British Press and the EU

[Suff]

Did anyone know about This?

I haven't heard about it, but I might have missed it. I doubt it though.

If we want to be in the EU, things like this should be on our TV and in our press. If we don't want to be in the EU, then things like this should ALSO be on our TV and in our press.

The only way I can see that this is not on our TV or in our press, or not presented to our main media outlets, newspapers etc, is if someone wants us in the EU, regardless of our own wishes.

[Kaz]

No I had no idea, and we should have known about it

[molly]

There was a quick mention and a few clips from it on the news last night but that is all I have seen about it.

[Workingman]

News that it was about to happen, and when, was certainly given coverage on the BBC and Sky web sites with direct quotes from four of the protagonists about the UK and Europe.

It was shown live on the BBC Parliament channel.

The fact that it was not given top billing on the main channels is probably a reflection of its importance to the vast majority of us. We will not get to vote on whether any of the five will become the next Commission President, that will be down to a stitch-up by the 28 national leaders and they might choose someone else.

[Suff]

But, and this is important, the parliament will have a veto on whoever is the president of the commission. And WE DO have a vote coming up right now, which affects that.

We should have been told. Up front and in large letters. Not have to go and dig for it on political sites or channels.

I blame the UKIP about this as much as anyone else. People have a right to be told what is being said and what they really are voting for in this election coming up.

[cromwell]

Yes we should have been told of it but...

Number one it sounds like a typical politicians gab fest, massively boring.
Number two I wouldn't believe a word any of the lying buggers said anyway.

[Kaz]

Well there is that to it Cromwell

[Workingman]

It was publicised, but not widely....

And I reckon Cromwell was advising members of Eurovision regarding viewing figures because those countries that did show it only put it on their speciality or news channels. It was never going to be a blockbuster, was it? It hasn't even made it to YouTube.

[Suff]

The only actual important debate in the EU elections, the one which tells you what the prospective presidents of the Commission are all about; and everybody treats it as a nothing debate.

Forget Farage and Clegg. In the EU parliament elections it's ALL about selecting the commission....

We don't belong because we should want to know this. The fact that almost every EU country will vote in it's EU candidates for EU parliament on totally local and direct country only issues tells you the EU will never work in it's current form.

So why stay? Nobody is listening to us. Cameron only stands a tiny prayer of a chance in negotiating anything by threatening to support the UK leaving and then it will be a UK only exception which they will try to take away again every 5 years and every treaty change.

France can shaft the entire fiscal responsibility of the entire Eurozone by refusing to even countenance fines for being fiscally irresponsible and allowing their debt to go over the 3%. France can get any change they want, just by saying no.

The UK? We could run naked through the commission, council and parliament meetings, shouting on megaphones and nobody would be interested or even think of changing anything. ONLY when we threaten to take away the life blood of UK money do they sit up and listen.

So why stay?

If anyone thinks Cameron will actually vote to leave the EU, or even encourage the people of the UK to vote that way, I've only got one thing to say about that.

"Peace in our time"!

[cromwell]

Someone pointed something out to me last week.

Namely, that Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on EU membership if he gets re-elected in 2015; but, what he hasn't done is said that he will take any notice of the result!