girlingfoss

At least there is previous experience of 40 years less if one counts the EU as a whole, but it is not totally unknown as is pulling out.

One thing if the UK pulls out Cameron will go down in history as the Prime Minister who destroyed Britain just to win one election.

Dick Dasterdly

I'd rather take my chances in the lifeboat than stay on board a sinking ship.

Best get clear while we can and do what Britain has always done before it signed up to this corrupted shambolic organisation where we are last in the queue anyway.

It's widely accepted that Europe and the EU is in decline and in the greater scheme of things will be virtually insignificant in thirty years time.

Meanwhile there's a great big world of expanding new economies out there where we are already doing very well in total contrast to our massive EU deficit.

It saddens me to witness the feeble wimpish attitude prevailing in the UK today.

Fredbargate

He may also go down as the Prime minister who saved Britain from a fate worse than death.

Britain has survived on it's own for many centuries before the EU and would probably have sunk like Greece if we had joined the Euro and lost the ability to print ourselves out of the recession.

Adolphe Merkel is determined that the rest of Europe will be subservient to the Greater Germany

bc2015

Just to note that it's only in the EEA as a member of the EU. If the UK leaves the EU it would by extension leave the EEA and it would need to apply to be a member of the EEA.

olivefarmer

To answer the question... "Why would an expat vote for out?" . Well even if the situation for expats worsened, I would be voting for the future of our children. I do not believe it would change significantly for expats though I did raise the spectre of frozen pensions some time ago. That would be tough for the relatively small group just reaching retirement age. Otherwise folk would move back to the UK or not emigrate unless they had alternative income.

I draw a wry smile when I see Cameron with his smoke and mirrors tour of European leaders seeking a temporary small brake on benefits for migrants. He isn't addressing the fundamental issues that are so important. Just a reminder , the only way the EU is designed to work is for one set of rules, taxes and currency. So a vote to stay in will lead inexorably to exactly that. Just the same as joining the common market spiralled out of control into the mess we have today.

Britain would be just fine on its own. As previously said the EU needs Britain more than Britain needs the EU.

amideislas

Destroyed Britain? Erm, the EU is currently climbing over itself to find ways to accommodate Britain without destroying itself. Of the two, Britain has the least of the concerns. The EU has far more to lose ... and frankly, a crumbling EU would be equally bad for Britain, whether a member or not.

girlingfoss

EU will lose most if Brexit occurs,Please explain with facts to support this.
They are also climbing over themselves to keep the UK in, They must be climbing very slowly judging by reporte so far, just a very few crumbs so far.
Seemingly the outers trust the British government to well for them. It did not work out so well in Iraq when Tony followed Bush to disaster, the crisis Europe faces now was down to those two. Funny most of the EU kept out of that.
And this will happen again as the US has great influence with the UK, and with the current crop of crazy dangerous people now running for President the picture looks dark indeed.
Still you pays your money and takes your choice. Hopeit does not break your bank.

Certainly will the UK if large numbers of expats return with no pensions and healthcare, the NHS cannot look after the ones there.

BritInParis

The EEA is a separate agreement to the EU, the EEA being formed after the UK and the member states signed the Maastricht Treaty. The referendum question is on our EU membership so will remain members of the EEA even if we leave the EU.

girlingfoss

This not a foregone conclusion, it would have to be part of the negotiations.
If Britain did remain in the EEA there would be a big disadvantage in leaving as under the EEA there would still be free travel between members.so the very problem those who want out dislike would still remain, but Britain would have no say in who becomes a member, so the east Europeans and even Turkey if allowed to join could still flood the island.

I would suggest all expapats look carefully at the requirements for non EU members in the various countries they are in because work permits, visas and maximum length of stay will hit them, particularly if the UK requires the same.

Fredbargate

Can you explain with facts to prove otherwise?

If Britain stays in we will see the result, also if Britain leaves we will see the result.

The other senario in each case will then be speculation.

johnnyone

This is the problem a complete lack of facts from either side, It's all just rhetoric.
How we are meant to form an opinion on the way views are being presented is beyond me.

Fred James

Expats currently living in Spain should not have any changes to their residency status if the UK leaves the EU. Once the right of residence is established, it would remain. After 5 years, you have the right of permanent residency. The same applies in the UK with regards to EU citizens living there.

jimenato

Well spotted - that's politics and it's why I usually stay clear.

Everyone makes their minds up depending upon their tribal stance and then cherry-picks evidence and facts to 'prove' that theirs is the only right way.

It's not how I work.

BritInFinland

Even if you are convinced an exit would be bad for ex-pats, don't you think some people will be voting based on what they believe is best for Britain, or what they believe is best for their children etc?

After an exit would you expect your position to be vastly different to that of an American (for example) living in the same EU country as you? So it is not exactly "like jumping into a deep well with no idea how deep it is" since there are many other people already in the well.

The UK being outside of the EU has been tried for 000s of years. Many other countries are currently outside of the EU. So there is a lot of evidence of how a country, and Britain in particular, could perform outside of the EU.

Again you assume everyone votes based on narrow self-interest rather than the greater good.

My own narrow self-interest flags this up as the most risky effect of an exit for me personally. There only seems to be a potential downside of this issue, with no potential upside.

rachelk

Bit like the scottish referendum then.