Does Greece need an IVA??

[antm]

Watching the news this morning, it seems Greece could plunge the whole EU into serious debt, a double dip or is it triple dip recession now?? Ive lost track.

I haven't seen the whole story, so i do wonder on the impact to the UK.

[kazzafunk]

It is a frightening state of affairs. I am hoping we won't be hit as hard as others in the euro currency but if they can't budget, then it's no wonder we have had to seek help personally.

In the innocent words of my friends little girl " why don't they just print more money?" Oh if only......[:)]

[Skippy]

But they are printing more money Kazza and calling it quantative easing!

This is where I think we should pull out of the EU - it costs a fortune to be a member and we have to bail out other countries that are nothing to do with us!

[animaleyes76]

On the flip side 80% of UK trade is with the EU so if they go under, we're going with them.

I wouldn't mind following the Norwegian example of being a trading partner but not a full member of the EU and all it entails.. Mind you, wasn't that what the UK voted for when they were actually allowed to vote on it?

The EU can't afford for the UK not to be in anycase and after the Lisbon treaty all members have to agree.. Never going to happen and they won't hold a referendum as it's obvious the answer that will come back.

Quite funny to see the EU lecture on fiscal responsiblity when its accounts have NEVER been audited (probably becuase there's hundreds of billions missing)

[PELDER]

I seem to remember that Ted Heath railroaded us into the EEC in 1973 without a referendum - it was only afterwards in 1975 that a referendum was put to the people and because we were already in by then the majority voted for it, but I stand to be corrected!!

[animaleyes76]

Too young to remember Pelder but you get my point, at least the people said yes.

Did we get a vote on creating the EU (Maastricht), no. Did we get a choice on the constitution/Lisbon no... Mind you, let's face it, if we voted no the EU probably would have made us have another vote.. That's the kinda democracy they stand for..

[Skippy]

The problem is that the people who voted (I'm too young to remember!) were apparently voting for a common market, not a European state.


I would still vote for a common market even now for trade purposes but that's as far as it should go. I don't understand why a country as broke as Britain pays billions every year to belong to a corrupt institution like the EU.

[animaleyes76]

Yup you're right Skip, Maastricht changed all that... Mind you , I do have more problem in us giving money to India/Pakistan (and even china would you believe) when apparently they can afford nuclear weapons and space programmes.....

[kallis3]

I think we should pull of of the Eu - it's too big for it's boots now.

When it started as a trading forum, it was fine but it's just gone on and on and if they held a referendum now then I'd vote to pull out.

I am old enough to remember when we joined and it was just called The Common Market at the time.

[Skippy]

I have no problems with foreign aid for those who really need it (i.e. after a natural disaster), but when a country can afford nuclear weapons etc they must think we've got mug stamped all over us!

Perhaps we should form a forum party and stand at the next election!

[kallis3]

We couldn't do any worse could we???

I refuse to give to countries who can afford space exploration, nuclear weapons and don't forget that some of the more deserving cases don't receive the aid they need because the corrupt governments stop it getting to them.

I remember going to Sri Lanka a few months after the Tsunami - even though millions had been sent in aid, some of the people were living in glorified garden sheds and didn't even have the basic cooking facilities.

[Foggy]

I heard somewhere that the foreign aid we pay to China funds their F1 racing team !!!!

[Skippy]

In that case we should give aid to McLaren so they can beat Red Bull!

[luluj]

why we have so much debt of our own in our country then I personally think we should NOT be sending anyh money abroad to anyone - we should concentrate on ourselves and ensure our soldiers fighting for our country receive the right level of support and recompense before we look outside ! Sorry - my opinion - rant over !

[kazzafunk]

I'll 2nd that skippy!! Brilliant race on sunday