Syrian thoughts

I decided this blog would be about the European Union and why I believe that we should vote to leave. There are other subjects that I am interested in but that would, in my view, dilute what this blog is about and so I must impose some self discipline.

On the subject of Syria, there are some issues that I believe may impinge on the European Union and that is the reason for this particular post. 

France has said it will breach the stability and growth pact in its National interest (Government deficit 3% of GDP and Debt 60% of GDP) and so in some cases National Interest trumps the European ideal (Philip Hammond please take note). France has great geopolitical interest in Syria. 

I personally wonder about the statement that "We shouldn't be content with outsourcing our security to our allies" (David Cameron - 26/11/2015). Isn't our security safe in our hands by NOT taking part in military action?

Would the United Kingdom taking military action in Syria exacerbate the movement of refugees and irregular migrants from Syria and other Middle Eastern states to Lesbos and Malta? If it would is this, in itself, a desirable outcome? 

Maybe taking military action will make the European Union a less safe place if, by our action, more young African and Middle Eastern men escape from the the bombing in their nations and migrate to the European Union. These individuals would then be able to move throughout the European Union (fences and temporary suspension of the Schengen area having been overcome). I have read of tensions in Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Germany, Greece, Malta, Hungary and Poland

If we leave the European Union, we will once again become an Independent Sovereign Nation and not be instructed by fax from Brussels or Berlin or Paris about what to do. We could even start to renegotiate some of the conventions in this area such as the 1951 convention on Refugees. We can act in our selfish National interest.

Vote to leave the European Union 

A European Passport

The last blog was about the government of a nation which is what the European Union has become. As well as having a flag (the 'ring of stars') and an anthem ('Ode to Joy' from Beethoven's 9th symphony) the European Union has a passport - a EUROPEAN passport. 

There is no such thing as a British Passport. As I look at my passport now, the first words on the cover are 'European Union'. The passport office in the United Kingdom issues passports on behalf of the EU.  EU passports have common features such as their burgundy cover giving them a uniform look for the whole union (nation).  

When you and I return from our holiday, we do not join the queue for 'British Passport Holders' (that would be illegal under European Union law) but a queue for 'EU passport holders' with the Irish, French, Germans etc who, like us, are citizens of the EU.

This helps to build the nation that the European Union wants. The EU wants us to have loyalty to this nation. We must all carry EU passports which helps promote 'ever-closer' integration and start to build a 'common European' identity. The fact is that we seem to return again and again to ever-closer union which is what the European Union is about.

The United Kingdom as a nation is being absorbed as a state into the European Union. Every Government since 1970 has assisted this process - step by small step ('salami' style). Generally people have not protested because, after all, you can still travel. In addition to this I do not believe that they have realised the significance of the small steps.

The significance is huge. The United Kingdom is gradually ceasing to exist as it breaks into regions and decisions about its policies are not being taken in London SW1A but in Brussels.

It maybe just a passport but what it represents is altogether different. It represents the fact that our allegiance is being pointed not to the United Kingdom but to the European Union. 

I have no allegiance to the European Union. My country is not the European Union. My country is the United Kingdom.

Vote to leave the European Union.

The Government of a Nation?

"Yes, the Commission does want to increase its powers; yes, it is a non elected body and I do not want the Commission to increase its powers against this House, so of course we are differing. Of course the Chairman er The President of the Commission, Monsieur Delors, said at press conference the other day that he wanted the European Parliament to be the democratic body of the Community; he wanted the Commission to be the Executive and he wanted the Council of Ministers to be the Senate. No! No! No!" 

"What is the point in trying to get elected to Parliament only to hand over your sterling and to hand over the powers of this House (of Commons) to Europe?" (Margaret Thatcher 30/10/1990)

Executive: A person or persons having administrative or supervisory authority in an organisation or the person in whom the supreme power is vested. 

Senate: An assembly or council of citizens having the highest deliberative functions in a government, especially a legislative assembly of a state or nation.

It is very interesting that the definition above includes the word 'Nation': A Nation is what the European Union is being moulded into. It is being moulded into a Nation with subservient states - like the United Kingdom.

The European Union is a not an Economic Construct. Access to the single market can be maintained outside the European Union. 

The European Union is a political construct. A Flag, An Anthem, A Parliament, A Senate, An Executive, A President.

In the referendum, we must vote against Associate Membership (which is the 'renegotiation' Mr Cameron will bring home) and vote to Leave in order once again to become a Sovereign Nation and stop being a subservient state.

Vote to Leave the European Union

A Personal View - Remembrance

More than 72,000 people are remembered on the above memorial at Thiepval.

I am going to try not to insult others in my blog. I disagree with those who are passionate about the EU and who sometimes say that leaving the EU will lead to plagues of locusts and other imaginary disasters. 

I will call people liars when the need arises but their personal foibles or mode of dress does not concern me. Nor does the possibility that they may have grey hair or none at all. 

That said I do not doubt their sincerity nor their patriotism. They misguidedly believe that their position is correct.

On this remembrance Sunday, therefore, I am absolutely appalled with Leave.EU and today's post by them. I will not link to it and disassociate myself from it entirely. 

Every Government since at least 1970 has passed European legislation. There has also been every opportunity to elect someone else. I sincerely hope that in the forthcoming EU referendum the 'Leave' choice will be democratically endorsed.

Those who joined the forces either voluntarily or by conscription were sent to serve by the United Kingdom Government in these islands or overseas. Many died in the service of the Nation. They did and do what I could not and would not do.  

I commemorate those who died because they died in the service of the country they served. They should be remembered for that fact alone.

The Four Pillars of the European Union

The Single Market is a trading bloc. The single market consists of the 28 members of the European Union and the EFTA states. It has removed most trade barriers but there are four pillars of the market:

Freedom of movement of People

Freedom of movement of Capital

Freedom of movement of Services

Freedom of movement of Goods.

The electors need to be reassured that when they vote to leave the European Union (EU) in the referendum that the UK will retain access to the single market if they are ever going to put their vote next to the 'Leave' box. In order to retain access to the single market, we must commit to keeping the above freedoms. It is just not credible or possible for the other 27 states to allow the UK to somehow have control of its own borders, thus limiting the freedom of movement of people and remain in the single market. 

We do not need to remain in the European Union to retain access to the single market. We can, as the first stage of once again becoming a Sovereign Independent State, leave the European Union and rejoin EFTA (European Free Trade Association) and trade with the European Union states through the EEA (European Economic Area).

There is a strategy or roadmap by which the UK could successfully leave the European Union which is documented in FlexCit (http://www.eureferendum.com/documents/flexcit.pdf). The first stage is the Norway (Interim) Option where we would join the EEA as the first stepping stone towards becoming once again an Independent Sovereign State.

Leave the European Union is an attempt to explore some of the issues about the European Union that interest me. I hope some of the posts will illustrate why the United Kingdom should leave the European Union. They are intended to be as informative for me as for other readers and visitors.

References to items from other blogs and texts will be shown and there are links on the right hand to other sites which are far more knowledgeable than this one.

I started off with sketchy ideas of why I believed the United Kingdom should leave the European Union. I have learned a great deal from and owe a huge debt especially to EUReferendum.com and 'The Boiling Frog' who have put flesh on these ideas and who are a vital resource to me and others who want to leave the European Union.

Any errors will be corrected as quickly as they are spotted or pointed out