A weaker Europe?

[pwarbi]

As I'm sure your all aware, the UK will soon be voting on wether or not to stay in the EU. At the moment the polls are suggesting that the result will be to close to call, with both sides still campaigning for support.

It seems that a lot of countries are coming out in favour of the UK not pulling out as they say that will considerably weaken not just the EU but also NATO as the UK is such a strong country. The thing is, it wasn't too long ago that these same countries were saying that the UK as lost most of its power and it's not the force that it once was.

So which is it? It can't be both. Will the UK leaving the EU make that much difference?

 

[Zepplin]

Your guess is as good as mine! Both sides are upping their campaign and both are so convincing. I would love to hear some non-British views on this as I don't know what to believe with things we're being told

 

[xTinx]

The UK already opted out of the currency department and EU didn't make a fuss because they know UK's participation makes a huge difference in achieving "synthesized" economic goals. If EU can loosen up certain rules and regulations so that member countries wouldn't feel choked, as if they're losing their identity, perhaps the self-sufficient former superpower UK would think twice about finalizing this so-called Brexit. Besides, Britain also has much to lose if they bail out of the EU. They'd be more vulnerable security-wise. This isn't the time to do things on your own. Countries need all the support they can get from other countries and combat stateless enemies.

 

[Zepplin]

Just had a quick read up on an FAQ and apparently it wouldn't affect the UKs NATO membership so it wouldn't really be going it alone.
Either way with facts, it feels like it's going to be a close call and so many different pros and cons

The UK already opted out of the currency department and EU didn't make a fuss because they know UK's participation makes a huge difference in achieving "synthesized" economic goals. If EU can loosen up certain rules and regulations so that member countries wouldn't feel choked, as if they're losing their identity, perhaps the self-sufficient former superpower UK would think twice about finalizing this so-called Brexit. Besides, Britain also has much to lose if they bail out of the EU. They'd be more vulnerable security-wise. This isn't the time to do things on your own. Countries need all the support they can get from other countries and combat stateless enemies.

 

[pwarbi]

To say that if the UK were to leave the EU would make them more vulnerable to an attack, is just scaremongering by those that are campaigning for us to stay. As you quite rightly point out, it's not NATO that we're leaving, it the EU.

Would trade with other countries be hit that hard either? That's another story that we're being told and threatened that if we do leave then the EU makes up 44% of our exports. While that is a big figure, it's not as big as the 56% that makes up the rest of the exports we trade with the rest of the world, so I'm doubting if we leave it will have too much impact on trade either.

 

[djordjem87]

Very soon there will not be EU so this is probably a good call from UK. I don't think it will affect Europe in some greater sense because it is in our nature to make unions every now and then. We will have something else and it will not impact the connections with NATO I guess because there must be some kind of agreement between two sides if something like this was about to happen. They think of everything to keep the power they already have.

 

[explorerx7]

I don't think that Britain would relinquish it's NATO membership if it opted out of the EU. Britain would not want to stand alone in matters of security. Therefore, I believe it would hold on to this aspect of the alliance and I don't believe that the other Europen EU countries would not have a problem with that arrangement.

 

[Corzhens]

Pardon my ignorance on the issue. What happens if UK leaves EU and let's say Europe becomes weaker. In what sense? Will Europe easily succumb to an attack by ISIS as an example? Or is it weaker in economy that Europe will experience more financial challenges because UK is not around anymore?

If war breaks out and Europe is attacked, I think UK will still be there as an ally. For a financial crisis, I don't think UK will lend a hand if it will jeopardize its financial standing otherwise they will help. So what would be the effect when UK leaves EU?

 

[Zepplin]

Pardon my ignorance on the issue. What happens if UK leaves EU and let's say Europe becomes weaker. In what sense? Will Europe easily succumb to an attack by ISIS as an example? Or is it weaker in economy that Europe will experience more financial challenges because UK is not around anymore?

If war breaks out and Europe is attacked, I think UK will still be there as an ally. For a financial crisis, I don't think UK will lend a hand if it will jeopardize its financial standing otherwise they will help. So what would be the effect when UK leaves EU?

The NATO alliance would step in even if the whole of Europe fell apart.

The exit from Europe is more about wanting to control our own laws and financial issues.

I don't know who to believe with what's right, too close to call

 

[pwarbi]

Pardon my ignorance on the issue. What happens if UK leaves EU and let's say Europe becomes weaker. In what sense? Will Europe easily succumb to an attack by ISIS as an example? Or is it weaker in economy that Europe will experience more financial challenges because UK is not around anymore?

If war breaks out and Europe is attacked, I think UK will still be there as an ally. For a financial crisis, I don't think UK will lend a hand if it will jeopardize its financial standing otherwise they will help. So what would be the effect when UK leaves EU?

It's more weaker in the economic sense rather than anything else, and as far as the UK is concerned, while I was undecided a few weeks, even a few days ago, I think now I'm voting to leave the EU.

There's just so much that we aren't in control of, and its harming our own nation. Another issue I'm having is that why are the UK government determined to keep us in the EU in the first place? Spending all that money on propaganda, bringing Obama over to convince us all to stay?

Its just making me look at the alternative more closely more than anything else.

 

[Corzhens]

Now the picture about EU is getting clearer. It looks to me like a conglomeration of economies. So when you weigh the average, those above the average would suffer (or have an advantage) and those below the average economy would either lose or gain depending on the purpose. Like Greece which economy was in the doldrums, there was a motion to remove them from the EU for economic reasons.

 

[Zepplin]

Like Greece which economy was in the doldrums, there was a motion to remove them from the EU for economic reasons.

Aha, so we're all in it together to help each other unless you're dead weight
This sort of thing does put me off from staying in the EU, the concerns of money loss over the concerns of improving a countries situation

 

[pwarbi]

What causes the most problems for a lot of these countries though is the Euro. When you look at some of the restrictions and penalties that the EU makes these countries adhere to, just for being allowed to use the Euro as their currency, it's a wonder why any country would want to use it.

One final point, Switzerland aren't involved in the EU at all, and they're doing pretty well, so don't be fooled into thinking that if the UK leave, then we are going to struggle.

In the short term maybe as we get used to going it alone again, we may find it hard, but in the long term there's no reason why we can't use Switzerland as a model to follow.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

If the vote is split, then I am definitely excited to see how it goes. I don't know if it would be better or worse for both Europe and UK, as UK would have to stand on their own feet without a safety net, while Europe would lose a great power that might destabilize their economy. I'd definitely pay attention to the news the next few months. This will be an interesting thing to follow.

 

[pwarbi]

If the vote is split, then I am definitely excited to see how it goes. I don't know if it would be better or worse for both Europe and UK, as UK would have to stand on their own feet without a safety net, while Europe would lose a great power that might destabilize their economy. I'd definitely pay attention to the news the next few months. This will be an interesting thing to follow.

It isn't like the UK have never stood on their own two feet before though, so to speak. In the past we've had enough financial stability and the core industries to look after ourselves as a sovereign power, so there's no reason to think that we need that safety net that the EU supposedly brings.

I say supposedly aswell, because since joking the EU, they're the ones that have made us a weaker nation by telling us what we can and can't do for the good of Europe. The decisions made might have been for the good of Europe, but they've been detrimental to our own cause as far as I can see.