I don't know enough to decide really
But if the UK is going to do something it should do it and not half arse it. Either be in, which means bailing out shit countries, or be out. I dot know what benefits there are to being out, it's nice to travel so easily between EU countries.
( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:05, archived)

as far as i can gather,
Being out gives us control over economic decisions rather than doing what Europe want. And as the city of London is such a massive chunk of our GDP, we need it to be strong or we go the way of Greece. I think.
( Windy Pig I'm naturally quite suspicious about the moon., Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:07, archived)

I see what you mean
Is there no financial benefit to being part of the EU that we'd miss out on?
( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:15, archived)

the ability to buy stuff from them without paying import tax
unlike Norway, who can't afford to import butter
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:21, archived)

These are tough times :(

( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:26, archived)

Mrs F's been doing the low-carb thing
It's great. Loadsabutter.
( Flapjack I spay a little mare for you, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:53, archived)

Trouble with this is that it's complete bollocks.
The financial sector has never reached double figure %age of GVA and is typically closer to 5%. Even if it had a ratio of taxation to profits that isn't between 5 and ten times less than average, it would still only contribute about 10%. And all Cameron has done by throwing his toys out of the pram is reduce his ability to influence or veto future decisions that are critical to the UK economy.

Apart from that ... yeah ... go Cameron and the bankers! Woot.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:22, archived)

I dont know enough of the figures,
So i'll assume you're right and ask why is Cameron so desperate to protect tge city and financial control?
( Windy Pig I'm naturally quite suspicious about the moon., Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:29, archived)

He's a terrible drunk.
Dave got smashed on pimms before the talks and beasically just started a fight.
( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:37, archived)

that's the sort politicing i can get behind!
Smash the oiks!
( Windy Pig I'm naturally quite suspicious about the moon., Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:38, archived)

He also doesn't believe in translators.
He just shouts lounder until they all walk off in disgust.
"I SAID, WE NO HAVA THIS SILLY MONEY. PUT LIZ'S FACE ON IT, THEN WE'LL TALK."
( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:41, archived)

It's mainly political
because he's a Tory and the eurofriendly Tories are a weak faction, plus he gets a few UKIP votes this way and doesn't upset the Mail. But if he wasn't, there's also financial sovereignty; the European Commission is an unelected body that would (under the original proposal) be able to enforce financial controls.
( Flapjack I spay a little mare for you, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:57, archived)

I heard everytime Sarkozy spoke Dave said it back to him in a silly voice.
"We have to protect the Euro."
"DURH WE AVE TO PRUTEKT THE UHRO"
( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 9:02, archived)

He also undid his fly
and poked his finger through it. Then wiggled it every time Sarkozy started talking.
( Flapjack I spay a little mare for you, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 9:09, archived)

He made fart noises everytime Merkel started speaking.

( mark morrisons prison shoes I love Willie, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 9:10, archived)

It stems down to something called the Tobin tax which,
if I'm reading this right, makes a 50bn euro fund to help the poor suffering countries. Britain would end up paying 40bn of that.
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:09, archived)

Woah that's rather a lot

( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:11, archived)

It comes from the City doing all the big financial stuff day in day out
10% of the UK economy and all that.
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:12, archived)

Don't Germany make a lot of money too though
Do they have their own version of this to pay?
( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:14, archived)

Germany did this funny thing 10 years ago when the Euro was invented
when all the countries converted their Francs and Lira and Pesatas to Euros, the Deutchemark got a 21% discount, making everything there a fifth cheaper. Incredibly, German exports in those ten years exploded. Whooda thunk it?
( Grrrmachine the indifference engine, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:16, archived)

Those sneaky krauts!

( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:21, archived)

               __
             *,   \
              ^####^
      ."```''/o    o|
     / € € €   ,--, /
     \  €  €    .../
      | ||~~~| ||
      ^^^`   ^^^`   

( Edd: The Unfunny Try-Hard Edgelord, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:15, archived)

HURRAH!
:D
( stuj (^(^;;^)^) GO TEAM SPIDERS!(^(^;;^)^), Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:16, archived)

Festive Alot!
:D
( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:20, archived)

Yeah The LOVELY tiny Spangles, but you get to travel so easily by hitching a lift on a passing seagull.
It ain't that easy for the rest of us.
:D
'Ning.
*Panders*
( stuj (^(^;;^)^) GO TEAM SPIDERS!(^(^;;^)^), Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:11, archived)

Sounds like The Rescuers

( Edd: The Unfunny Try-Hard Edgelord, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:21, archived)

Which is EXACTLY what Spangles typical adventures are like.
She should have sued Disney.
( stuj (^(^;;^)^) GO TEAM SPIDERS!(^(^;;^)^), Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:27, archived)

I wish I could go everywhere on an albatross that sounded like John Goodman
I bet it wouldn't be £50/week either
( spangolin - the odds are good but the goods are odd, Mon 12 Dec 2011, 8:30, archived)