All this lust for power from the European Parliament seems much like the actions of Kaiser Wilhelm II during his empire building era prior to the first world war. I don't mean to offend ( I apologise if I have), but the only difference I can see is that this time it is centred in Belgium; a country which we have twice liberated from German rule.
Believe me, if we do not pull out now, then in around 10/20 years time, we would have to resort to a revolution - though I doubt it would make a difference as the size of the army of the EU would outnumber us by up to 10:1. Then we would be forced to work alongside them, while they wage war with other superpowers.
I think that too many people think that the EU just helps trade or poorer countries but in-fact it controls our whole life including the metric system. The problems is is that teachers in our schools have learnt everything with the imperial system and they dont teach anything about the imperial system. Its better because you can use it to measurements on your body and not having to use a ruler. The European union only puts forward the opinions of west Europe which we are not part of... we are a different culture ( the others have simmarlarites) with a different mentality to life. The European union should be abolished and i think that we should go back to what there was before!
On April 17th, 2008 Mike Hanlon (not verified) says:
I ticked European Union because it affects all the others.
The EU has grown so much, and taken so many new powers over successive treaties, that being concerned about the EU isn't to be a single-issue obsessive any more. It's the key to solving problems in numerous other policy areas.
But most importantly I'm concerned about how the EU is harming democracy in all European countries, and the dangerous direction for stability and prosperity such an erosion of democracy in which our continent is being taken.
Co-operation yes - Integration no. This isn't the 1950s any more. Time to consign today's EU to the history books where it belongs!
All of these are significant problems but education is worst off! I believe the biggest threat is to grammar schools which are still a great way for children, who are best suited to academic subjects, to excel! There is no point in closing down these schools as all they do is produce capable young adults at a lower cost than comprehensive and public schools.
All of the above are extremely important political issues, however, if I had to chose the most important I would have to say that education and the EU are the ones I am most concerened about. Education builds a country and keeps it strong, with a strong education system the people will be more skilled. I think the European Union has to much of a control over Britain at the moment and is slowly ruining the country. I also think that the current rate of immigration is too high for the country to cope with.
On November 8th, 2007 James Carr (not verified) says:
Im not against any particular part of Europe, and i agree that there are discussions our Government must enter into with Foreign Nations, However i do find it enormously hypocritical that Politicians fighting the EU are also Members of the EU Parliament. Am i the only one concerned about this?
I accept the view that, summed up, they are trying to remove Britain from the EU from the inside, but i still believe that the best way to overcome the EU would be to rally the public against electing British MEP's in the first place.
As part of the democratic process I think it is important that people who wish to leave the EU can make this known through the european elections. Having members of the EU Parliament from the UKIP party is just reflecting the views of a significant number of people who voted with that view - this is not something I would say is hypocritical. The hypocritical issue which might arise can come from those members elected to the EU parliament then using their position for personal gain - taking the expenses and salary offered for the role beyond what is reasonable (but still legally allowed), and not stating their case for which they were elected forcefully enough. It might be like Turkeys calling for christmas, but if that's the only way to get representation, I think the need for representation outweighs any argument for sulking on the edges and not joining the game, if I can use an analogy..
The option of rallying the public not to vote for MEP's is IMO not a sensible approach, as that will lead to democracy being undermined - indeed, to some extent this position is with us now - with a majority never voting at european elections - but MEP's are still elected and the process goes on! In reality, politicians who get elected only need enough people to vote for them to see off the opposition, (with PR , the system is a little more complex, but the statement is reasonably correct), so they are not particularly interested in the non voter argument - as non voters dont vote for anybody! UKIP is now able to represent those people who would otherwise not be able to vote in european elections because there was no "leave the EU" candidates available that they supported. Electors for the European parliament will be disenfranchised without a party like UKIP being willing to stand in the election. At least some of those who were (before UKIP came along) unwilling to vote at european elections, can now do so.
