British Leadership on the World Stage?
26 October 2009, 10:20 PM
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British Leadership on the World Stage?
So will Tony Blair get to be European President?
This would be a great accolade for the power of the UK and to recognise that Blair has the political weight to be a true world leader, as well as potentially leading the largest economic power in the modern world (until China and India race past us).
I am sure there will be a thousand naysayers - albeit the same naysayers who would be crying over their keyboards about the dilution of national power if a Frenchman, German or Czech were to be made President.
I can smell the irony from here
This would be a great accolade for the power of the UK and to recognise that Blair has the political weight to be a true world leader, as well as potentially leading the largest economic power in the modern world (until China and India race past us).
I am sure there will be a thousand naysayers - albeit the same naysayers who would be crying over their keyboards about the dilution of national power if a Frenchman, German or Czech were to be made President.
I can smell the irony from here
27 October 2009, 09:48 AM
#5
I would be extremely surprised if Blair got the nod for this job.
His only positive qualification is being a liar - and there are plenty of a similar ilk on the mainland.
The guy was hounded out of power by his own party FFS.
His only positive qualification is being a liar - and there are plenty of a similar ilk on the mainland.
The guy was hounded out of power by his own party FFS.
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27 October 2009, 11:24 AM
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But why do we need to be on the "World Stage" at all?
We no longer have an empire to look after and our overseas policy seems to get us nowhere and cost a fortune. Iraq, Afghanistan, The Middle East, Trident? What good does it do us and WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
So retrench and concentrate on the things that we can still do well. The City, scientific excellence (rapidly going downhill), fashion etc.
I'd say get out of the European political arena but keep a good trading arrangement. Maintain a good relationship with USA so we can call on them if we get in a mess.
dl
We no longer have an empire to look after and our overseas policy seems to get us nowhere and cost a fortune. Iraq, Afghanistan, The Middle East, Trident? What good does it do us and WE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
So retrench and concentrate on the things that we can still do well. The City, scientific excellence (rapidly going downhill), fashion etc.
I'd say get out of the European political arena but keep a good trading arrangement. Maintain a good relationship with USA so we can call on them if we get in a mess.
dl
27 October 2009, 01:03 PM
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Yes thats all very good thinking.
If we stay tied to the Eu constitution we will become their lackeys and will be ruled by their Eu forces and police and will lose all ability to live by our own rules. A trading agreement like the one we thought we were voting for in the referendum is by far the best but as ever we were conned in the style recommended by Jean Monnet in 1947. Heath would have a lot to answer for if he was still around.
Les
If we stay tied to the Eu constitution we will become their lackeys and will be ruled by their Eu forces and police and will lose all ability to live by our own rules. A trading agreement like the one we thought we were voting for in the referendum is by far the best but as ever we were conned in the style recommended by Jean Monnet in 1947. Heath would have a lot to answer for if he was still around.
Les
27 October 2009, 01:36 PM
#10
That particular arrangement seems always to be in their favour
Originally Posted by Leslie
Yes thats all very good thinking.
If we stay tied to the Eu constitution we will become their lackeys and will be ruled by their Eu forces and police and will lose all ability to live by our own rules. A trading agreement like the one we thought we were voting for in the referendum is by far the best but as ever we were conned in the style recommended by Jean Monnet in 1947. Heath would have a lot to answer for if he was still around.
If we stay tied to the Eu constitution we will become their lackeys and will be ruled by their Eu forces and police and will lose all ability to live by our own rules. A trading agreement like the one we thought we were voting for in the referendum is by far the best but as ever we were conned in the style recommended by Jean Monnet in 1947. Heath would have a lot to answer for if he was still around.
You need to stop believing the anti-europe scaremongers, who are doing it to line their own pockets: bankers, foreign exchange people, etc etc.
27 October 2009, 01:43 PM
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From Guido's blog, seems Billy Liar's cheer leader hasn't got much of a clue when it comes to geography. From Tony Blair warned: fight or you'll lose EU job | Politics | The Guardian
"... Miliband, who said at the weekend that the EU needed a president who would stop the traffic in world capitals, stepped up his campaigning for Blair at the traditional pre-summit meeting of EU foreign ministers tonight . "Unless Europe gets its act together, policy-makers in Washington, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow and Beijing and elsewhere are going to conclude that Europe is not ready to be the partner they want," the foreign secretary said ..."
For a Foreign Secretary to say that the capital of Brazil is Rio is a joke. They are all embarrassments to this country and the sooner they are consigned to that big, old dustbin of history the better!
Dave
"... Miliband, who said at the weekend that the EU needed a president who would stop the traffic in world capitals, stepped up his campaigning for Blair at the traditional pre-summit meeting of EU foreign ministers tonight . "Unless Europe gets its act together, policy-makers in Washington, Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Moscow and Beijing and elsewhere are going to conclude that Europe is not ready to be the partner they want," the foreign secretary said ..."
