Douglas Carswell's Blog

To which problem is the EU the solution?

Is the EU the answer to .....

... the crisis in the Eurozone?  

On the contrary, European integration caused the Eurozone crisis and has failed to fix it.

.... trading favourably with our neighbours? 

Far from giving us open access to European markets the way we once imagined, an EU single market imposes on UK producers the requirement to comply with standardised regulations even if what they produce is never intended for the EU market.  In a free market, restrictive barriers would be removed. In the EU single market, UK firms are compelled to produce in accordance with what the rules say. 

.... globalisation? 

No. Rather than helping us remain competitive, while China, India and others have taken off economically, EU rules – and rule-makers – prevent us from applying the change we need to prosper.  Instead of enabling us to develop new policies to deal with the challenges of globalisation, pan-European institutions prevent us from doing so - see policy on asylum and immigration.

.... environmental protection?

With Europe’s economy flat lining, we might meet our CO2 emission targets – but maybe not the way intended. Incidentally, how has EU stewardship of Europe’s once-rich fishing waters worked out?

..... peace and an end to conflict?

Do you seriously imagine that it was an army of bureaucrats based in Brussels that stopped various European nations from invading one another?  Europe has been at peace because of the spread of liberal democracy.  Is the EU helping or hindering the cause of democracy in Europe today?  

.... what about defence? By working as one, surely we can have greater clout?

Wrong again. If we had not squandered £20 billion on a jointly procured aircraft, perhaps we might have money left to spend on kit our armed forces actually need. Teaming up with Euroland armies would diminish our ability to spend what financial muscle we still have the way that best suits our interests.

So why are ministers and mandarins prepared to remain members of the European Union at almost any price?  

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