On November 5th, 2007 Visitor (not verified) says:
As someone looking to go into teaching the government is currently making it impossible for teachers to teach as they have to not only do that but all the paperwork that is required. Even now teachers are given a free period so they can do the paperwork! Shouldn't they be in the classroom teaching? Currently the government wonders why some schools are still failing and this is because teachers cannot concentrate solely on teaching. If they could then exam results would rise due to improved teaching not the current exam result fixing (all the rises in results in the last few years is down to paperwork?). The government MUST cut down on paperwork levels as this will allow teachers to teach and improve childrens lives.
For me putting the EU aside for moment housing is really worring me as a young person who was born in this country i never thought i would end up not being able to afford to buy a house but to find out that slime blair and co have been building new houses for people who shouldnt be in the uk in the first place it really makes my blood boil!!!.
Tax, as menioned, but possibly needs to be more focussed than just the word "tax". No one likes to pay it, but it is necessary to make society work as most people would like!
Of course, some of that tax, goes to fund the EU budget - and is spent without our control.
I think there is a focus on some services more than others when the "others" should get a bigger slice of the cake, than some of the more "popular" choices.
For example, we all need to get about for our daily lives - okay maybe we dont need to get about every single day but everybody in the country probably uses some form of transport infrastructure - be it roads/ rail/ cycle lanes / airports etc. at least once a week, probably more. This is true whether we are a child, middle aged or elderly.
AND... there is tens of billions of pounds raised in motoring taxes every year, but only a tiny amount gets put back into the transport budget.
On the basis that so many people depend on it every week, regardless of age, I would like to see Transport given higher priority by politicians - education and NHS gets high profile - and money to match, but the population at large does not benefit from these services as regularly or at each stage in life, as Transport services affect us. We are seeing higher costs all the time, yet our taxes are not being spent to allieviate the desperate failings in infrastructure of our transport system.
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Who do those people at Brussels think they are?
All this lust for power from the European Parliament seems much like the actions of Kaiser Wilhelm II during his empire building era prior to the first world war. I don't mean to offend ( I apologise if I have), but the only difference I can see is that this time it is centred in Belgium; a country which we have twice liberated from German rule.
Believe me, if we do not pull out now, then in around 10/20 years time, we would have to resort to a revolution - though I doubt it would make a difference as the size of the army of the EU would outnumber us by up to 10:1. Then we would be forced to work alongside them, while they wage war with other superpowers.
I think that too many people
I think that too many people think that the EU just helps trade or poorer countries but in-fact it controls our whole life including the metric system. The problems is is that teachers in our schools have learnt everything with the imperial system and they dont teach anything about the imperial system. Its better because you can use it to measurements on your body and not having to use a ruler. The European union only puts forward the opinions of west Europe which we are not part of... we are a different culture ( the others have simmarlarites) with a different mentality to life. The European union should be abolished and i think that we should go back to what there was before!
I ticked European Union
I ticked European Union because it affects all the others.
The EU has grown so much, and taken so many new powers over successive treaties, that being concerned about the EU isn't to be a single-issue obsessive any more. It's the key to solving problems in numerous other policy areas.
But most importantly I'm concerned about how the EU is harming democracy in all European countries, and the dangerous direction for stability and prosperity such an erosion of democracy in which our continent is being taken.
Co-operation yes - Integration no. This isn't the 1950s any more. Time to consign today's EU to the history books where it belongs!
Education
All of these are significant problems but education is worst off! I believe the biggest threat is to grammar schools which are still a great way for children, who are best suited to academic subjects, to excel! There is no point in closing down these schools as all they do is produce capable young adults at a lower cost than comprehensive and public schools.
Everything.
All of the above are extremely important political issues, however, if I had to chose the most important I would have to say that education and the EU are the ones I am most concerened about. Education builds a country and keeps it strong, with a strong education system the people will be more skilled. I think the European Union has to much of a control over Britain at the moment and is slowly ruining the country. I also think that the current rate of immigration is too high for the country to cope with.
