Should We Have An In/Out Referendum On Europe?
Years ago in 1975, I voted to stay in Europe, in Harold Wilson’s referendum. It was the first time I’d ever voted in any political election.
I look upon our membership of the European Union, with the mind of a Control Engineer. Two things should be born in mind.
Uncertainty is one of the most difficult things, when it comes to making a system stable. And I think, we’d all like stable lives.
Trying to take a system through a discontinuity is dangerous! I use the example of riding a bicycle up and down a kerb. Or if you don’t ride one, how about driving a car over a sleeping policeman.
For me, the best way to control anything is lots of little actions applied regularly and often.
Look at the serious discontinuities, the world has experienced in the last few years, like the attacks of September 11, 2001 or the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers. Our reaction was strong and as a control engineer, I think it could have been far too strong. We just panicked and made things worse.
The referendum on Europe would be a major step-change for us all to pass through, with many in favour and many against. Just the holding of the referendum might have either a lot of large positive or negative effects.
Let’s face it Europe has a lot of problems. Some like the budget and the non-sign-off of accounts are large problems in politicians of the out tendency, but they are the sort of problems, that in any large organisation, can generally be solved by hard negotiation.
One thing, that politicians seem to have ignored is the world in 2018, will be a very different place to that today. There is so much uncertainty!
The only good thing, is that a lot of that uncertainty will result in positive results for Britain, Europe and the whole planet.
Think about these issues before deciding on whether we should have a referendum.
1. Suppose Obama is replaced in 2016, by a very unacceptable president, who makes Mormon Mitt look like a liberal.
2. Will Scotland still be in the United Kingdom?
3. Will France be an economic powerhouse?
4. Will the banks still do all their traditional functions?
5. Wind turbines and nuclear power.
6. Airports and trains.
7. Where will the next big war be?
There is a lot of uncertainty, is the only thing you can say. And all David Cameron is doing is increasing it!
The Anonymous Widower 
Your Questions are Important . . . the Question is DC bluffing for a Better Deal for UK ? . . . Maybe, just maybe EU is forcing UK into the Lowest Common Denominator . . .
Q7 . . . Maybe David Cameron will make sense out of uncertainty.
In WW2 5 Englishmen decided UK’s Future {not Idiots in another country} . . . Churchill, Eden vs Halifax, Chamberlain in a Vote to accept or reject Hitler’s offer . . . One other Politician {Churchill’s opponent backed him & Eden & rejected the offer}.
How would UK be,if Important Decisions like these 7 Questions were left to joint EU Bureaucrats to interferes in vital UK questions with LCD Answers from Brussels.
Comment by Steam Lover | January 24, 2013 |
it’s been interesting to hear the comments from some of the more sensible politicians in Europe and especially those like the man on the Berlin tram. They want a lot of things changed too.
I saw a program about inventions in the seventeenth century on the BBC a couple of weeks ago, comparing Britain and France. We encouraged invention and entrepreneurism, but in France it all went to the King and his cronies. The Dutch, the Germans and the Swedes, were closer to our free-enterprise model.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see this split return.
just think how many units are named after Frence scientists and engineers!
Comment by AnonW | January 24, 2013 |
What French Scientists & Engineers . . . when the King stole the Citizens IP . . .
For a Payment of “Feed them Cake” . . .
A lot of sensible people in EU want changes . . . DC ideas this may work out OK for EU & UK etal.
Comment by Steam Lover | January 24, 2013 |