Heres an Idea Mr Clegg

[glasfryn]

get that idiot Osbourne to ask for our 17 billion back he has given to the European community and the Irish who not so long ago were boasting about how well they were doing, put that 17 billion back into the coffers



AND LEAVE THE PENSIONERS OF THIS UNITED KINGDOM ALONE

 

[Westdene Seagull]

get that idiot Osbourne to ask for our 17 billion back he has given to the European community and the Irish who not so long ago were boasting about how well they were doing, put that 17 billion back into the coffers



AND LEAVE THE PENSIONERS OF THIS UNITED KINGDOM ALONE

Agreed but I'd rather he got back the £230bn we've paid since 1979 !

 

[beorhthelm]

AND LEAVE THE PENSIONERS OF THIS UNITED KINGDOM ALONE

come on, its the first sensible policy he's had, no point pensioners on 20, 30, 40k + pensions getting a free TV licence and winter fuel allowance (especially if abroad). at the very least they should be taxed. and one that was very much on the cards until last spring when the Liberals opposed it... eh? i dont understand that either.

 

[portslade seagull]

A pensioner on 20k isn't very rich .. they should be aiming for 40k and above . All this does is knock anybody who has worked for the majority of their working lives to support others who haven't lifted a finger ... so wrong

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I believe our contributions to the EU adds up £15 a year per head. From that deduct the value of inward investment by the EU and you will be left with the net cost of belonging to a vast common market and having the right as British citizens to live virtually anywhere in Western Europe. Among other things. That is worth as much to me as, oh I don't know, sitting in the rain at Selhurst Park for about 55 minutes.

(Obviously, anyone who loathes the idea of belonging to a political and economic union then it's not money well spent. I respect their opinion but they can't claim that we're talking about a lot of money.)

 

[Norman Potting]

20 pages, two tubes of Pringles and lots of beer. I would stay and watch but have a school run to do.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I believe our contributions to the EU adds up £15 a year per head. From that deduct the value of inward investment by the EU and you will be left with the net cost of belonging to a vast common market and having the right as British citizens to live virtually anywhere in Western Europe. Among other things. That is worth as much to me as, oh I don't know, sitting in the rain at Selhurst Park for about 55 minutes.

(Obviously, anyone who loathes the idea of belonging to a political and economic union then it's not money well spent. I respect their opinion but they can't claim that we're talking about a lot of money.)

The difference is approximately £8bn a year. That's the equivalent to nearly 10% of the UK education budget for 2013 - rather significant in my eyes !!!!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

A pensioner on 20k isn't very rich .. they should be aiming for 40k and above . All this does is knock anybody who has worked for the majority of their working lives to support others who haven't lifted a finger ... so wrong

I've read that if the figure is set at £40k+ it won't save all that much by taking away concessionary bus passes , free TV licences and winter fuel allowance but a £20k+ figure traps a whole lot more pensioners and the potential savings are very substantial.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I've read that if the figure is set at £40k+ it won't save all that much by taking away concessionary bus passes , free TV licences and winter fuel allowance but a £20k+ figure traps a whole lot more pensioners and the potential savings are very substantial.

Means test TV licences and and the winter fuel allowance by all means ( but not at £20k !!!! ) but given the government want us to use public transport giving away free bus passes to all pensioners would seem like a good idea to me.

 

[jgmcdee]

The difference is approximately £8bn a year. That's the equivalent to nearly 10% of the UK education budget for 2013 - rather significant in my eyes !!!!

Close, although for 2012 the net contribution to the EU is approximately £6.5bn. Then balance that against the ~£140bn of tax-generating exports that we expect to send to the EU this year and tell me that it's a waste of money.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Close, although for 2012 the net contribution to the EU is approximately £6.5bn. Then balance that against the ~£140bn of tax-generating exports that we expect to send to the EU this year and tell me that it's a waste of money.

We're going to be treading well worn ground here but leaving the EU doesn't mean we can't export to EU countries.

 

[jgmcdee]

We're going to be treading well worn ground here but leaving the EU doesn't mean we can't export to EU countries.

No, but if we're out of the EU then we'll be paying import taxes and they only need to be 5% for the £6.5bn "cost" of us being in the EU to more than pay for itself.

Politics aside, I've never seen an economic argument for us leaving the EU.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

get that idiot Osbourne to ask for our 17 billion back he has given to the European community and the Irish who not so long ago were boasting about how well they were doing, put that 17 billion back into the coffers



AND LEAVE THE PENSIONERS OF THIS UNITED KINGDOM ALONE

But he has said Sorry!!. Just about sums up that pathetic party. Destined for the dustbin, hopefully followed by the Labour trash, and then the Tories to cover the bad smell.

All a bunch of incapable fools, who live on another planet and have all contributed in ruining this country, in one way or another.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

No, but if we're out of the EU then we'll be paying import taxes and they only need to be 5% for the £6.5bn "cost" of us being in the EU to more than pay for itself.

Politics aside, I've never seen an economic argument for us leaving the EU.

That depends on how we exit. If we agree to a relationship such as the one Switzerland has with the EU then we will be able to compete on a level playing field as far as exports but without having to partly fund the expensive and corrupt EU.

