Every one of the changes for which Cameron is arguing in Europe will make both the UK and the EU worse. It is undoubtedly true that these reforms are marginal, and not in any sense worth the drama with which Cameron seeks to imbue them in the run-up to a pre-cooked mainstream media acclamation of significant victory. But even though Cameron’s proposals are highly marginal, and all possible without treaty amendment, insofar as there is any effect, it is a bad effect.
Cameron’s primary focus is on preventing much needed regulation of banking and financial services. He wants a veto in what is currently recognised as a qualified majority area. The banking system is at the heart of the channelling of most wealth to a tiny elite. 70% of all the money in the world is tied up in derivatives markets, which is terrifying. Deutsche Bank holds derivatives equivalent to 21 times German GDP, to give a striking example. There have been continued attempts by the EU to introduce a transaction tax on every derivatives bet, as a move towards calming this market. Cameron is determined to make sure the City of London remains a great casino, safe for his banker mates. That is the primary question at issue today.
The other issues involve Cameron’s attempts to pander to xenophobes by putting a brake on in-work benefits and child benefit to migrants. This is economically insignificant. It affects less than 40,000 people in the UK, and in the case of child benefit would only bring a marginal reduction anyway. It is simply an effort to join the Duncan Smith stigmatisation of the low-paid to racist sentiment.
I wish to state loudly that I believe that the existence of the European Union with a common citizenship, where we all enjoy the common rights of citizens, from Bucharest to Dublin, is a marvellous thing. It is undeniably the greatest political advance of my lifetime. As a continent with a free flow not only of people, but of trade and capital as well, it is a fantastic field of economic potential. As the political expression of the wonderful civilisations of the European nations, it has the capacity to be a force for good in the world, and is so more often than not.
I look forward to ever closer union becoming a reality, and the day when the EU encompasses all of Europe, including Russia. I look forward to Scotland being one of the nations within a federal European structure, contributing to a common foreign and defence policy. I fully expect these things to come to pass, while Cameron and his charade of renegotiation will be long forgotten.
@ROS, you are comparing Putin to Kim Jong-Un & Robert Mugabe !
Your funny ! 😀
On the contrary Macky I was stating that even the likes of Mugabe and Kim Jong-Un have a beloved following amongnst their citizens even though their actions are less than credible.
@ROS, So did Hitler, therefore Putin is Hitler !
Is that how it works ? 😀
“So did Hitler, therefore Putin is Hitler !”
_____________________
Acting in a pedantic manner, Macky doesn’t help you know exactly what I mean.
Putins rating is high, within Russia due to his stance on the West (nobody likes us we don’t care).
But hey what significance do approval ratings really have, in 2007 Putin’s approval rating was 81%.
The very same year Labour’s British Prime Minister’s rating was the only one higher in the world that year at 93%.
His name is Tony Blair.
@ROS, Putin is Blair ???!!!! I thought he was Putin The Bear, not Putin The Blair ! 😀
The word you are looking for is flippant, not pedantic, but your line of reasoning is comical !
Let’s try another approach; if Putin is a dictator as you state, then why do “three times as many Russians felt the country was “more democratic” under Putin than it was during the Yeltsin or Gorbachev years, and the same proportion thought human rights were better under Putin than under Yeltsin.” ? Surely if he was really a dictator, these things would have got worse not better !
No Macky I mean’t pedantic.
Putin biographer Masha Gessen has stated that “Putin is a dictator,” comparing him to Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus.
Putin has been either Russian President or Prime Minister since 2000. No doubt he’ll go on to rule Russia with a iron fist for many years to come, a trait of a dictator, wouldn’t you say.
Putin critics who ended up dead
http://news.sky.com/story/1437519/the-putin-critics-who-have-been-assassinated
Journalists who’ve died under Putin, and his puppet Medvedev.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_journalists_killed_in_Russia
@ROS, Ahem ! I think I’m the best judge of if I’m being flippant or not ! 😀
ROS; “Putin biographer Masha Gessen has stated that “Putin is a dictator,”
LOL!! Well that’s it then ! 😀
ROS; “No doubt he’ll go on to rule Russia with a iron fist for many years to come, a trait of a dictator”
Funny “iron fist” where most Russians believe their Country is more democratic & has better Human Rights under Putin than Yeltin or Gorbachev ! But hey what do they know, they just live there ! 😀
Macky
I have the feeling your tongue is so far up Putin’s sphincter tha
that you couldn’t withdraw it even if you wanted to! 🙂
@Habbabkuk (for propaganda-based, insulting, irrational and obsessional posting),
Piss Off Troll ! 😀
Craig, I fullly agree with you. My only question is: for Russia to be part of this positive EU, doesn’t it require that nation to go through a complete political overhaul?
Meanwhile, Cameron and his followers are bound to be caught in the fishnets of the ‘global’ economy. The only fact that the sterling pound is going down is already a bad sign, four months ahead…