Post EU Britain

[AJS-]

I wasn't going to do a poll, but the question seems to lend itself to it, so here we go.

Since it seems like we are having a referendum on Europe at some point, and it's quite likely Britain will be leaving the EU, what arrangements would you like to see for a post EU Britain.

The main two options seem to be either EFTA or simply bilateral agreements with whatever countries we trade with. A couple of people mentioned NAFTA. Any other ideas?

[AJS-]

It's been mentioned quite a bit recently, and many are now talking openly about political union, which seems like a natural catalyst for a referendum.

[AJS-]

s2art said:

Why not NAFTA and EFTA? I dont think these are exclusive.

That would mean essentially merging EFTA and NAFTA. I've heard worse ideas.

[AJS-]

What a bizarre line of argument Ozzie. It seems like you have invented your own version of what eurosceptics want and then decided it won't happen. Where is anyone except you talking about Britannia ruling the waves or winning football tournaments?

Of course it isn't an entirely unfamiliar line of argument either, it is the one used to deride as "little Englanders" anyone who doesn't agree with a federal Europe. It always seems to me to reveal a very narrow view of the world where the only alternative to one brand of wrong headed state worship is another brand of it.

[AJS-]

otolith said:

I wonder if the Left would have so many ardent europhiles were the centre of mass of European politics to the right of that of Britain rather than to the left?

The past form of our political class says not, since when the Tories took us into the EU the situation was the other way round in many key areas, and EEC restrictions on public ownership were a fringe benefit to their noble quest to unite Europe in the loose federation of freely trading sovereign nations. So they said.

I say it as a man of the right and a big fan of Thatcher, but in the scheme of things the Tory party's record on Europe is a pretty poor one.

[AJS-]

otolith said:

That would not disagree with my suspicion that people are pro or anti EU more on the basis of how the resulting outcomes coincide with their preferences than because of a belief in political union.

Absolutely. Sadly it's pretty rare for anyone to support principle over expedience in politics.