View Poll Results: Should Britain stay in the European Union ?

Yes

37.10%

43.55%

Don't care, I'm a Canuck now...

6.45%

Couldn't give a monkeys either way

12.90%

Voters: 62. You may not vote on this poll

Britain & the EU

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May 16th 2013, 6:03 am

#136

jimf

BE Forum Addict

Joined: Apr 2008

Location: Calgary

Posts: 3,343

Re: Britain & the EU

Is it really the case that over half the working age population in France is employed by the state?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/f...el-Hintze.html

May 16th 2013, 6:30 am

#137

Shard

me/moi

Thread Starter

Joined: Nov 2012

Location: UK

Posts: 24,539

Re: Britain & the EU

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimf

Is it really the case that over half the working age population in France is employed by the state?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/f...el-Hintze.html

Scary. And Hollande is way out of his depth in dealing with it.

France has ownership stakes in many corporations (eg. EDF) so the "indirect" employment figure is probably quite large.

May 16th 2013, 6:50 am

#138

Almost Canadian

Lost in BE Cyberspace

Joined: Aug 2005

Location: South of Calgary

Posts: 13,380

Almost Canadian has a reputation beyond repute

Re: Britain & the EU

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimf

Is it really the case that over half the working age population in France is employed by the state?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/f...el-Hintze.html

One wonders how many of the remainder are employed by car manufacturers churning out vehicles to replace the 60,000 that are, apparently, burned annually

May 16th 2013, 7:18 am

#139

Cape Blue

Democracy advocate

Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 12,512

Cape Blue has a reputation beyond repute

Re: Britain & the EU

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shard

Are you changing the goalposts now? You point was that Norway was a significant net contributor to the EU budget not that the per capita contributions was significant. Even if the latter was your point, it is only one third of the UK, so again wrong. Not sure why you wish to compare it to the UK anyway, Sweden, a Nordic country closer is size would have made a better comparator.

No, I'm not.

the point was made by Mikeypm that:

Quote:

Norway decided it was best to keep all their oil and gas money to themselves rather than support the likes of Greece etc spend like it was going out of fashion.

and I was pointing out that Norway did not keep all their oil and gas money and was a significant contributor to EU funds. It would be ridiculous to look at it on anything other than a per-capita basis.

I compared to the UK because Mikeypm was responding to your comment.

Quote:

It is interesting that while Britain used to be the one skeptic in the club, skepticism is now growing amongst the Germans, Dutch and Swedes too. The support of the general public is not necessarily being mirrored by the EU politicians that are becoming increasingly elite.

The general point I was making was that the nirvana of Norway's EU relationship was not all it is cracked up to be - they are a net contributor (at a rate of 41% of the UK's net) but they get no vote in the legislation that they then have to adhere-to.

May 16th 2013, 1:40 pm

#140

Pulaski

Joined: Dec 2001

Location: Dixie, ex UK

Posts: 52,558

Re: Britain & the EU

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cape Blue

..... The general point I was making was that the nirvana of Norway's EU relationship was not all it is cracked up to be - they are a net contributor (at a rate of 41% of the UK's net) but they get no vote in the legislation that they then have to adhere-to.

Which sounds very sensible, ..... "if we're going to have to pay, we might as well have a vote". BUT when you're in a minority of one on many issues, and the number of areas where a single country can veto legislation or a treaty is steadily declining, having that vote appears rather pointless, and a rather expensive luxury that achieves nothing. Despite the riding tide of scepticism in most European countries, Britain often votes alone against the herd of Europhile sheep.