 

[jgmcdee]

That depends on how we exit. If we agree to a relationship such as the one Switzerland has with the EU then we will be able to compete on a level playing field as far as exports but without having to partly fund the expensive and corrupt EU.

Well yes but that's a completely unrealistic scenario. "Why can't we have the benefits without any of the costs?" is one of those questions that should be rhetorical, but just to go through the short/simple version: if we pull money out of the EU then they'll need to find it some other way. They do this by raising taxes. Either import taxes (by far the most likely solution) or country-specific taxes (which reduces the wealth of the citizens in those countries, hence their buying power, hence their ability to purchase our products).

We are where we are, and any changes will have consequences. I don't see any of the "out of Europe" theories being both workable and net positive to the wealth of the UK.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Well yes but that's a completely unrealistic scenario. "Why can't we have the benefits without any of the costs?" is one of those questions that should be rhetorical, but just to go through the short/simple version: if we pull money out of the EU then they'll need to find it some other way. They do this by raising taxes. Either import taxes (by far the most likely solution) or country-specific taxes (which reduces the wealth of the citizens in those countries, hence their buying power, hence their ability to purchase our products).

We are where we are, and any changes will have consequences. I don't see any of the "out of Europe" theories being both workable and net positive to the wealth of the UK.

Please correct me, but I feel it would not make the slightest bit of difference if we came out of Europe as regards trading. Companies who buy from us are not suddenly going to stop buying from us are they? Are these just scare tactics?

And my next question, what exactly are we paying for at the moment, and what benefits are we getting from it because I am not seeing any.

It all feels like a complete load of bullshit to me at the moment.

 

[jgmcdee]

Please correct me, but I feel it would not make the slightest bit of difference if we came out of Europe as regards trading. Companies who buy from us are not suddenly going to stop buying from us are they? Are these just scare tactics?

As per my previous post, if we leave the EU then prices of products that the UK sells to the EU will rise (through import taxes). So yes, if the cost of goods form the UK for people in the EU goes up then sales will go down.

And my next question, what exactly are we paying for at the moment, and what benefits are we getting from it because I am not seeing any.

Well that starts to become a political question again, but sticking to the economic side of things we get increased exports and so more money. Numbers on our EU exports are earlier in the thread.

 

[glasfryn]

But he has said Sorry!!. Just about sums up that pathetic party. Destined for the dustbin, hopefully followed by the Labour trash, and then the Tories to cover the bad smell.

All a bunch of incapable fools, who live on another planet and have all contributed in ruining this country, in one way or another.

very true
we are both pensioners we live a fairly frugal life in accommodation that's costing an arm and a leg all self inflicted although we might have not moved had the neighbours been a little less racist, and stopped thieving everything decent we had, and what they did not thieve they ruined,had the council and sadly the police taken some action we might not be here in Eastbourne (and incidental to this I have heard my ex-neighbours are causing even more trouble than when we were there) that apart it was our choice to move.
EUROPE.........well to be quite honest I did at one time think it was a good thing ...but it looks like they cannot control their finances either but why should we any of us pay some other European Governments to shore up their economy, its smacks a little of the Government we have of squirreling away favours for their mates in industry and other exportable goods for the future good of only themselves and stuff everyone else or the other alternative could be stuff the old and hope things get better (they won't) hoping they might and its a long shot that they will get in again.
someone said it already where have all my contributions gone, where is that land of happy retirement gone you pay taxes and contributions all your life and still have to give some happy slappy Spanish DENTIST OVER £200 TO TAKE OUT ONE TOOTH AND MAKE ONE FILLING, he was going to watch the Albion I cannot afford to.
just a small picture of what lifes like being a pensioner
multiply that by several million and you get the picture
and this lot expect to get in next time ..................well if I am still around my prediction is another coalition only it will not involve the Tories or hopefully not the Lib-Dems who have just allowed the gas and electricity companies to put up their prices by 15% and they are talking taking away the winter fuel allowance.



hell in a handcart I'm afraid

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Well yes but that's a completely unrealistic scenario. "Why can't we have the benefits without any of the costs?" is one of those questions that should be rhetorical, but just to go through the short/simple version: if we pull money out of the EU then they'll need to find it some other way. They do this by raising taxes. Either import taxes (by far the most likely solution) or country-specific taxes (which reduces the wealth of the citizens in those countries, hence their buying power, hence their ability to purchase our products).

We are where we are, and any changes will have consequences. I don't see any of the "out of Europe" theories being both workable and net positive to the wealth of the UK.

I'm sorry but your statement was that £6.5m / £8m ( I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the amount) wasn't much money - that shared amongst the remaining members is hardly going to stretch them ( besides that's their problem !). Besides, it's daft, and scaremongering, to suggest we couldn't have the same trading terms as Norway, Iceland and Switzerland if we left. Don't forget Germany exports considerable amounts to us and they wouldn't want us adding an import tax on their goods.

Too many pro-EU people just look at the balance sheet wealth and not at the cost of the rules, regulations and laws we have to abide by for being part of the EU. Let's not forget, this is the same organisation that suggest a one size fits all currency and interest rate would be good for ALL members !!!!!!!!!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

The EU has become a meddlesome political bureaucracy and not the trading co-operative we originally signed up to join. Leaving the EU isn't all doom and gloom.