This start to be fun.
Why not make Greater London a country and the rest Scotland.
And call them Little Britain and Great Scotland:)

@Nick. You can still be part of EU and not in the Europian Monetary Union EMU.
Both UK and Sweden are that.

Join up with Sweden and become Greater Swedtain or Greater Britswede...

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The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

This start to be fun.
Why not make Greater London a country and the rest Scotland.
And call them Little Britain and Great Scotland:)

@Nick. You can still be part of EU and not in the Europian Monetary Union EMU.
Both UK and Sweden are that.

Join up with Sweden and become Greater Swedtain or Greater Britswede...

Actually I thought of that:)
Instead of EU why not split it to Northern EU, Central EU, Eastern EU and Southern EU.
Lets face it. Europe has still diverse Cultures.
The acronyms would be NEU, CEU, EEU, SEU.
Lets rock.

Not too sure how the Scots would feel about taking over a band of northern Sasenachs? Also what evidence is there that Scotland could take care of affairs better than Westminster has done. Who knows how Scotland would
perform under independence? But is there any evidence that Westminster has
ever kept Scotland back from generating a strong vibrant economy over the
years. I don't think there is but our man in Westminster, Chris, may have
a valuable insight on this matter.

Well lets see, the poll tax was first rolled out in Scotland.
The conservative government also decimated Scotland's mining, steel and shipbuilding industries and savaged public services against the will of the Scottish people.
Those are just things in recent history. We haven't even got to the obliteration of the celtic langauge, the forbidding of the Tartans, Culloden, the banning of the clans...

England has hardly been a benevolent overseer in Scotland.

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Reality Internet Personality

Not too sure how the Scots would feel about taking over a band of northern Sasenachs? Also what evidence is there that Scotland could take care of affairs better than Westminster has done. Who knows how Scotland would
perform under independence? But is there any evidence that Westminster has
ever kept Scotland back from generating a strong vibrant economy over the
years. I don't think there is but our man in Westminster, Chris, may have
a valuable insight on this matter.

Well lets see, the poll tax was first rolled out in Scotland.
The conservative government also decimated Scotland's mining, steel and shipbuilding industries and savaged public services against the will of the Scottish people.
Those are just things in recent history. We haven't even got to the obliteration of the celtic langauge, the forbidding of the Tartans, Culloden, the banning of the clans...

England has hardly been a benevolent overseer in Scotland.

Gosh your going back a long time on some of this above.

The law governing the banning of the tartans was repealed in 1782.
A lot to do with unofficial armies being set up under false tartans.
The coal industry got hit badly by the Labour government of the late 1960's.
Ship building, could not compete against the Japanese, they stole the market.

But if past is ever to be taken into consideration then why is Germany at
the forefront of the EU. Look at their past history, nothing to be proud of
so what makes them strong contenders to have the best interests of Europe at
heart over their own?

---

The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

But if past is ever to be taken into consideration then why is Germany at
the forefront of the EU. Look at their past history, nothing to be proud of
so what makes them strong contenders to have the best interests of Europe at
heart over their own?

Do you really think that hasn't come into the debate and isn't at the heart of a lot of fear over Europe?

---

Reality Internet Personality

But if past is ever to be taken into consideration then why is Germany at
the forefront of the EU. Look at their past history, nothing to be proud of
so what makes them strong contenders to have the best interests of Europe at
heart over their own?

Do you really think that hasn't come into the debate and isn't at the heart of a lot of fear over Europe?

Which is why Britain should do what's it done often enough in the past - Stand alone.

But if past is ever to be taken into consideration then why is Germany at
the forefront of the EU. Look at their past history, nothing to be proud of
so what makes them strong contenders to have the best interests of Europe at
heart over their own?

Do you really think that hasn't come into the debate and isn't at the heart of a lot of fear over Europe?

Which is why Britain should do what's it done often enough in the past - Stand alone.

England should stand alone and deal with its own mess. Scotland shouldn't have to go along with their nonsense.

---

Reality Internet Personality

Even better, why not form our own "economic union"?

Parliamentary Union of Britain, consisting of: -

Wales, Ireland, Scotland & England?

I'm sure it would be a lot wiser than the EU :-)

Even better, why not form our own "economic union"?

Parliamentary Union of Britain, consisting of: -

Wales, Ireland, Scotland & England?

I'm sure it would be a lot wiser than the EU :-)

Maybe, but I am still not sure that Britain would be better without Europe.

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Reality Internet Personality

Even better, why not form our own "economic union"?

Parliamentary Union of Britain, consisting of: -

Wales, Ireland, Scotland & England?

I'm sure it would be a lot wiser than the EU :-)

Maybe, but I am still not sure that Britain would be better without Europe.

Sweden & Norway seem to be doing alright & we did okay while it was the EEC, so what changed?