For a Foreign Secretary to say that the capital of Brazil is Rio is a joke. They are all embarrassments to this country and the sooner they are consigned to that big, old dustbin of history the better!
Dave
28 October 2009, 10:54 AM
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But exactly WHAT have WE had FROM the USA since 1945?
That particular arrangement seems always to be in their favour
Where do you get the idea that we would have to be subservient from, Les? We only need do what WE want to, just like the others do, so long as we have a government with cojones.
You need to stop believing the anti-europe scaremongers, who are doing it to line their own pockets: bankers, foreign exchange people, etc etc.
That particular arrangement seems always to be in their favour
Where do you get the idea that we would have to be subservient from, Les? We only need do what WE want to, just like the others do, so long as we have a government with cojones.
You need to stop believing the anti-europe scaremongers, who are doing it to line their own pockets: bankers, foreign exchange people, etc etc.
All our leaders ever do is to sit back, blaming irritating legislation which they accept readily on the Eu. The only new rules they make are purely for their own convenience.
One can only think that they are eventually expecting a big payback from the Eu in the way of obscenely paid sinecures, what other reason could there be?
The French certainly ignore what they don't approve of but then their government seems to support their own people.
Do you really think we can profit by being given lock stock and barrel to the most corrupt bunch imaginable? What happens to those billions of euros that the commissioners keep losing?
Free trading is fine, Norway are doing alright, but I would much prefer us to run our own affairs rather than to have to accept an Eu combined military outfit and an Eu police force! We must hang on to our own country in all respects.
Les
28 October 2009, 02:27 PM
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Well you just gave the clue-how much resistance to the Eu diktats have you seen since Maggie left the world stage!
All our leaders ever do is to sit back, blaming irritating legislation which they accept readily on the Eu. The only new rules they make are purely for their own convenience.
One can only think that they are eventually expecting a big payback from the Eu in the way of obscenely paid sinecures, what other reason could there be?
The French certainly ignore what they don't approve of but then their government seems to support their own people.
Do you really think we can profit by being given lock stock and barrel to the most corrupt bunch imaginable? What happens to those billions of euros that the commissioners keep losing?
Free trading is fine, Norway are doing alright, but I would much prefer us to run our own affairs rather than to have to accept an Eu combined military outfit and an Eu police force! We must hang on to our own country in all respects.
Les
All our leaders ever do is to sit back, blaming irritating legislation which they accept readily on the Eu. The only new rules they make are purely for their own convenience.
One can only think that they are eventually expecting a big payback from the Eu in the way of obscenely paid sinecures, what other reason could there be?
The French certainly ignore what they don't approve of but then their government seems to support their own people.
Do you really think we can profit by being given lock stock and barrel to the most corrupt bunch imaginable? What happens to those billions of euros that the commissioners keep losing?
Free trading is fine, Norway are doing alright, but I would much prefer us to run our own affairs rather than to have to accept an Eu combined military outfit and an Eu police force! We must hang on to our own country in all respects.
Les
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
28 October 2009, 06:43 PM
#16
Les there is a lot of things I agree with here but....
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
I agree with Martin AGAIN!When I get home I'm visiting a shrink............
28 October 2009, 07:36 PM
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Les there is a lot of things I agree with here but....
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
The EU is all about take take take, more power to the EU and less and less to each country. If you can't see that then you really are blind.
Dave
28 October 2009, 07:43 PM
#18
OK, now I am far knowledgable on all things political so don't jump down my throat here.
But forgetting things like Britain losing it's identity and power to the EU and forgetting things like trade agreements.(why would we need to be part of the EU to trade?)
Doesn't the fact that we have to pay billions to be part of the EU for little return show that we need to take ourselves out of the EU and put the money saved to rebuilding our economy by supporting homegrown industry. We are an Island that is packed to the gills will failed farms and farmers that have had no backing from our government yet we pay billions to support foreign industrial and farming communities. We need to look to our own problems by solving them not paying to be part of a community that is hell bent on making things more complicated.
I'm probably way off the mark here but I don't really give a f@#*. This is the way I see it and however simple my view is.
But forgetting things like Britain losing it's identity and power to the EU and forgetting things like trade agreements.(why would we need to be part of the EU to trade?)
Doesn't the fact that we have to pay billions to be part of the EU for little return show that we need to take ourselves out of the EU and put the money saved to rebuilding our economy by supporting homegrown industry. We are an Island that is packed to the gills will failed farms and farmers that have had no backing from our government yet we pay billions to support foreign industrial and farming communities. We need to look to our own problems by solving them not paying to be part of a community that is hell bent on making things more complicated.
I'm probably way off the mark here but I don't really give a f@#*. This is the way I see it and however simple my view is.
28 October 2009, 07:48 PM
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Ummm. We seem to have tried the "staying in and actually trying to reform the thing" tack and it doesn't work! Quick example is the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Con ... Treaty. They voted 'no' but that wasn't the right answer so they had to do it again. Now they've voted 'yes' when are they going to have the deciding referendum? I mean, it's 1-1 at the moment!!
