Thailand urged to be ready for UK's exit from EU

[brewsterbudgen]

Polls continually show that the majority of Britons want to be part of the EU.

Except when they don't.

"British people would vote to leave the European Union by a large margin under the current terms of membership, according to a new Opinium/Observer poll.

Opinium found a total of 48% would definitely or probably vote to leave under present rules, while 37% said they would definitely or probably vote to stay in."

That's from June last year.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/21/eu-referendum-majority-leave-opinium-observer-poll

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/02/24/eu-referendum-record-lead/

[KarenBravo]

The Voting-system in UK is a joke ... UKIP got 1 seat despite getting about 13% of the votes. Labour was slaughtered and good for that

The voting system has always been a joke, but people, like the UKIP voters who are now so unhappy, have gone along with it because it didn't really negatively affect them. Shame it isn't until people get personally affected by something that they kick up a fuss about it.

The voting system is first-past-the-post. This gives a better chance of governments that do not have to form coalitions.

Proportional representation is all very well in theory, but, very difficult to actually get things done except by horse-trading.

I think the present system has served the U.K. very well, so far.

[mommysboy]

But it is all set piece anyway. EU has to reform rights to benefits, healthcare, and generally deregulate to comply with TTIP. It is going g to be dressed up as a stunning coup for Cameron. It will be a done deal. And just in case I expect it will be a one country one vote exercise and Scots are bound to vote to stay in if only to spite Westminster. Just my guess.

[animatic]

Ireland, part of UK is more closely tied.

I think it will come as quite a shock to the denizens of Ireland to learn they're part of the UK. When did that happen?

Obviously meaning 5/6ths are tied closer to Europe, and 1/6 is considering itself part of UK.

For me it is 'all Ireland', but for obvious reasons there are many who will dispute any

aggregation other than that they want to see happening is not be a valid one.

But I was not intending to start ANY discussion of 'the troubles' here....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland–United_Kingdom_relations

[rixalex]

The Voting-system in UK is a joke ... UKIP got 1 seat despite getting about 13% of the votes. Labour was slaughtered and good for that

The voting system has always been a joke, but people, like the UKIP voters who are now so unhappy, have gone along with it because it didn't really negatively affect them. Shame it isn't until people get personally affected by something that they kick up a fuss about it.

The voting system is first-past-the-post. This gives a better chance of governments that do not have to form coalitions.

Proportional representation is all very well in theory, but, very difficult to actually get things done except by horse-trading.

I think the present system has served the U.K. very well, so far.

It has served certain groups well.

One of the most fundamental principles of a democracy should be that everyone's vote is equal. FPTP demonstrably does not give everyone an equal vote. If everyone having an equal vote means it's harder for things to get done, for me that's a price worth paying for having equality and fairness.

[MZurf]

"Board of Trade Vice Chairman Angul Bolkul suggested that Thailand initiate free trade talks with the UK."

As ever, protectionist Thailand believes that "free trade" only means free entry for Thai goods into foreign markets.....................

Come on, they're just being proactive in finding new markets for their seafood...

[micmichd]

UK voters should be able to decide if they want to be part of a community under the leadership of a country that doesn't allow two nationalities, forces everyone to stay in a permanent address and register there to the police, and puts the burdens of immigration upon the neighbouring countries.

[micmichd]

Maybe Thailand wants a reliable partner not too strong in an economic war.

[micmichd]

It would be the best thin the UK could do or have done.

please go !!

why you are still here after so many years - decades ?

Make a referendum if Europe wantsUk to be in the EU !!

Do you know forecasts for such an referendum ??

We do !!

If a traffic light is red,

a Brit always will say its green !! at least it will get after some time , so he is always right !!

mango66,

are you German?

[jacko45k]

When the risks of leaving the EU are made clear, the chances of it happening will be very small.

If these 'risks' are detailed along with the advantages and return of sovereignty the chances of it happening will be in the hands of the people. Not a bad idea, since what we have now bears no resemblance to what British people voted for in 1975. I for one would change my vote to no. Putting 12 £Billion back into the UK economy each year may be an advantage as well as the ability to protect our own borders.

There is no doubt the risks will be made abundantly clear, along with a measure of scare mongering by leaders of industry.

what have us bears got to do with it ?

I wish I had such spare time and an empty head to be a spelling policeman.

[jacko45k]

Polls continually show that the majority of Britons want to be part of the EU.

They also showed that the Tories would not get a majority.... nearly right yet completely wrong.

[Thai at Heart]

Polls continually show that the majority of Britons want to be part of the EU.

Define part of?

I don't understand your posting. UK is definitively part of the EU and Britons want that to continue. End of.

Well we aren't part of the common currency, nor part of the schengen, there is a debate about the human rights and now free movement of labour is up for discussion.

So, being part of has many layers of engagement. Many Britons have different tolerances for differing levels of engagement so it isn't a straight meaning 'to remain part of'.

I would have no problem to remain part of, but want to rights bills removed, the EU arrest warrants removed and reform of access to social welfare. If not then leave...

