Remain - Something Positive for a change!

I am going to move away from the project fear of the remain campaign and start talking about the positives of remaining in the EU.

Over recent years all the member states have started to push back against the laws brought in by the EU Government. At one point it was obligatory for EU laws to be implemented by member states. That was of course ridiculous because laws are not a 'one size fits all'. Laws are created by countries who come across issue and then try to creating legislation and laws to try and prevent or fix the problem at hand. That means that every single member state is going to have completely different laws in certain aspects.

Thankfully that is no longer the case and Member States are able to not implement the EU legislation. All that is required is for the government to categorically state that the particular EU law does not apply to the UK. (what?! seriously?! Its that easy?!) Yes seriously its that easy. The UK government can say that laws do not apply to the UK.

There however are some exceptions to this but nothing that is particularly relevant to the debate. As an example the laws governing trading standards are not something the UK Government could refuse to implement unless the UK were to stop trading with the EU. The reason I said that it is not relevant to the debate is because no matter what happens on the 23rd of June the UK will still trade with Europe and therefore we will still have to apply the EU trade laws.

So this really raises a big question. Why has the government allowed so many EU laws to be implemented?

There are several answers to this question! Firstly A lot of the EU laws passed down either fill a gap that was missing in the UKs law or add to current laws in place. Many of the EU laws actually benefit the UK (for an example look at TUPE). And it has to be said that some laws have just not been challenged by the UK government probably because it was easier for them to just let it happen.
So the real argument we should be making is not in or out but why has the UK Government not been fighting hard enough for the UK people?

With the push back against all this legislation from member states in recent years the EU is becoming a much easier place to achieve common goals with out sacrificing sovereignty.

Remain For Science Sake!

Being as involved as I am am with a wide variety of scientists the message I keep hearing is remain! 

Currently science gains huge sums of funding from the EU for thousands of different projects across Europe. But money is not the only thing that matters. In fact that is only a small part of the reason many scientists want us to remain in the EU.

One key benefit of remaining in Europe is the collaboration and  coordination of research projects, biodiversity projects, renewable energy research..... the list goes on. If on the 23 June we make the unwise decision to leave we will no longer have access to this pool of knowledge and support. Working in partnership with other science organisations is vital for the UK to keep up with rapidly changing  technologies. 

Putting aside technology for a moment, when it comes to our natural habitats and all the research that has been done in partnership with EU Member states we will loose our ability to  proactively manage and protect our countryside. Working in partnership with EU countries also gives us the opportunity to make a difference to all of Europe's countryside by passing on our knowledge and skills. With out the ability to draw down knowledge from other countries and share our own experience we will damage the future proofing of our natural heritage. 

Practical Issues of Leaving the EU

In one of my earlier blogs I touched on the issues of leaving the EU in practical terms.

Here in slightly more detail is the bigger issues practically.

Partnerships

There are so many partnerships that have been created between the UK and countries all over Europe. Pulling out of these partnerships is likely to be very costly not to mention complicated. You would think that considering Europe’s history of fighting we would have learned to value partnerships enough to not break them unnecessarily.

It’s not just about the work these partnerships do, the main issue is losing the partnerships themselves. We will miss out on so much valuable input from these partnerships that we will find ourselves rapidly falling behind the rest of the European Union.

What’s the government going to do with the £18 billion that gets paid to Europe once we leave?

Well I’m fairly certain that even if farmers get a similar type of subsidy it certainly won’t be as much. My best guess for farmers is that any money for them would be placed in a fund which farmers could submit applications to. Making it very competitive and probably only benefiting larger farmers with the resources to be able to apply. 

Most of the money saved will either go to pay off the huge debt we have or it will prop up the departments that are struggling the most (NHS need I say anymore!) What ever happens it certainly wont go towards anything that is a direct benefit to the people of Britain.(ie supporting local councils so they don't have to keep raising there council tax rates)

Don't Vote Because of Sensational Headlines

The last thing that I want any one to do is to vote one way or the other because of some scary headline. Which ever way you are voting in June please ignore the headlines and  look at the facts.

The most recent misleading headline I have seen states that Over 50  EU Criminals were let in to the country and they then committed more crimes over here. Now that does sound really bad in fact, maybe its time to leave the UK before we are over run by criminals from Europe! 

Well no its not. For starters in a three year period 09/10-12/13 over 500 criminals left the UK And Entered Europe. That means that we are loosing more criminals to Europe than we are gaining. At this point please note that in the very flashy shocking  news story about these 50 criminals nowhere did it mention over what period of time they entered the UK. I suspect it was similar to the period I mentioned above. (even if those 50 came within one year we would still be loosing more criminals than we were gaining.)

