(edit title) So - Mr Cameron is going to offer a referendum Who really cares? 2015 onwards Options

[Yorkshireman]

Right now it is 2 dogs sniffing each others behinds ...UK and rest-of-EU... UK growls about being overuled on immigration and non-EU family members, welfare benefits, work hours directives ...and wants to regain control (renegotiate) and the EU barks back that if UK intend to pull out they will make sure that London is not the financial center of Europe

...in reality, right now the UK is a blessing for the other EU countries, with 500.000+ Polish migrant workers and during last year 100.000's of Spanish migrated for work to the UK (for reference about 1.000.000 Spanish have left for other countries during the last couple of years, the majority towards the UK)... countless other Member State nationals ...if the UK got control, those workers would be finding their way back to other Member States!...what issues would that raise?

[skogsbo]

...in reality, right now the UK is a blessing for the other EU countries, with 500.000+ Polish migrant workers and during last year 100.000's of Spanish migrated for work ... (show full quote)

...in reality, right now the UK is a blessing for the other EU countries, with 500.000+ Polish migrant workers and during last year 100.000's of Spanish migrated for work to the UK (for reference about 1.000.000 Spanish have left for other countries during the last couple of years, the majority towards the UK)... countless other Member State nationals ...if the UK got control, those workers would be finding their way back to other Member States!...what issues would that raise? ... (hide full quote)

that's it though, the UK and 3 or 4 other EU countries are bank rolling 5 or 6 completely messed up other EU countries, no wonder the 26 other nations don't want the UK to leave, they'll have to take a bigger burden.

[Hisingen]

Not to mention all the non-elected eurocrats who are enjoying an exceptionally well-paid standard of living, and are demanding an even bigger slice of the cake, whilst at the same time seeing the prospect of the cash-flow being much reduced if the UK should withdraw.
The original idea of the EFTA was much more acceptable, but the departure to the EU where the so-called parliament wants more and more central administration and power over the member nations is creating an EUSSR.
I, for one, shudder at the thought of Brussels being the source of 'national' government.

[skogsbo]

I, for one, shudder at the thought of Brussels being the source of 'national' government.

But, it's not just Brussells, every 4th week, they meet in Strasbourg, so the whole lot, their assistants, translators etc.. all travel there and stay in accommodation, at our expense! It's a comedy really, on how not to conduct business efficiently.

[Hisingen]

Agreed, and at what cost pray? Add to that the well salted travel and accommodation expenses that follow. These eurocrats will cling like hell to their more than lucrative 'jobs' come hell or high water.