[StefanBBK]

I just think preparing for Britain's exit of the EU is a bit premature. Does Thailand not have any other problems? I am certain there must be more pressing issues.

As for Britain and the EU, we need to wait and see. I always thought of the EU as a great idea. However the devil is in the details and many facets of the implementation of the European community are apparently down turning people in member states.

[IMA_FARANG]

Sounds like the old joke.

Fog in the Channel, Europe cut off.

As an American I have no vote but I've made it clear before that my opinion of the Eurozone is that it is a Capitalist criminal Euro Bank gangsters Mafia (Banksters) lead scheme to steal money from European workers by the French,German, and unfortunately also British

Banksters and to profit from those stolen funds from the other countries of the Eurozone.

And I personally think that the U.K. would be best served to leave that group of thieves as quickly as they can, if only to salvage what little of the former honor and decency that still remains in the U.K..

But that is just my humble opinion.

[brewsterbudgen]

Polls continually show that the majority of Britons want to be part of the EU.

They also showed that the Tories would not get a majority.... nearly right yet completely wrong.

The polls are meaningless now anyway. The result will depend on the success (or not) of Cameron's renegotiations, and the influence of the "stay in" lobby, which will include most of the Establishment, business, the media (even the Murdoch papers) and all the political parties except UKIP, the extreme Right of the Tories and a few on the extreme Left. I'd lay good money on us staying in, unless Cameron messes it up completely.

[ExPratt]

TAT will be over this tomorrow

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. A flame post removed as well.

[ExPratt]

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Well, I think Thailand deserve some credit for taking it seriously. It`s better to be prepared than not. It could have unseen effects on the market, and cause A may just be what causes B. Time will tell though if Thailand actually have prepared themselves, instead of just imagining that they have.

Sometimes you can prepare yourself so far in advance that by the time of the event you've completely forgotten about it, If I were a betting man I'd have a few quid on that happening,

[i claudius]

Come on caMORON has no intention of ever giving us a referendum. That was just another of his lies to get elected.

Well considering he is a moron,he beat Millicent the loser!!!!! Yipee

[i claudius]

The British economy is run in a way that is totally foreign to most of the EU.

We have the "Anglo-Saxon" model. More laissez-faire and less government red-tape and needless regulations.

The real secret is that companies can fire and hire depending on the state of the economy. This is the real difference.

In places like France, Italy and Spain, it is very hard to get rid of workers. Companies are loath to create jobs if those jobs are permanent, regardless of economic conditions.

That's why the unemployment rate is so high in these countries.

This is why we have a relatively low unemployment rate and an economy that is well out of the recession.

plus lousy pay and lots of overtime with unaffordable housing.

Unlike France and Greece that have high pay low hours,big pensions and are now broke with no money low working hours ,sorry no working hours and on a downward slope

[nontabury]

Seeing as most of us voted for parties that want the UK to stay in the EU I suspect that would be reflected in a referendum. It's only the Tory right & UKIP that want us out & the fact that Farage couldn't even win his own constituency in a part of the country that is home to the most Euroseptic Voters says a lot.

"They said that though the UK's departure from euro zone"

The UK has never been part of the Eurozone, that refers to countries that adopted the € as their currency Britain has kept the £

You forgot to mention last years European election, when the electorate did indeed vote ON Europe. The result an overwhelming victory for UKIP and its stance to remove us from this undemocratic quango.

[KarenBravo]

If it's undemocratic, why do we have elections for MEP's?

[micmichd]

Without Google, would you be able to tell who's PM in the EU?

[KarenBravo]

Without Google, would you be able to tell who's PM in the EU?

What has that got to do with whether the EU is a democracy, or not?

[AyG]

Without Google, would you be able to tell who's PM in the EU?

What has that got to do with whether the EU is a democracy, or not?

How about: if the vast majority of people in a constituency don't even know the name of their MEP, how can that MEP really be considered democratically accountable or representative of all of his/her constituents?

[KarenBravo]

Straw-clutching.

[maidee]

let first greece step out of the EU

than spain, italy, ireland, belgium ....

[nontabury]

If it's undemocratic, why do we have elections for MEP's?

To rubber stamp policies already decided upon by the unelected bureaucrats.

Though fortunately UKIP does not go along with this charade.

[SheungWan]

When the risks of leaving the EU are made clear, the chances of it happening will be very small.

The chances of it happening will indeed be very small, not because of the risks, but because politicians and civil servants ignore the will of the people. Democracy is a sham.

(Slightly off topic, but look at the election result, UKIP won 13% of the vote, but returned only one MP.)

UKIP had more votes than SNP & LibDem combined. but won just 1 seat. Our first past the post electoral system is a joke!

Not that that would have bothered the Kippers when the LIbs/Lib Dems were moaning about the electoral system for decades. Oh..... and wasn't there the little matter of a referendum to change the electoral counting? I'll put that down to absent-mindedness from some of our forum whingers.

[Walter Travolta]

A referendum???

In the UK???