That is just one example of a headline that misleads you completely. And unfortunately both sides play that game. The important thing to remember is  don't vote on a headline. If you see a story in the paper I always find it interesting to find out what the opposite opinion is to the story. It soon becomes clear what is factual and what is just a sensational headline to draw in readers!

How big is the EU Budget?

Not very big is the simple answer!

The EU budget compared to most of the EU countries budgets is relatively small. For the 2014 financial year the total budget was €143 billion. In pounds at today’s exchange rate that is roughly £112 billion pounds. That at a glance looks like an enormous amount of money to ordinary people like you and I. But let’s compare it to the UK Government budget.

The UK Governments budget is over £750 billion! That means that the UKs budget could pay for the entire European Union entity nearly 7 times! Or if you like percentages the European Unions total budget is only around 15% of the UK Governments total budget.

Before we go any further here are a few vital bits of information about the EU and how it affects the UK.

1.      The UK rebate reimburses the UK by 66% of the difference between the revenue provided by the UK and the expenditure received by the UK.

2.      Approximately 94% of the EU budget funds programmes and projects both within member states and outside the EU.^[23] Approximately 6% of the budget is used for administrative costs, and less than 3% is spent on EU civil servants' salaries.

Although pro exit campaigners will try to blind you by how much it costs us and how big the budget is. These things always need to be put in to comparison. The UK spends roughly £18 billion on its EU membership and reclaims around half of that through farmers and projects.

So the UKs net expenditure to the EU is £9 billion which equates to 1.2% of the total UK government budget!

The real question we should be asking is not shall we leave the EU but where the hell is the rest of the money going!  

Our Green Bits

Finally now I have time to write again!

This time I am going to talk about natural habitat and wild life. Currently the EU funds hundreds of different projects across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Projects that draw in expertise and experience from countries all across Europe. If we leave the EU we will lose this vital cross country collaboration which enables countries to solve and prevent common threats to our natural heritage.

Take for example one project I have worked on. There are 14 different partners from 8 different countries. The projects aim is to research the benefits of a nature strip around farmers’ fields. The idea being that the more natural predators to farmer’s crops there are the less pesticides that need to be used.

Given how aggressive pesticide producing companies can be it would be nearly impossible for a single country to undertake this kind of research on its own. However a combined approach from all these countries provides a powerful team who can find the best way for farmers to produce the crops without being bullied by aggressive companies.

The benefits of working with other countries are that often they have already faced similar threats and know the best way or at least a way to prevent it. Loosing this valuable avenue of information and experience will set our natural habitats back by decades.

This one issue is probably not high on the agenda for most voters but it should be. Our environment is important not just for farmers but for healthy living and tourism.  

Reputation Again (sorry!)

To Continue on from the Post the other day about how reputation is important here are a few real life examples of how reputation affects all of us.

My business ,as a very new business, does not have a reputation (good or bad) yet! To make sure I start to get a good reputation I create long lasting partnerships I treat my current customers well and I make sure I don't associate my business with any shady organisations. And to a certain point we all do this in our lives in different ways.

Some people have a reputation for being late, some people have a reputation for always having a crazy hair do and some have a reputation for being boringly normal! reputations often reach people who don't even know us yet.

When I was a young college student (compared the old man of 25 that I Am now) I always wore  an Australian outback hat. Never did I leave the house with out that hat on my head. People didn't recognize me without the hat on. Even this year somebody thought my face was familiar and as soon as I mentioned that I used to wear an Australian hat they remembered everything about me! (I Had to make a quick escape!)

If a reputation can have such a long lasting hold on a single person Imagine what a Bad reputation could do to  a Country. (specifically ours)

Reputation

The previous blog I wrote on here was a bit of a rant! This time hopefully I will be less ranty and more interesting!! (We all need a good rant occasionally J) 

This week I’m going to be talking about the reputational damage leaving the EU will do.

To start with. Why would the reputation of the UK be damaged?

We as a nation have influence in the EU and make a substantial financial contribution.  By forfeiting our influence it would look like the UK does not care about the rest of Europe and only care about ourselves despite the fact that we have one of the healthiest economies in the EU( I said one of not the healthiest).  This will affect how all countries view the UK not just the ones left in the EU.

Now you may be thinking why does reputation matter?

Reputation influences a whole range of essential aspects of the UKs make up. For example trade deals, relationships with other countries and how the country is viewed by less friendly countries. If the UK pulls out of the EU we will be viewed in a very different light by all. Pulling out of these kinds of partnerships looks bloody minded inconsiderate and careless. (not to mention unreliable untrustworthy and unpredictable!) Unbelievably people don’t see this side of the debate very often.

