A 36 Year Media Failure | 177 comments (177 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: free riding the EU peace dividend (none / 1)

In the first scenario, the UK is basically a glorified version of Iceland, except that they've managed to piss off everybody nearby

And a lot of people within (only the English nationalist would be happy).

The brainless should not be in banking. — Willem Buiter

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jun 9th, 2009 at 03:50:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: free riding the EU peace dividend (none / 1)

But turkeys don't vote for thanksgiving. One of the kinda crucial points about the British strategic picture is that nobody would take them seriously if they weren't in the Union.

But I just thought of an exceedingly nasty scenario: What if a couple of the kingdoms secede and petition the EU for membership. Now that would be a nasty flash point. Imagine the reaction of a Tory government that had just pulled out of the EU to Wales and Scotland seceding and sending a polite "can we join, pretty please?" letter to Bruxelles.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Tue Jun 9th, 2009 at 04:56:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: free riding the EU peace dividend (none / 1)

We discussed these kinds of scenarios in 2006/7.

The brainless should not be in banking. — Willem Buiter

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jun 9th, 2009 at 05:01:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: free riding the EU peace dividend (4.00 / 2)

In all likelihood, if the UK tries to leave, this is exactly what will happen.

Which would be perfectly ironic - the UK breaking up completely because it refuses to give up some of its sovereignty by joining the EU.

It would also put Northern Ireland in an interesting position.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Tue Jun 9th, 2009 at 08:50:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: free riding the EU peace dividend (none / 0)

I must work out whether Sinn Fein are anti-EU or what. They opposed Lisbon and so on, but I forget on what basis.