chief export money earner. There are enough complaints already about silly directives emanating from overpaid bureaucrats in Brussels.

Which way should we go? And what we lose of the Britishness in which we take so much pride?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19742182

The people will still buy British goods. What else are they going to replace them with?

It's difficult to see if it could be any worse, not being in it.

Oh, YES to the UK leaving the EU! As an American, I can only stay in the EU for 90 days at a clip so if the UK backs out, I can go there for a while if I want. More options are always good.

As an American I really shouldn't comment since I would have no impact regardless of what decision they make.

Unless the UK does what I would suggest.

Resign from the EU and apply for statehood in the US for three states...England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

That would give six Senators to their side in any issue.

Now I will back away.

It's not just a case of IN or OUT.

To stay IN without surrendering more of our sovereignty to the Brussels bureaucrats is not a possibility. Even staying IN without joining the Eurozone will be very difficult, as the rules of the EU will be tailored to the benefit and support of the Euro (while it exists).

To go OUT may damage our export trade with Europe - currently 40% of our total exports. Thus our marketing people (which includes our politicians) will have to get off their fat <deleted> and go sell what we have to offer, while our entrepreneurs will have to ensure that we are offering what others need or want.

To go OUT will require that we retain the goodwill of the Europeans, in order to keep those markets open, while paying duties on exports (or pricing them at rates where - even with duty applied - they are competitive with internal EU goods)

The advantages of going OUT are that we would be in control of our own regulations, to an extent, but we would still have to observe the requirements of EU legislation if we want to trade with them - that is, our bananas would have to be of such-and-such a curvature, our eggs would have to weigh precisely xx grammes, our cars would have to have this emission level, using that grade of diesel, so on.

It could be that we will lose all the Japanese car manufacturing facilities if we go OUT, as well as various other foreign investment.

On the other hand, we would be able much more easily to ship out undesirable immigrants, or stop them coming in, we could offer Swiss-level banking to all Europe, form closer relations with the BRIC block and the US, plus the Commonwealth. Back to proper Anchor butter from Oz, no need for the 'Made in NZ' wrapper any longer.

Dunno what would happen to the EADS/BAe merger and similar - would all the jobs revert to the EU?

Personally I would vote for OUT, but that's because I want to bomb Brussels and Paris.

And of course that would mean that we'd have to have back all those British Euro MPs who are so conveniently out of the way now, in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg (or Brussels, or wherever). Would we have to find their pensions if we quit?

It could be that we will lose all the Japanese car manufacturing facilities if we go OUT,

That would be really popular round here...

Phone boxes should be red....taxi drivers should have a meter....pizza should be crap.

Welcome to the UK!

I vote to ban paninis.

Can England join in the referendum on whether Scotland should remain in the United Kingdom?

We have as much right to vote as the Jocks, and know that the result would be a resounding OUT!

Then all Brits who want to stay in the EU can emigrate to Jockland and the rest of us can quit this evil empire.

Can England join in the referendum on whether Scotland should remain in the United Kingdom?

We have as much right to vote as the Jocks, and know that the result would be a resounding OUT!

Then all Brits who want to stay in the EU can emigrate to Jockland and the rest of us can quit this evil empire.

If I had a vote, I too would vote OUT. The problem is, I haven't lived in England since 1961, and my England still uses pre-decimal currency, and has only just recovered from the post-war austerity. So my views are purely sentimental.

Letting Scotland become independent? We've shared a monarch since 1603, and signed an Act of Union in 1707, and is all that history to go for nothing? Yes, the Scots have profited greatly from the Union, and so have the English, and any attempt to dissolve it is shameful. We became great together, and though we've slipped a bit... well, you don't desert your partners in time of adversity.

Letting Scotland become independent? We've shared a monarch since 1603, and signed an Act of Union in 1707, and is all that history to go for nothing? Yes, the Scots have profited greatly from the Union, and so have the English, and any attempt to dissolve it is shameful. We became great together, and though we've slipped a bit... well, you don't desert your partners in time of adversity.