The biggest issue with having a poor reputation is that it affects any and all deals we would be trying to make trade or otherwise.  No one should underestimate how a reputation can influence deals. To put this in practical terms that we can all understand, as an employer you wold be more likely to trust a member of staff who works well with others rather than one who likes to rock the boat and make a scene.

Humanity!

The main reason I personally think reputation matters is because of the weaker countries in Europe. If we withdraw from the EU damaging these countries’ economies in the process we can be fairly certain that we as a country will be viewed as ruthless and selfish. This will affect the way third world countries view us damaging relationships and affecting some of the poorest people in the world. If these countries see us as having a ruthless and selfish outlook they will be much less likely to work with us or allow any of the charities from the UK from working in their countries. The uncertainty of whether we will stay or suddenly pull out will be much of a threat for these countries and they will be better of breaking the ties on their own terms.

It continues to amaze me that all we seem to talk about is our country and what we can get out of Europe and what Europe can do for us. How many people stop and think who is going to suffer from our actions? What will happen to the other countries if we pull out? I guarantee you not very many people in the UK consider this aspect!

Pro European Union Supporters are scaremongers!!

Is this true? Well in all honesty yes! But for very good reasons.

Both sides of this epic political battle are fighting for what they think is best for the UK. Both sides are and will be trying to scare people to vote for their side of the argument. We have on one side UKIPers (and by the way, U KIP if you want to but the rest of us are going to stay awake!). UKIP will tell you that we waste Billions on our membership to the EU. There are so many various figures floating around it is hard to differentiate between whats is accurate and what is blown way out of proportion(or made to look insignificant).

On the other side of that argument you will find Pro European Union Supporters explaining how little it costs us and and how many benefits we gain from being in the EU. But the reason it seems like Pro EU Supporters are scaremongering is because there will be more serious consequences leaving the EU than if we stay. And as you would expect any one who supports staying in the EU will use that to add weight  to their argument.

Scaremonger is an interesting word  (if you find words interesting) it means  "a person who spreads frightening or ominous reports or rumours." Scaremongering is the plural form. This word (and many others) are used by the press to create a headline more than anything else. Both sides will have something written about them that has been blown way out of proportion when all they were doing is putting across their side of the argument. 

I guess the point of this article is don't just listen to the press. To be able to make an informed decision you need to do a little research and gain a basic understanding of the benefits and rewards of staying in the EU. There are plenty of Facts around to get hold of. I just received a really good leaflet through the door from http://www.strongerin.co.uk/  giving unique insight and some very good arguments for staying in.

Warning! Scaremongering Beyond This Point! 

Leaving the EU will have serious repercussions for our country. Our economy will be damaged almost beyond repair. Farmers will be worse off (does any one really believe that the government will give the money they save from the EU membership to farmers?!) Every day human beings will be affected as trade will be more expensive meaning food prices go up. Businesses will have less money which means wages will stay low. There will be no change to immigration as other countries that want to trade with the EU actually have to take in more Immigrants! (if we left the EU we would be in this position)

I could go on! There are so many good reasons to stay in!  Lets make the Right decision as country for our country , And lets stay in! 

European Union a Different perspective

And now for something different. For this post lets focus  on whats makes Britain .... Britain.

(FYI you could also argue that we can do all and be all of the things below if we leave the EU but the point is we don't loose any of our Britishness if we stay in the European Union. In many ways America is more of a threat to our British ways than the whole of the EU. )

Complaining about the weather or just in general is a good place to start when contemplating what makes us British! Well don't worry, the European Union will not regulate our complaining. We can complain as much as we like about so many things. How little sun we get, people who don't pick up after their dogs, unruly youths and those nosy curtain twitchers are all things we can continue to moan and natter about for as long as we want!

Slightly more importantly if we stay in the EU we will still have the pound. One of the most sovereign things about us as a country will not change. Which brings up another rather important point. How come the rest of Europe has the Euro as their currency and we don't? Answer: We can opt out of the policies that Europe comes up with. France regularly doesn't go along with the policies they don't like. we just need to have the back bone to do the same (unfortunately our British nature of always following the rules works against us here!)

Devon-shire cream teas. Cornish pasties. Proper TEA! Its not going to change. Even Queuing in good old British style will still be allowable under the EU. People think (or say) that we loose our identity  through association with the EU. This makes very little sense as the EU really has nothing to do with all the things that make our country British. Unfortunately/fortunately we are actually well know throughout Europe for being very British! If I had a Pound for every time some person from the continent mentioned how terrible British people are at learning other countries languages, I would be slightly richer than if I got a euro each time!