European
Im not against any particular part of Europe, and i agree that there are discussions our Government must enter into with Foreign Nations, However i do find it enormously hypocritical that Politicians fighting the EU are also Members of the EU Parliament. Am i the only one concerned about this?
I accept the view that, summed up, they are trying to remove Britain from the EU from the inside, but i still believe that the best way to overcome the EU would be to rally the public against electing British MEP's in the first place.
reply to European
As part of the democratic process I think it is important that people who wish to leave the EU can make this known through the european elections. Having members of the EU Parliament from the UKIP party is just reflecting the views of a significant number of people who voted with that view - this is not something I would say is hypocritical. The hypocritical issue which might arise can come from those members elected to the EU parliament then using their position for personal gain - taking the expenses and salary offered for the role beyond what is reasonable (but still legally allowed), and not stating their case for which they were elected forcefully enough. It might be like Turkeys calling for christmas, but if that's the only way to get representation, I think the need for representation outweighs any argument for sulking on the edges and not joining the game, if I can use an analogy..
The option of rallying the public not to vote for MEP's is IMO not a sensible approach, as that will lead to democracy being undermined - indeed, to some extent this position is with us now - with a majority never voting at european elections - but MEP's are still elected and the process goes on! In reality, politicians who get elected only need enough people to vote for them to see off the opposition, (with PR , the system is a little more complex, but the statement is reasonably correct), so they are not particularly interested in the non voter argument - as non voters dont vote for anybody! UKIP is now able to represent those people who would otherwise not be able to vote in european elections because there was no "leave the EU" candidates available that they supported. Electors for the European parliament will be disenfranchised without a party like UKIP being willing to stand in the election. At least some of those who were (before UKIP came along) unwilling to vote at european elections, can now do so.
Education!
As someone looking to go into teaching the government is currently making it impossible for teachers to teach as they have to not only do that but all the paperwork that is required. Even now teachers are given a free period so they can do the paperwork! Shouldn't they be in the classroom teaching? Currently the government wonders why some schools are still failing and this is because teachers cannot concentrate solely on teaching. If they could then exam results would rise due to improved teaching not the current exam result fixing (all the rises in results in the last few years is down to paperwork?). The government MUST cut down on paperwork levels as this will allow teachers to teach and improve childrens lives.
Politics is the Political Issue
It's not education, immigration or the EU that needs to be debated.
It's Politics itself.
TAX!
I agree. We get taxed to the hilt in this contry and what have we to show for it. NOTHING!
Slightly strange question,
Slightly strange question, all of these are my concern yet the EU is affecting all of them.
--Roberto Sarrionandia
housing.
For me putting the EU aside for moment housing is really worring me as a young person who was born in this country i never thought i would end up not being able to afford to buy a house but to find out that slime blair and co have been building new houses for people who shouldnt be in the uk in the first place it really makes my blood boil!!!.
Other?
For me, a big concern is tax!!!
A Big Concern ....?
Tax, as menioned, but possibly needs to be more focussed than just the word "tax". No one likes to pay it, but it is necessary to make society work as most people would like!
Of course, some of that tax, goes to fund the EU budget - and is spent without our control.
I think there is a focus on some services more than others when the "others" should get a bigger slice of the cake, than some of the more "popular" choices.
For example, we all need to get about for our daily lives - okay maybe we dont need to get about every single day but everybody in the country probably uses some form of transport infrastructure - be it roads/ rail/ cycle lanes / airports etc. at least once a week, probably more. This is true whether we are a child, middle aged or elderly.
AND... there is tens of billions of pounds raised in motoring taxes every year, but only a tiny amount gets put back into the transport budget.
On the basis that so many people depend on it every week, regardless of age, I would like to see Transport given higher priority by politicians - education and NHS gets high profile - and money to match, but the population at large does not benefit from these services as regularly or at each stage in life, as Transport services affect us. We are seeing higher costs all the time, yet our taxes are not being spent to allieviate the desperate failings in infrastructure of our transport system.