tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post3373146025306898036..comments2024-03-29T07:14:55.029+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: One Nation and EuropePhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-4697733516022805432013-01-30T21:42:15.524+00:002013-01-30T21:42:15.524+00:00New to your blog. Nice to read a thorough analysis...New to your blog. Nice to read a thorough analysisFionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16971307556212451585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-66666118085128133352012-11-22T20:46:41.398+00:002012-11-22T20:46:41.398+00:00That's an excellent point, Arthur. Is that the...That's an excellent point, Arthur. Is that the reason why French governments kept Britain out for so long?<br /><br />That argument definitely needs wider currency.<br /><br />The US-EU dynamic is a curious beast indeed.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-91017032770017622022012-11-22T20:44:23.160+00:002012-11-22T20:44:23.160+00:00Re: CAP, I'm all for looking at things with fr...Re: CAP, I'm all for looking at things with fresh eyes. If it is socially useful and not a gravy train for agribusiness, then I'm sure it would pass a public value probity test with ease. But I think a Labour pledge to undertake a root and branch review of EU finances along the lines above would position Labour as a friend of Europe, but of a different kind of Europe. I think it's a position that could undercut and reverse some of the poison swilling about on the topic.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-45949088089440170042012-11-20T10:57:40.525+00:002012-11-20T10:57:40.525+00:00Phil,
I agree about the need for an emphasis on ...Phil,<br /> <br />I agree about the need for an emphasis on EU democracy, though that should be in the context of real Pan Europeanism i.e. a commitment, perhaps throught the Socialist International for establishing a single European Workers Party, single European Trades Unions and so on. It would also require using the idea of the single market as the basis for a true level playing field i.e. no exemptions from the Social Charter, common Pensions and benefits across the market, single Corporation Tax rates etc., which would be the simplest means of preventing tax dodging via transfer pricing.<br /><br />However, I disagree when you write,<br /><br />"he quite rightly points out that while Britain could participate in the single market like Switzerland and Norway do".<br /><br />The UK could not do that as the Right say. Both Switzerland and Norway have populations more like that of London! The economic realities are quite different. More importantly, the politics are different. Neither Norway nor Switzerland present any kind of challenge to the EU. An independent Britain, particularly one with its links to the US, does.<br /><br />There would be every reason for the EU to treat an independent UK as a hostile competitor. Every reason to cut it off, cast it adrift, and put every barrier to its economic well-being forward as possible. The EU, would have every reason to use its economic power to dominate such a UK.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-60205119051822030382012-11-19T23:14:42.624+00:002012-11-19T23:14:42.624+00:00A pretty fair assessment of where Labour/EdM find ...A pretty fair assessment of where Labour/EdM find themselves now - still grappling with how to go about it but in a slightly better place than a year ago. Yes, i'd like to see more in the way of a critique of the neoliberalism embedded in the EU, as the budget itself is something of a sideshow compared with that, but at least he's shownig willing to engage in one or two of the substantives.<br /><br />Specifically on the CAP, though, I think you risk throwing the baby out with the bathwater here. Yes there are problems with it, but I don't think we should forget why it was introduced, and the continuing need (increasing with climate change) for some form of socialised food security. It's not all about rich farmers getting richer, and it's important to note that the % of the budget spent on farm payments has dropped from 70% in 1985 to 30% (another 10% on broader rural devt) now.<br /><br />I've got a piece on all this stuff at L'list tomorrowPaulhttp://thoughcowardsflinch.comnoreply@blogger.com