Quote of the day 30th November 2014
“An intelligent person is never afraid or ashamed to find errors in his understanding of things.”
( Bryant McGill )
( Bryant McGill )
Nick Herbert on his visit to flood hit areas of Cumbria
Please note that the post below was published more than ten year ago on 21st November 2009 Nick Herbert MP, shadow cabinet member for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, was in Cumbria this morning to see the areas affected by the flooding. He writes on Conservative Home about his visit. Here is an extract. I’ve been in Cumbria today to see the areas affected by the floods. I arrived early in Keswick where I met officials from the Environment Agency. Although the river levels had fallen considerably and homes were no longer flooded, the damage to homes had been done. And the water which had got into houses wasn’t just from the river – it was foul water which had risen from the drains. I talked to fire crews who were pumping flood water back into the river, and discovered that they were from Tyne & Wear and Lancashire. They had been called in at an hours’ notice and had been working on the scene ever since, staying at a local hotel. You cannot fail to be impressed by the...
Comments
Allowing DC to put into practice todays Quote. I know DC is planning on reforming "benefits to migrants" and can so so via the "Simplified proceedure" but, he cant deliver all of his "reforms" using that route, even if the media will "big up" his peice of paper as a "Major treaty change".
OPs article 50 route, actually allows DC to negotiate a new relationship on trade, and ditch ever closer union, then deliver a referendum in 2017. Thats exactly what the PM says he wants.
The Single Market and the political EU are not one and the same thing.
Those who say they want to stay in the EU, or like DC to remain part of "a reformed European Union" want to stay part of both.
It would be helpful if more of those who want to leave the political EU could be clear about whether they also want to remain part of the single market and, if so, on what basis. There are a bewildering range of options available, and it is not really possible to discuss the relative advantages of "In" versus "Out" unless we know whether "Out" means the so-called "Norway Option" or "Swiss Option," some unique deal or cutting all ties.
It is fairly obvious that some proponents of exit from the political mechanism of the EU favour remaining part of the European Economic Area, probably as part of EFTA, but I suspect others would like to be as close to cutting all ties as they could get. Any of these approaches would have advantages and disadvantages, but the former would mean the amount of "extra independence" would not be as great, while the latter would have much worse trade consequences.
There comes a point where what you want, becomes something fogotten and you begin to compromise with whats available. For example i wanted to move away from my previous home and into a nice mansion which overlooked my own personal island (though i would be willing to allow the servants to live there, to tend the swimming pools, aircraft and cut the grass on the verges of teh F1 circuit). But then, like everyone else I had constraints, it was never going to happen (at least not yet)
As is the case with those whom wish to leave the EU, what you would like ideally is not always what you can have (at least not yet). An attractive exit plan is a must, and it must be workable. I learned that from Alex Salmond and his SNP.
Leaving altogether is not an option at this point simply because any business who depends on exit would say "no" and you just lost a referendum, if that was not enough then cleggy's 3 million jobs line may actually hold some traction, to ensure its lost and we stay in.
The swiss option is not an option (at least not yet) this is due to the fact bi lateral agreements take years to negotiate, and can fall apart on somthing as simple as the contents allowed in a jar of pea nut butter (so as above, business says no and you just lost a referendum) also because as can be seen with current frictions between the EU and Switzerland, its unlikey the EU would want to start another with the UK.
the Norway option is an off the shelf option, which whilst not totally ideal, is workable for the short to medium term (longer if needed). It keeps the single market, and moves our postion into one of trading with the EU without the political baggage.
nothing ever states that the EFTA/EEA route is permanent, its just a better position than the position we are in now, allows us to escape the political side of the EU, does not interfere with business or affect any trade deals, and allows new deals to be forged over time. It avoids the loss of jobs, loss of business problem as the single market is still as accessible as it was, the uk would gain influence over the creation of regulations it imposes rather than lose it, and this option allows greater flexibility as to how the rules of the single market (like freedom of movement) are applied. (So its a re-negotiated deal which gains a new relationship with our European partners, removing the ever closer union clause, and concentrating on the merits of trade, what was it DC said he wanted again?)
There we have something, something that is attainable, because it has a far better chance of actually winning a referendum.
A little like our nice new 3 bed detached, which is not my island mansion, but then again its much better than we had, and it was attainable.
So there is the OUT side, now what about the in?
For a single nation (oops i mean Member State) to constantly cause friction and require more and more and more opt outs of ever closer union which is not the goal of the other members well its not exactly a good position to be in. So, we would simply rejoin the European Union under Article 49 of TEU, Meaning we would be on the track with the other 27, heading for political union, we would still have the singe market (hey, we would even have Euro's to spend there). there is your in BOTH option.
Which is why article 50 after the election to a 2 year negotiation up to 2017 gives a people a clear and a fair choice.
Out is EFTA/EEA
In is Political union as an EU member state.
That is a pretty clear choice.
a fudge wont work Dave.
Van Rumpoy may have put in, but Donald "a strike aimed at poles" Tusk?
that's a conundrum.