The EU is all about take take take, more power to the EU and less and less to each country. If you can't see that then you really are blind.
Dave
The EU is all about take take take, more power to the EU and less and less to each country. If you can't see that then you really are blind.
Dave
The EU is in desperate need of reform, we should be leading that. We could pull out obviously, but thats taking a incredibly short-term view. Why do I have to assume that the thing can't be reformed, improved and made far more accountable?
From what i can tell Dave you don't like anything, the UK government the EU the UN, so I'm not entirely sure who you want to run the place?
28 October 2009, 07:50 PM
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28 October 2009, 08:41 PM
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Dave
28 October 2009, 08:58 PM
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So in theory we could leave now, and then find we miss out on centuries of prosperity (unlikely I know)
28 October 2009, 09:08 PM
#23
the job is as good as his lol after all he has all the qualifications
1 liar
2 cheat
3 only after his own intrests at heart
4 BELLEND of the highest order
let him have it i say just so long as we are not in it then we cat sit back and enjoy watching him **** it up for the rest of europe . justice and revenge for offloading all the illegals on us SWEET i would shake the smarmy ***** hand if i ever got the chance then kick him in the nads LMFAO
1 liar
2 cheat
3 only after his own intrests at heart
4 BELLEND of the highest order
let him have it i say just so long as we are not in it then we cat sit back and enjoy watching him **** it up for the rest of europe . justice and revenge for offloading all the illegals on us SWEET i would shake the smarmy ***** hand if i ever got the chance then kick him in the nads LMFAO
30 October 2009, 10:10 AM
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Oh dear. The wheels seem to be coming off the wagon .....
The Blair Delusion - Guy Fawkes' blog
Tony Blair's Bid For EU Presidency Fades As Leaders Reach Deal Paving Way For Lisbon Treaty | World News | Sky News
"... Hours after Gordon Brown delivered his strongest statement of support for his old rival, insiders indicated Mr Blair was unlikely to assume the high-profile job ..."
Good old Flash. He can be relied upon to c*ck things up when he gets a sniff ....
And it must be true as even the Beeb are reporting it ...
BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Blow to Blair's hopes of EU job
Oh dear, what a shame, never mind .........
Bet Millipede feels a pratt now for trying to latch onto the supposed Blair bandwagon!
Dave
The Blair Delusion - Guy Fawkes' blog
Tony Blair's Bid For EU Presidency Fades As Leaders Reach Deal Paving Way For Lisbon Treaty | World News | Sky News
"... Hours after Gordon Brown delivered his strongest statement of support for his old rival, insiders indicated Mr Blair was unlikely to assume the high-profile job ..."
Good old Flash. He can be relied upon to c*ck things up when he gets a sniff ....
And it must be true as even the Beeb are reporting it ...
BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Blow to Blair's hopes of EU job
Oh dear, what a shame, never mind .........
Bet Millipede feels a pratt now for trying to latch onto the supposed Blair bandwagon!
Dave
30 October 2009, 10:40 AM
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Les there is a lot of things I agree with here but....
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
30 October 2009, 02:37 PM
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Les there is a lot of things I agree with here but....
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
The conclusion you appear to draw is to come out of the EU; how about staying in and actually trying to reform the thing into the organisation it should be?
Too much standing on the sideline moaning about how awful everything is, will get us precisely nowhere
Our presence in the Eu Parliament is also so small in comparison to the others that our MEPs would not have any significant influence there either. They have got it all nicely tied up already!
Its all adds up to the death of democracy and eventual subjugation to the rules of the Eu which means we can kiss our civil liberties goodby as well!
Les
30 October 2009, 02:39 PM
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Well Martin, I am quite certain that we as a country would not have any significant success in trying to reform the Eu as you put it. A non elected president presiding over non elected commissioners means a singular lack of democracy, not that we have seen a lot of that for a long time of course. At least we can vote in our own country to do something about that, or we can at the moment-but for how long I ask?
Our presence in the Eu Parliament is also so small in comparison to the others that our MEPs would not have any significant influence there either. They have got it all nicely tied up already!
Its all adds up to the death of democracy and eventual subjugation to the rules of the Eu which means we can kiss our civil liberties goodby as well!
Les
Our presence in the Eu Parliament is also so small in comparison to the others that our MEPs would not have any significant influence there either. They have got it all nicely tied up already!
Its all adds up to the death of democracy and eventual subjugation to the rules of the Eu which means we can kiss our civil liberties goodby as well!
Les
30 October 2009, 04:20 PM
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Not that complicated Martin. Hold the promised referendum with a fairly constructed question to be answered, follow the will of the people with regard to the Eu constitution, and if that is to refuse to back it, then negotiate an EFTA agreement for trading, and run our own country with our own government.
Les
Les