Even better, why not form our own "economic union"?

Parliamentary Union of Britain, consisting of: -

Wales, Ireland, Scotland & England?

I'm sure it would be a lot wiser than the EU :-)

LOL.

"Dynamic Mongoose" looking for subs
It has also highlighted a gaping hole in Britain's own defences.
There have been recent reports of Russian submarines off the coast of Sweden, Finland and the UK.
Britain no longer has any of its own maritime patrol aircraft and this exercise is a reminder of a significant gap in the UK's defences.
Several times over the past year Britain has had to call on its Nato allies to provide eyes in the sky when there have been reported Russian submarines in or near Britain's waters.
He says the lack of any maritime patrol aircraft, that used to be provided by the Nimrod, means a Russian submarine could sit off the UK and track the nuclear deterrent as it leaves Faslane naval base in Scotland.
Britain, he says, should be "exceptionally worried" that it is seen as a "soft touch", because Russia will continue to test its defences, just as they have by flying long range bombers near UK airspace."
Think the "Smug One" should act on this ASAP: -
"The lack of any UK maritime patrol aircraft will have to be addressed in the government's forthcoming defence and security review."

The British Isles have not the submarine defense that they need?
Geez.
Bottom line.
They could have if politicians and the taxpayers are willing to pay.

The British Isles have not the submarine defense that they need?
Geez.
Bottom line.
They could have if politicians and the taxpayers are willing to pay.

Did you read the 1st link?

The British Isles have not the submarine defense that they need?
Geez.
Bottom line.
They could have if politicians and the taxpayers are willing to pay.

Did you read the 1st link?

Yes? Now I'm confused.

The British Isles have not the submarine defense that they need?
Geez.
Bottom line.
They could have if politicians and the taxpayers are willing to pay.

Did you read the 1st link?

Yes? Now I'm confused.

£4billion worth of Maritime Nimrod Aircraft chopped up for scrap & all because they wanted to save £100 million...

...so that the following year, they could send £340 million to a nuclear powered nation to assist with their "security issues"

OMG!
I found this.

Unfortunately, that program has faced a series of budget cuts, stalls, and conditions that have reduced the program from 21 aircraft, to 12, to 9 – and then to 0. In 2010, Britain decided to give up fixed-wing maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft entirely, then scrapped all of its Nimrod MR2s. Its MR1 electronic eavesdropping planes followed, in June 2011. Leaving the burning question: now what? Periodic “reminders” from Russia and other entities have kept that question very current, indeed.

Whats even worse.
Nimrod MR2s are not suitible for submarine hunt Close to the British Isles.
Trust me. I'm a Swede:)
Well. Its only taxpayers Money...

Ahoy.

But if past is ever to be taken into consideration then why is Germany at
the forefront of the EU. Look at their past history, nothing to be proud of
so what makes them strong contenders to have the best interests of Europe at
heart over their own?

Do you really think that hasn't come into the debate and isn't at the heart of a lot of fear over Europe?

It was used as a comparison to the previous argument raised against England.

---

The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

But if past is ever to be taken into consideration then why is Germany at
the forefront of the EU. Look at their past history, nothing to be proud of
so what makes them strong contenders to have the best interests of Europe at
heart over their own?

Do you really think that hasn't come into the debate and isn't at the heart of a lot of fear over Europe?

Which is why Britain should do what's it done often enough in the past - Stand alone.

England should stand alone and deal with its own mess. Scotland shouldn't have to go along with their nonsense.

It does seem that people would like to see Great Britain split up and England go it's own way. Beats me why they wish this so.
If there's any evidence that England has been suppressing the financial growth of any of the other member countries of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland then lets see it.

---

The Kite Fliers

--------------------
Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.

On the whole I think we can safely say that since the UK is twice as densely populated compared to Germany and three times more densely populated than France then time those two countries played catch-up with us.

They do actually, especially Germany. When it comes to taking in refugees from Syria, Germany lets in ten thousand, and the UK? Eh, about 500 over a 3 year period. And then about another 1500-2000 a year in Asylum seekers.

It would be if the terms of reference of our Membership won't change from what we have now. With a Majority government, Cameron can go to the EU and demand a better deal for the UK. I may not agree with a lot of his party's policies, but if anyone can get a better deal, then I think he is the one that can.

He can demand, yes, but it remains to be seen whether the rest of Europe wants to give into his demands. The UK already is a special case, with a ton of exceptions and opt outs that the rest of Europe doesn't have. Demanding even more under the guise that the current deals aren't fair for the UK...well, good chance that they will just tell Cameron to sod off.

And then the UK threatens to leave? Well, okay that would suck, and France and Germany would not be happy about it. But that might not be enough, and opening yourself to what comes down to political blackmail might have much more severe long term consequences that aren't worth having the UK around.