I was thinking that England could use Scotland as a back-door into the EU, for trade.

With regards to the Union, it seems that the Scots are prepared to throw it overboard. They'd still have the Queen as Head-of-State, I assume, but be divorced from Westminster. And wouldn't we all like that!

It would mean no more Scottish representation in Westminster, thus perpetual Tory rule. Not good, but it would probably give rise to new parties, with new ideas (or old ideas re-hashed).

The consequences are considerable, as is departure from the EU. But no one seems to have thought it all through, yet.

Watching the 'Daily Politics' show at lunchtime, the pundits all agreed that at the next general election all major parties will have to offer the promise of a referendum on staying in Europe to the British electorate. Even though none of the leaders wants it.

Does this show how out-of-touch the political parties are, or how out-of-touch the electorate is?

I believe we should maintain trading links and cross-border investment, but apart from that - OUT!!

Letting Scotland become independent? We've shared a monarch since 1603, and signed an Act of Union in 1707, and is all that history to go for nothing? Yes, the Scots have profited greatly from the Union, and so have the English, and any attempt to dissolve it is shameful. We became great together, and though we've slipped a bit... well, you don't desert your partners in time of adversity.

I was thinking that England could use Scotland as a back-door into the EU, for trade.

With regards to the Union, it seems that the Scots are prepared to throw it overboard. They'd still have the Queen as Head-of-State, I assume, but be divorced from Westminster. And wouldn't we all like that!

It would mean no more Scottish representation in Westminster, thus perpetual Tory rule. Not good, but it would probably give rise to new parties, with new ideas (or old ideas re-hashed).

The consequences are considerable, as is departure from the EU. But no one seems to have thought it all through, yet.

We shouldn't let the Scots go until we've exhausted the North Sea oil!

The people will still buy British goods. What else are they going to replace them with?

British orange marmalade has no competitors. but besides marmalade and RR jet engines i can't think of any British goods worth buying.

of course that does not apply to British goods manufactured half a century ago. since several months i'm a proud owner of a 43 year old British "good" of which i dreamed when i was a 17-year old schoolboy.

The people will still buy British goods. What else are they going to replace them with?

British orange marmalade has no competitors. but besides marmalade and RR jet engines i can't think of any British goods worth buying.

If you were a fighter pilot, you would insist on having a Martin Baker seat. Apart from that, most of our best and famous products have been bought out by foreigners. However, those that have retained their operations in the UK could be construed as still being British.

Letting Scotland become independent? We've shared a monarch since 1603, and signed an Act of Union in 1707, and is all that history to go for nothing? Yes, the Scots have profited greatly from the Union, and so have the English, and any attempt to dissolve it is shameful. We became great together, and though we've slipped a bit... well, you don't desert your partners in time of adversity.

I was thinking that England could use Scotland as a back-door into the EU, for trade.

With regards to the Union, it seems that the Scots are prepared to throw it overboard. They'd still have the Queen as Head-of-State, I assume, but be divorced from Westminster. And wouldn't we all like that!

It would mean no more Scottish representation in Westminster, thus perpetual Tory rule. Not good, but it would probably give rise to new parties, with new ideas (or old ideas re-hashed).

The consequences are considerable, as is departure from the EU. But no one seems to have thought it all through, yet.

Such parochial nonsense will be a thing of the past when Scotland bares her teeth in a referendum. Its coming very soon indeed.

As to EU membership I can tell you its a hotly discussed subject north of the border as well. No final decision will be made there until the referendum has happened.

Mind you....its difficult to predict which way it will go in any case. You by now know my view on this but I'd also say we have enough English escapees in Scotland and I would hate to see such a beautiful country end up the same way as the south of England.

Such parochial nonsense will be a thing of the past when Scotland bares her teeth in a referendum. Its coming very soon indeed.

As to EU membership I can tell you its a hotly discussed subject north of the border as well. No final decision will be made there until the referendum has happened.

