Wednesday 20 May 2009

EUROPEAN UNION DEBATE


HUTT COMMENT (Haha!)

Whether you think the EU is simply a papered-over Fourth Reich or a promising state that has improved European relations, it is a very contentious issue in the U.K.

If you believe this country can survive on its own, then why do we need our aspects such as law and currency modified by, essentially, people from other countries. In recent times, the U.K. has pretty much been stable enough to make up its own mind on matters, rather than relying on somebody in, say, Sweden to make it up for us.

However, if you're an elderly person living in Portugal and how your country has changed for the better, then you're clearly not going to have much of an issue with being part of the European Union.
On the other side of the coin (euro or pound?! Up to you!), if you are a middle-aged right-wing Briton who is proud of your country's heritage, why answer to Europe at all?

From a nationalistic point of view (which I adopt a significant amount of the time), I wouldn't like to see the EU having too much of an affect on me as a "Southampton boy" or "southerner" and so on. However, I suppose it already has with the influx of Polish workers here in the south who are prepared to work for less - not great in social or economic terms, but if they do their job better than an Englishman for half the price, it would most definitely be the Polish person who would get the job - every single time.

In short, a lot of this comes down to national tradition; I would much rather deal in sterling during my loathsome 8 hours a week at work than use a currency that has no sentimental value to me whatsoever. But, without wanting to offend the likes of Estonia in any way, the EU is one of the very first milestones in their short history in any case, thus little nationalistic pride to be lost - even if Brussels and Strasbourg have the final say more often than not...

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