A bleak midwinter warning of the consequences of EU ‘no’

I HAVE written the following in the hope it may give the many Eurosceptics and “Little Englanders” pause for thought!

A bitterly cold winter’s afternoon. High on the ridge of hills, the gaunt shapes of the great turbines stood outlined against the fast fading light, their blades motionless in the still air. In the valley below the little town lay, as it had done for centuries, nestled in a loop of the great river.

Our time traveller also stood on that ridge, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. Only a year earlier there had been myriad lights where now there was only darkness. He checked his instruments – December 24, 2012. Of course!

Now he remembered his history. The offer to the UK of membership of the eurozone; an offer rejected by the Tory backbenchers, with their Cotswold manor houses and land in the Shires. The rapid demise of London as a major financial centre, to be replaced by Paris and Frankfurt. The subsequent enormous loss of revenue and jobs. The collapse of the London property market and with it the domestic banks. The appeals to the IMF.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

MANY of the UK’s difficulties stem from its less than wholehearted attitude to Europe over many years. Like many lost causes of the past, the Opposition has swum against the tide of history.

Mr Cameron is now faced with an awful dilemma due to this party within a party, the Eurosceptics. Their smugness over the euro crisis was short-lived when it became apparent that our banks were deeply committed. Obviously the antis would prefer a clean break but as there won’t be a referendum, the prospect of a two-tier Europe looms ever closer. I hope the Eurosceptics will be satisfied with their handiwork when the UK finishes up half-in, half-out of Europe. All our dues would continue to be payable but we would be shut out of the inner circle of decision makers. What a mess!

From: D Birch, Smithy Lane, Cookridge, Leeds.

IN so far as commerce within our country goes, our Government have to get nearer to our friends in the Commonwealth and start helping our industries to trade more there in the long term.

From: Dennis Johnson, Firbeck Road, Bramham.

WHY is anyone surprised at the outcome of the EU summit? Messrs. Cameron, Sarkozy and Merkel had all made their positions clear before the meeting.

They, of course, had to try to change the mind of the others, but should any one of the three have backed down he/she would have been crucified back home.

On Friday senior Lib Dems, including Messrs Clegg and Cable, had expressed their support for Mr Cameron’s position. In less than two days, Mr Clegg has done a total U-turn, attacking his Prime Minister in the most forthright manner.

I do not know where Mr Cameron stands with regard to the Coalition Agreement, but such criticism by any other Cabinet member would bring instant dismissal.

If Mr Clegg intends to stand by his words given in the TV interview then he must show the courage of his convictions, resign his post as Deputy PM, take his party out of government and lay down a motion of No Confidence in an attempt to trigger a General Election.

However, I suspect the fear of the end to any Lib Dem influence in Government will find Mr Clegg lacking in such courage.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

WELL done Mr Cameron. Perhaps you could now go even further and introduce our own Bill of Rights, send foreign criminals back to their own country (with or without their cats), deny prisoners the vote, make our own labour laws and stop any appeals to the European court when our own legal processes have been exhausted?

From: Jack Kinsman, Stainton Drive, Grimsby.

MAY I please beg all the Conservative readers of the Yorkshire Post to write to David Cameron and their own politicians begging him to please say no to all the thousands of new regulations that are going to come our way in the near future.

Diktats that serve no useful purpose, except to “condition” us into obeying the orders of the ruling junta.

France makes over half these diktats, but sees fit not to implement them in France. They do not get fined for this – why? Is it because when Angela Merkel says “jump”, the French President says “How high”?

More than 90 per cent of the British population want us to leave Europe completely. This country needs to be free to make its own laws.

From: RD Leakey, Giggleswick, Near Settle.

FROM a 97-year-old long time opponent of capitalist Tories and capitalism, it is good news that David Cameron has at last done the right thing by deciding to back out on the European Union agreement (Yorkshire Post, December 10). The Archbishop of Canterbury has also done the right thing by warning us about “outbreaks of future anarchy”.

Quite simply all the troubles about money are about us humans not liking the horrible stench of corruption and misery that money causes and its chaos and “massive helplessness”, as the Archbishop has described it.