Mind you....its difficult to predict which way it will go in any case. You by now know my view on this but I'd also say we have enough English escapees in Scotland and I would hate to see such a beautiful country end up the same way as the south of England.

When Queen Elisabeth came to the throne (of the United Kingdom) there was a minor quandry as to which number to use, as she was only the first Elisabeth to rule over Scotland.

Parliament, in all it's wisdom, decided that the correct number would be the highest one in either England or Scotland.

This will present a problem when a Prince James ascends the throne, as he will be James the Eighth, thanks to a whole slew of them North of the border. For this reason alone I think Scotland should secede from the Union, although retaining the current set of royals as the titular Head of State. (Cannot conceive of a President Salmond, can you?)

And what'll happen on the train from London to Edinburgh?

Passports to be produced at Berwick?

And at Heathrow will the Glasgow shuttle need passports? And will the slots become foreign travel, and thus more expensive? And would a Scottish airline be allowed to buy slots? If no Scottish airline, what would happen to the reciprocity deals that foreign and domestic airlines have equal rights to a certain number of slots?

One thing - we could return to the days of the border reivers and thus supply work for the under-employed North-East of England.

And what'll happen on the train from London to Edinburgh?

Passports to be produced at Berwick?

And at Heathrow will the Glasgow shuttle need passports? And will the slots become foreign travel, and thus more expensive? And would a Scottish airline be allowed to buy slots? If no Scottish airline, what would happen to the reciprocity deals that foreign and domestic airlines have equal rights to a certain number of slots?

One thing - we could return to the days of the border reivers and thus supply work for the under-employed North-East of England.

Much the same border controls as in Western Europe regarding travel I would imagine.

There is no question of removing the monarch as head of state, that is a completely separate issue.

The English are too lazy to work for peanuts so we will continue to allow our Polish or Eastern European friends to pick our tatties!

Much the same border controls as in Western Europe regarding travel I would imagine.

There is no question of removing the monarch as head of state, that is a completely separate issue.

The English are too lazy to work for peanuts so we will continue to allow our Polish or Eastern European friends to pick our tatties!

I see today that Alex Salmond is saying that if the SNP give up their opposition to NATO, then there will be a clause in the hew (written) constitution that Scotland will have no nuclear weapons on their soil. Unemployment in Rosyth?

I further note that bloody CaMORON has been saying that he will only hold a referendum on the EU under several conditions.

Also that taxes are to increase, benefits decrease. The man has to go.

His bum-chum Boy George has come out in favour of gay marriage.

Do either of these clowns think they'll be elected at the next go-round?

UKIP is becoming the only possible option. BNP and EDL are just too nutty for a sensible vote.

His bum-chum Boy George has come out in favour of gay marriage.

There's a novelty! Gay man favours gay marriage!

Bum-chum?

The EDL actually welcome gay members

You could always vote Labour Humphrey!

UKIP is becoming the only possible option. BNP and EDL are just too nutty for a sensible vote.

And the only elected seats the UKIP have managed to secure are on the EU parliament. Ironic!

You could always vote Labour Humphrey!

Sorry, they're all as bad as one another these days - no policy proposals to SOLVE problems, just band-aids that allow the basic disease/injury to fester and grow without restraint.

I was in the Young Socialists in my younger days, delegate to conferences and attended various holidays with the YS at Durham Miners Welfare Camp at Skeggy. Knew people like Tony Greenwood, Barbara Castle, Jack Straw (contemporary in YS) and so on. My girl-friend was secretary to Barbara Castle and Judith Hart at the time of SuperMac's gov't.

I was then thrown out of the Labour Party for my Trotskyite connections with Keep Left and Young Guard (although the latter was an approved publication). In many ways I would still like to see the Fourth International in power throughout Europe, but it would need a planetary change to achieve it.

Nine in ten Scots 'living off state's patronage'

Almost nine out of 10 Scottish households take more from the public purse than they contribute in taxes thanks to a “rotten system” of state patronage, the Tory party conference will hear on Monday.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/scottish-politics/9593135/Nine-in-ten-Scots-living-off-states-patronage.html