Here are the highlights:
- Of those over 18 surveyed by opinion pollsters Forsa, 64 percent said they were in favour of Britain staying in the EU. Just 22 percent said that the EU would be a better place without its island neighbour.
- The younger generation was particularly keen, with 69 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds saying they wanted the UK in. Of those over 60 years old, a smaller 56 percent said the same thing.
Only one poll. But it does go to show that the continent isn't quite ready to let Britain go quite yet - at least not the people of Germany, and that, if the Government plays its cards well, a new Anglo-German bargain on the future of Europe is there to be struck.
"Britain should remain in the EU, or it would be better if London the EU would leave?"
ReplyDeleteConsidering only 1001 respondents, of which 1/4 was stripped out as 'dont know', a dubious poll with a rather ambiguous question.
One would assume that the respondents were answering the primary question 'Should Britain remain in the EU'.
That would make more sense of the 64% who said Nein, rather than the secondary question.
Either way, hardly the stuff of treaties is it?
More pro-EU jiggery pokery in play here one thinks.
Is this a survey of Germans who want us to stay in with them ? It would be interesting to see what a poll of Germans who also want out of the union say.
ReplyDeleteIt strikes me that the Germans want us in to offset the French, probably feeling that business with us is a lot more straight forward and "above the desk".
The results seems particularly biased towards the attitudes of the very young.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they can see that if the UK leave the EU then the whole EU financial position will become embarrassingly underfunded.
Either way, their opinion, though interesting is irrelevant.
The question is not whether the EU needs the UK; or does Germany find it convenient for us to continue to throw money into the sinking ship of Europe (so that they do not have to pay so much; or so that it sinks more slowly) But: Is it in our national interests to continue to subsidise this lame duck? The answer to that is obviously NO.
ReplyDelete"if the Government plays its cards well, a new Anglo-German bargain on the future of Europe is there to be struck"
ReplyDeleteBy what right would the governments of two countries take it upon themselves to determine the future of Europe?
Just because one of those countries would be the UK, would that justify the wishes of all the peoples of all the other countries being ignored?
Wouldn't it be more ethical if the UK government stood up for the sovereignty of those other countries and their peoples, especially the smaller and less powerful countries?
How could that possibly be accomodated in any conceivable "bargain" between the UK and Germany, when the German leader has made it perfectly clear that she wants every country in Europe to be subjugated in a pan-European federation?
http://euobserver.com/institutional/118126
"EU to be federalised in the long run, Merkel says"
"The EU commission will eventually become a government, the council of member states an "upper chamber" and the European Parliament more powerful, but fixing the eurozone problems is more urgent for now, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told MEPs on Wednesday (7 November)."
"Of course the European Commission will one day become a government, the EU council a second chamber and the European Parliament will have more powers. But for now, we have to focus on the euro and give people a little bit of time to come along," she said."
So would it be rather like that possible "bargain" favoured by some back in 1940, that Germany could dominate the continent but would not attempt to interfere with Britain and its Empire?
Because if so the answer should once again be "no", even if Cameron, Hague and Osborne want it.
I don't suppose that we should blame the Poll for the phrase that Open Europe uses here !
ReplyDelete"the continent isn't quite ready to let Britain go quite yetat least not the people of Germany "
The mindset here is embodied in the ""LET Britain go". Britain will decide - hopefully without OE muddying the waters further and we will go if we want to - no question of "letting" us go.!
Yet more faux Eurosceptcism from Open Europe.
ReplyDeleteAll roads MUST lead to the UK remaining in the EUSSR prison.
Right?
What a disgusting display of deceit from Open Europe.
Is Open Europe a false flag operation?.Can't quite put my finger on it but it does seem to have a slight whiff of duplicity about it.
ReplyDelete