By-elections in England

Multiply the Fake Commission times ....who knows?  

I'm sure it's all above board really, I mean, they do have to account for every penny, don't they? 

I must say, Cameron did seem genuinely angry when I saw him earlier. Never mind the money, it's given UKIP a huge boost, and the more boosts UKIP gets, the shakier Dave's residence in Number 10 gets.

So.....all in all....it's all good?

It's a helluva mess, Lily, and whatever happens, it's not going to end well, IMO.

Hopefully, you will be able to opt out if you wish?

I have absolutely NO idea what would happen in that event, Lily. I suspect it might be the end of the EU in its current form.

Maybe that might be a good thing if you guys could get more favorable conditions?  It seems to me, that this is so one-sided?

I gather that is just some very unfortunate lighting effect, Cameron hasn't been showered in kisses.

I have simply no idea what all the ramifications of this are likely to be, Lily. Cameron is finished in the UK if he hands over that money, but if he doesn't.....what, is Merkel going to send the tanks into the House of Commons?

LL may have a better insight into all this, the EU is just like a giant, money-eating blob to me, and I haven't a clue what happens next.

Merkel wants the UK to stay in the EU, it's not her who's the problem, look a bit closer to the Channel.   One country never wanted the UK in the EU and IMO that's the big problem.    It started in 1967  -  http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/27/newsid_4187000/4187714.stm  - and has rumbled on since then.   Some people never forget past incidents, the wish to be top dog doesn't end with membership of Europe, it just makes it worse.   I will add that this my own opinion.   If the UK were to leave then I think other disaffected countries might well follow.    I remember the Common Market being 'rigged' so a certain  country could get massive subsidies for its agriculture.    Here we are in the EU, but like the UK, outside the Eurozone.   Austria is in the EU and is one of the more prosperous members, but then it is well- organised and the people are well off.    I do hope the EU Parliament manages to sort this out sooner rather than later.   As to who the UK will trade with if it leaves, who is there to trade with?   Prices will soar as the UK will no longer be sheltered under the umbrella of Europe.   LL

I'm not sure about that, LL, the world is a big place these days. And there is nothing to stop the UK going back to showing preference to Commonwealth nations.

Then there's all those emerging nations in South America, etc., that have been only too happy to fill the gap left by the self-destructive sanctions war with Russia.

You won't find too many people in the UK that do feel sheltered by the EU....

Africa is an emerging market too.  I remember all about Mr De Gaulle. 

I liked de Gaulle; well, not liked, as much as respected, much as I do Putin, for similar reasons. Like, putting France first.

I remember the upset at the suggestion that British men would have to forgo their beer for wine.  

I do think a lot of this could have been avoided if the euro hadn't been introduced. Greece, for instance, has always had a chaotic economy, but it used to be its own chaotic economy. The EU, or rather the euro, has caused horrific damage to Greek society; I doubt if too many Greeks are singing the praises of the EU - apart from the political elite with its snout in the trough.

Absolutely so, Bonny.  Some people have made an absolute killing courtesy of the euro.  The same people who don't care about other people.

More EU woes for Cameron.

When is enough, enough when it comes to immigration into such a small part of the world?

It's shaping up for a head-on collision between the British government and the EU, Lily. Cameron CAN'T back down, not with UKIP snapping at his heels, and every time the EU acts in such a high-handed fashion, it stokes up more opposition to them in the UK.

It just gets better and better - and with Labour committing electoral suicide in Scotland, I don't see the pro-Europe Milliband getting the keys to No 10 next year. I see a Tory/UKIP alliance on the horizon.

Certainly looks that way, Bonny.  Sometimes I wish for the good old days.......

I am none too sure what Merkel can actually do if the UK doesn't fall into line, Lily. Impose sanctions? Send a gunboat up the Thames?

There is possibly very little she can do?   Maybe some sanctions and I don't know what they might be. I'm sure some of you may know better?

Fortunately, you do not use the euro.

Yes, that's one good thing, Lily. LL may have a better idea what happens if Cameron won't play ball.

Yes, he may.  So, LL, we await your advice? 

First I'm going to say that Mrs Merkel does NOT run the EU so there will be no gunboats or any armed interference.    I am not a pundit on the EU and its workings, I am  a retired corporate lawyer.  However, I will try and explain a few things here about the immigration policy used by the EU.  The original idea was that workers from member states should be able to work in another member state without hindrance.   This was okay when the EU was small, almost a rich countries' club.   Where it began to unravel is when the poor Eastern European countries became members,    Here there was little emigration as most Hungarians go abroad to work but very few actually stay away from the homeland.   Hungary is not wealthy but it is not like, say, Romania, Bulgaria or Albania which are incredibly poor.   I think the big problem with the UK is its policy of providing housing and benefits to these migrants, most of whom have no jobs to go to.   The old 'Gastarbeiter' program of Germany was based on guest workers being contracted to working for a set time and then returning home.   This was a good system but it was knocked on its head when the EU opened up.   And Schengen, the opening up of the borders, has not helped.   Though the UK is not a member of Schengen Ireland is and quite a few immigrants go to the UK via there.   I have no idea how this latest fracas will pan out and I am not going to get another headache trying to outguess Hollande and some of the other EU countries leaders.   LL

ETA A good read as it does explain the ramifications of exiting the EU.

http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21567914-how-britain-could-fall-out-european-union-and-what-it-would-mean-making-break