Quote (dro94 @ Mar 22 2016 02:51pm)
It's not right wing it's pragmatic. We live in a small densely populated island with a rapidly increasing population, an abundance of low skilled workers coming in through open borders that push wages down, compete with our existing low skilled labour force, contribute to the chronic housing shortage and our pitiful productivity as a nation.
But then if you use those points and then say 'well we should get out of the EU because then we can sign our own free trade agreements while controlling our own borders!' then you are going into right wing territory. A free trade agreement with the EU can only be signed on the condition that the country agrees to the free movement of people i.e. an open border policy with the EU states. Basically you'd be out of the EU but have open borders with the EU, like Switzerland and Norway. Britain having more influence doesn't change anything in this context, it's a non negotiable principle of the EU.
Dude I agree. Was just poking the bear as it were.
I think it would have been a much better choice to try and help secure parts of Syria for its own people. Instead of trying to integrate hundreds of thousands into societies that don't particularly suit them.
And I know what you're saying about Europe. And you're probably right. It doesn't mean we couldn't have a better future longterm on our own though. There's still relatively serious talk about others voting to leave if we leave too, if we aren't the only country looking for a trade agreement without the open boarders then there's a slightly better chance of it happening.