Being  part of the EU does not make us less British.

European Referendum this summer!

European Referendum this summer!

David Cameron has announced that a European referendum vote could be as early as this summer!

(Phew what a relief! I thought I was going to have to be doing this blog for years!)

David Cameron has been very good when it comes to the tactics of this game we call politics. His back ground helps him to convey the right message to the right people at the right time. (He was a director in a communications company for 7 years) There are many benefits to having an early vote on the EU but also some alarming downsides! I will start by being positive and then we will descend into gloom and misery!

Let’s get it over with! The sooner we do this vote the quicker we can get on with life whichever way it goes. If the Debate is allowed to drag on it will waste precious time and get very messy causing many rifts within our own country. The last thing this country needs is to be wasting time with a very long drawn out (and expensive!) vote. We simply don’t want to be wasting time or money on this.

The future plan. If (we certainly hope it doesn’t) but if it were to be the case that the country wanted to leave the EU the sooner we know the better. Leaving will mean years and years of negotiations, planning and preparing for the withdrawal. The sooner that process starts the better as again it will be long and expensive. Not to mention excruciatingly complicated. If there is not a solid plan for actually leaving, the whole process could be a complete disaster for the whole of the UK.

Unfortunately, having an early vote could mean that people vote yes to leaving. Unless Cameron is able to get an attractive deal for us, without the correct information, people may not realise the serious consequences of leaving the EU or understand why we are in the EU in the first place. Many people would have very little actual knowledge of how our interaction with the EU works. In Fact it is probably impossible to know absolutely everything but rushing this could mean that not all of the facts are presented and the people of the UK will be left feeling pushed in to a corner. And the worry if this does happen is that they will vote to leave!

Another problem with an early vote! If the opposite should happen and voters just vote yes because they didn’t have enough information, then there will be wide spread discontent and anger from EU skeptics about the way the vote was handled. This will mean demands for another vote and the battle will continue and drag on for years and years to come wasting valuable time and effort that would be better focused on our country. (Even more serious, if the arguments did go on I may have to still blog about it!)

Overall I think an early vote will be a good thing but, we need to make sure for every ones sake that all the information is available to everyone. And we need to make sure that this vote is final. Whatever the outcome is, continuing to fight over the decision will only be detrimental to this country.

EU Lets stay in! Here's Why

European Union  Skeptics will try to blind you with facts and figures of why we should be getting out and how much the EU memberships costs us. And Pro EU People do exactly the  same(point out how good the EU is point out how much trade it brings in blah blah blah)

I am not going to do that, at least not yet, although I am sure I will get dragged into the battle nearer the vote. No for now I will give reasons for staying in the EU that focus on social or reputational factors for remaining with the  EU.(one reason at a time and probably only one a week)

The first reason of many. This is one of the longest periods of Peace the continent of Europe has known (admittedly not the longest but doing very well).
Why would we break this up? Clearly the EU is doing something right! the amount of issues that will arise from the UK Leaving could cause absolute chaos throughout Europe.  The United Kingdom leaving could cause the European Union to break up by starting a chain reaction. If the EU were to break up several of the smaller less stable  countries would spiral into civil wars and their economies would crash. Even if the countries were able to avoid civil wars the damage the breaking up of the EU would do to their economies would take tens of years to repair.

Are we Really going to put countries through that suffering? Even the argument "but these are all ifs, it might not lead to that" does not lessen this point. What right do we have to be risking and playing around with other peoples and other countries lives? Personally I could not live in England if we were the sort of country that only cares about its own well being and causes  countless others to suffer.  And of course all this is assuming that leaving the EU is good for us! (which I highly doubt it will be but that is for another day!)

So whilst saying that "a UK exit from the EU could cause civil war"  may be a worse case scenario, the truth is that a UK exit will create untold amounts of conflict within the EU severely damaging hard fought for partnerships and country cooperation. Not to mention that a best case scenario still sees many countries having their economy's shattered. Which for some countries it will take tens of years to recover if at all.

One of the Great things about the EU is the way it brings countries together to work in partnership. Whilst there still may be strong feelings in the back ground, gradually this working together is breaking down these walls and bring a greater level of understanding to all involved. I see partnerships being created between countries who have always been rivals and I see them working together to achieve common goals.

And to finish this rambling blog, as the European Union has managed to keep the peace for this long lets keep it together and make it better not leave it and make it worse for every one else.

Do we really want to be known as the country that destroyed the European Union?