We're out!

[Bsix]

The difference was last time the greedy fuckers were busy troughing on the EU gravy train. Ireland's love affair with Europe turned sour the day the ECB arrived and took all the free money away. And funnily enough the original Lisbon second vote debacle soured a lot of people towards Europe as well, expecially as the "yes" vote hung on the fear of financial disaster; it would be bloody difficult to sell that particular line again.

Biggest concern I'm seeing on Irish forums is that there was a court judgement a couple of years back which could give the Irish government a loophole not to have a referendum at all.

It wasn't EU money powering the building boom...

 

[rynnor]

Merkel let the cat out of the bag 'Europes economic union will push forward Political union' - rise of the new un-democratic superstate...

 

[DaGaffer]

It wasn't EU money powering the building boom...

Oh yes it was. Not direct money from the EU, but a big justification for all the house builds was the influx of migrant workers from Europe when the local population clearly wasn't big enough to sustain that number of houses. This also drove the budgets of all the public utilities as well. In addition there was shitloads of direct EU money for transport and other capital projects. Every motorway in Ireland was built with EU cash.

 

[ECA]

It wasn't EU money powering the building boom...

The ECB set low interest rates when Irelands housing boom started Ireland was POWERLESS to change their rates to slow it down and avoid the ineveitable burst.

 

[DaGaffer]

The ECB set low interest rates when Irelands housing boom started Ireland was POWERLESS to change their rates to slow it down and avoid the ineveitable burst.

And yet strangely the (state-owned) Irish banks aren't so powerless that they've had to pass on the latest rate cut to their customers.

 

[Raven]

Labour reduced to grumpy twitter feeds. lol

 

[old.user4556]

Scottish Independence; I very much doubt that'll happen.

 

[Deebs]

Pictures speak a thousand words:

 

[MrHorus]

I'll say what I've just been saying on IRC - the PM badly misplayed his hand here.

I'm no fan of the Tories, but Cameron should have agreed to anything that Sarkozy was asking for, on the understanding that the consent of Parliament would have been needed along with a positive referrendum result.

It would have been an empty promise as there is no way that a referrendum would pass, nor would it have been intended to pass. What would have happened would have been a considence crisis which would have allowed Cameron to request a dissolution from the Queen and to return a Tory majority in the resulting election.

 

[Scouse]

Pictures speak a thousand words:
View attachment 7449

This. Only I'm not sure I want to be on either side of the equation.

 

[MrHorus]

Scottish Independence; I very much doubt that'll happen.

Over my dead body.

If it passes I'll do whatever it takes to retain my British Citizenship.

Generations have fought and died for me to be born British and I'll never let Alex Salmond take that away from me.

 

[old.user4556]

Big fat Alex is deluded, it won't happen.

 

[rynnor]

I'm no fan of the Tories, but Cameron should have agreed to anything that Sarkozy was asking for, on the understanding that the consent of Parliament would have been needed along with a positive referrendum result.

Cameron cant afford a referendum because too many Conservatives want one on leaving the EU - giving them the chance to knockback the treaty changes would only fuel this.

 

[rynnor]

This. Only I'm not sure I want to be on either side of the equation.

Coincidentally I'm starting German lessons next year paid for by my company...

 

[Lamp]

The knight on the wall is definitely Sarkozy


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7zbWNznbs

 

[Deebs]

Over my dead body.

If it passes I'll do whatever it takes to retain my British Citizenship.

Generations have fought and died for me to be born British and I'll never let Alex Salmond take that away from me.

What has changed since the last election in Scotland? What things have improved and what has gotten worse for you as a citizen living in Scotland?

 

[Embattle]

Big fat Alex is deluded, it won't happen.

He is in his own hole at the moment regarding currency.

 

[Deebs]

This. Only I'm not sure I want to be on either side of the equation.

Well I am happy, I believe he did right. The currency known as the Euro is showing signs of a death rattle. We are still members of the Euro Zone so still get to have a say and the Lisbon Treaty has not changed. Personally I think that once people realise that their elected government does not have the power to set budgets localised to their own Country there will be a backlash.

 

[Embattle]

Cameron cant afford a referendum because too many Conservatives want one on leaving the EU - giving them the chance to knockback the treaty changes would only fuel this.

Probably because he in reality couldn't conceive them saying no to him, in reality it makes little logical sense other than for deflection purposes.

 

[Embattle]

Well I am happy, I believe he did right. The currency known as the Euro is showing signs of a death rattle. We are still members of the Euro Zone so still get to have a say and the Lisbon Treaty has not changed. Personally I think that once people realise that their elected government does not have the power to set budgets localised to their own Country there will be a backlash.

The other issue being that little in the short term has actually been fixed, the one solution that has been suggested since the beginning is the one that ironically would be vetoed by the Germans regarding the ECB.

 

[Job]

This is going to get a LOT worse before it get's better.
Is everyone forgetting the Euro is fucked and all they're doing is the classic borrowing off Peter to pay Paul.
It'll drag the German economy into a pit and the people will revolt, then they'l find a new leader...you know the rest.

Job warms up Trident.

 

[throdgrain]

This is going to get a LOT worse before it get's better.
Is everyone forgetting the Euro is fucked and all they're doing is the classic borrowing off Peter to pay Paul.
It'll drag the German economy into a pit and the people will revolt, then they'l find a new leader...you know the rest.

Job warms up Trident.

That would be funny if it wasnt possibly true

 

[old.user4556]

What things have improved

I think off the top of my head; a lot of unfinished, half baked road projects (thanks Labour) have been completed and the forth road bridge is being replaced. They're also having a go at doing something about the alcohol problem here (which is a UK wide culture, not just Scotland).

 

[Deebs]

I think off the top of my head; a lot of unfinished, half baked road projects (thanks Labour) have been completed and the forth road bridge is being replaced. They're also having a go at doing something about the alcohol problem here (which is a UK wide culture, not just Scotland).

To be fair roads are the sticking point for the whole of the UK, road taxes raise more than enough to fix every road in Britain but they siphon the funds of for something else (true for every Government that has been in power for the last 20 odd years). Are they taxing alcohol out of the reach of the young uns?

 

[Deebs]

Also, the Forth Road Bridge replacement, is that wholly Scotland funded or using funds provided by Great Britain?

 

[Kryten]

Sarkozy is a manipulative twat and I have no idea why people are wishing to pander to them. So the EU is up shit creek because of the Euro which we said no to, and now we can sit and be smug (ish) Sarky and friends are spitting sour grapes. Fuck 'em.

 

[old.user4556]

They're setting minimum pricing - I can see arguments for and against it really, but any step to reducing alcohol intake here is a good move.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15526726

 

[old.user4556]

Also, the Forth Road Bridge replacement, is that wholly Scotland funded or using funds provided by Great Britain?

I understand it's publicly funded by the UK taxpayer.

 

[Deebs]

I understand it's publicly funded by the UK taxpayer.

So not attributed to the success of the SNP in the elections or are they diverting funds?

 

[Deebs]

They're setting minimum pricing - I can see arguments for and against it really, but any step to reducing alcohol intake here is a good move.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-15526726

Personally I don't think that is the answer to our problem. Kids (I'll call them that due to my age) will find the money somehow.