Uk fined 1 billion by EU for now spending money properly!!

[Du1point8]

So we pay 6.4 billion more than we get out and then get fined for not using the grant properly??

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-19/auditors-...

Seriously... why do we pay the EU anything?

[Shuvi Tupya]

Du1point8 said:

Seriously... why do we pay the EU anything?

Because our politicians are not really in charge, the whole thing is a scam to keep us poor and under the thumb?

[Dino D]

How do they enforce these 'fines'.
Greece gets fines millions daily for all sorts of non-compliance - do they ever get paid though?

[Shuvi Tupya]

Someone would have to check the EU accounts to find that out....

[Mojocvh]

Shuvi Tupya said:

Someone would have to check the EU accounts to find that out....

Hmmm, what happened to the last person to try that...oh yes kinnock fired her!

[Ozzie Osmond]

Du1point8 said:

Seriously... why do we pay the EU anything?

To avoid the death of 10 million people in wars every 25 years or so?

[The Black Flash]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Du1point8 said:

Seriously... why do we pay the EU anything?

To avoid the death of 10 million people in wars every 25 years or so?

I've got a rock that keeps tigers away - want to buy it?

[Ozzie Osmond]

The Black Flash said:

I've got a rock that keeps tigers away - want to buy it?

Oh dear, classic PH unlogic. How does your rock interact with mammals?

The EU is a political alliance. Wars are generally the product of political differences. Clear connection.

[thinfourth2]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Du1point8 said:

Seriously... why do we pay the EU anything?

To avoid the death of 10 million people in wars every 25 years or so?

we have 2.5 million unemployed

I'm not so sure the lack of wars is a good thing

[dandarez]

Once upon a time...

We were great, we were tolerant, we were totally independent, we ruled ourselves (and others!), we had great engineers, we had world beating companies, we had the brains, we were envied worldwide... etc, etc, etc.

Then we became stupid.
Then very stupid, then overly tolerant, we joined a daft continental club, we sat back as a Trojan Horse appeared onour shores (that's ok, so ok we 'invited' it in without even considering the contents, and it's still unleashing those contents upon us daily, then we sold off everything to foreigners, on and on it went, until there was virtually nothing left that we'd sold out completely, bar our last trait, which hopefully we will use before it is finally all over for us.

That trait?
When we are finally backed into a corner we usually (well, we used to) come out fighting like hell!

Edited by dandarez on Thursday 20th January 11:58

[dandarez]

thinfourth2 said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

Du1point8 said:

Seriously... why do we pay the EU anything?

To avoid the death of 10 million people in wars every 25 years or so?

we have 2.5 million unemployed

I'm not so sure the lack of wars is a good thing

Have you counted how many lives have been lost in wars since 45?
Ironically, we helped start one!

Most of that 2.5m unemployed are young - just the right age to call up?
Is that what it's all about, we're overdue for a world war?

[gtdc]

Ozzie Osmond said:

To avoid the death of 10 million people in wars every 25 years or so?

The war every 25 years has to be the cheaper option.

[cardigankid]

What has prevented European war over the last 25 years is a combination of two factors. Increased international contact and trade, and the nuclear deterrent. And of course the fact that the USA kept a huge standing army in Europe for the full period.

All the EU is is a scam, which politicians go along with because they benefit from it, Kinnock being a classic example but far from the only one.

[Red Cabbage]

Auditors are refusing to sign off the EU accounts for the 16th year in a row due to irregularities and suspected corruption. http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/europe/news...

Can we fine them 1billion for each year?

Edited by Red Cabbage on Thursday 20th January 15:42

[Mikeyboy]

Ozzie Osmond said:

The Black Flash said:

I've got a rock that keeps tigers away - want to buy it?

Oh dear, classic PH unlogic. How does your rock interact with mammals?

The EU is a political alliance. Wars are generally the product of political differences. Clear connection.

Hmm, well the EU is actually a trade alliance that has morphed into a political body. It is still not a political alliance of all member states working on a common foreign policy etc. Despite what France and Germany might want.

And no trade alliance or Political alliance has ever prevented a war before but many have started one. the First World War being one case in point.
If you think the EU is the reason we haven't had a war you are much mistaken. The reason we haven't had one is it is no-ones national interest and that is it.

[robm3]

Well it's related to Famer's making incorrect claims (one would suspect 'overpayments') so it all ends up back in the UK economy, naturally via Jag dealers and Massey Ferguson...

[Northern Munkee]

It's the existence of nuclear weapons, the presence of 2 bigger superpowers with them, on the ground that prevented another war in 25years, those belligerent old European superpowers, germany, France, and UK were no longer superpowers after WW2, all with no desire to be the battleground/charred to total destruction for a third. Nothing to do with EU. so long as a nuclear exchange is "unwinnable" you'll never see one in Europe. War will be by other means, one could argue this nation state is losing it, with the EU and so called integration into Europe. UK - Trade not slave!

Edited by Northern Munkee on Thursday 20th January 15:29

[The Black Flash]

Ozzie Osmond said:

The Black Flash said:

I've got a rock that keeps tigers away - want to buy it?

Oh dear, classic PH unlogic. How does your rock interact with mammals?

The EU is a political alliance. Wars are generally the product of political differences. Clear connection.

You could equally say it was due to everyone having nukes. Wars don't happen if the risk of destruction is too great. Clear connection.

But I wouldn't, because I understand the difference between correlation and causation.

[s2art]

Mikeyboy said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

The Black Flash said:

I've got a rock that keeps tigers away - want to buy it?

Oh dear, classic PH unlogic. How does your rock interact with mammals?

The EU is a political alliance. Wars are generally the product of political differences. Clear connection.

Hmm, well the EU is actually a trade alliance that has morphed into a political body. It is still not a political alliance of all member states working on a common foreign policy etc. Despite what France and Germany might want.

And no trade alliance or Political alliance has ever prevented a war before but many have started one. the First World War being one case in point.
If you think the EU is the reason we haven't had a war you are much mistaken. The reason we haven't had one is it is no-ones national interest and that is it.

Well, that and NATO looming over anyone who might have considered it.

[Mikeyboy]

s2art said:

Mikeyboy said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

The Black Flash said:

I've got a rock that keeps tigers away - want to buy it?

Oh dear, classic PH unlogic. How does your rock interact with mammals?

The EU is a political alliance. Wars are generally the product of political differences. Clear connection.

Hmm, well the EU is actually a trade alliance that has morphed into a political body. It is still not a political alliance of all member states working on a common foreign policy etc. Despite what France and Germany might want.

And no trade alliance or Political alliance has ever prevented a war before but many have started one. the First World War being one case in point.
If you think the EU is the reason we haven't had a war you are much mistaken. The reason we haven't had one is it is no-ones national interest and that is it.

Well, that and NATO looming over anyone who might have considered it.

NATO I think would have been as useful as a chocolate teapot when it came to a war between member states of the EU. Look at Afghanistan. The way NATO would have worked outside of a Soviet invasion is there, its half hearted at best and as there is no real danger of mass casualties or losing your nationhood there is no real interest in getting involved. So I reckon that if Spain decided to invade Portugal, France and Germany among others would keep well out of it.
It will always come down to individual national interest.