Grim outlook from Eurozone on the brink

IN the strange world of James Bovington (Yorkshire Post, October 8), Eurosceptics are to blame for him getting it so wrong about the euro and the EU. In reality he makes so many fundamental errors that he misleads himself.

Take his claim that eurosceptics are “in a gloating mood” about the euro crisis. False. Actually, the mood is anger. And that is because the EU went ahead with a political project – the creation of the euro – against sound economic advice. The EU elites have now embroiled the UK in their financial mess and, to compound the insult, we are giving them yet more of our cash to bail them out. This is outrageous – we should be demanding compensation from Brussels instead.

No doubt Mr Bovington would prefer that no-one remembers our island history. He would like us to forget that we once governed ourselves, and that the EU claim that it has kept the postwar peace in Europe is historically unfounded.

Finally the europhile playground epithet that eurosceptics are “anti-European” is old, tired, worn out, past its sell-by date and now frankly boring. Eurosceptics are opposed to the EU, not Europe. Mr Bovington may continue to fool himself, but he no longer fools anyone else.

From: Ross Taggart, The Avenue, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees.

HAVING followed with interest the debate regarding the wisdom of this country being outside the eurozone, I come down firmly on the side of Mr Bovington, in as much that at present we have the worst of both possible worlds.

In the highly unlikely event of the eurozone collapsing, we shall collapse with it. In the likely event of the eurozone being rescued by the enormous economic power of Germany, then the international spotlight will fall, finally, on the UK.

It will illuminate an isolated country with an unmanageable burden of debt; a country that imports most of its food, manufactured goods and energy supplies; a country, in short, with an economy that has little visible means of support.

Our “Triple A” rating will not last five minutes once the euro recovers and as Mr Bovington surmised, we can expect precious little help from the US. Quite the opposite in fact. Nor can we, understandably, look to Germany for assistance.

History has a way of repeating itself to those who do not learn its lessons. We are about to repeat the 1970s, I fear.

From: Gordon Lawrence, Stumperlowe View, Sheffield.

JAMES Bovington’s letter has so many cracks, in its logic and interpretation of the facts as to remind one of an earthquake about to happen.

Because we can’t go along with his “big Europe” fantasy and wish to retain our sovereignty, or what’s left of it, he accuses sceptics of being xenophobes, little Englanders, lacking any vision, and locked in an imperial delusion of a Victorian past.

Mr Bovington contends that the euro would have worked if the UK had joined at inception; he makes the highly improbable claim that we would have vetoed Greece and other fringe countries from joining.

More nonsense is postulated in his generalisation that EU sceptics have a hatred or Germany; personally, I have an admiration and strong affection for the country and its people. It seems that Mr Bovington will accuse Eurosceptics of anything to cover up the complete fiasco that is consuming his cherished project.

Mr Bovington has continually defended, even eulogised the EU Commission and its workings, but has always denied that intrinsic structural failing – its democratic deficit; unquestionably, its political power and control over vast resources with minimal accountability is a massive injustice; it’s the biggest gravy train on earth.

To extricate the UK from this mess would be an uncertain and dangerous business but the alternatives look equally grim. Possibly, as the eurozone situation deteriorates, given the right leadership, the opportunity may occur to engineer an accommodation for a loose trade-orientated relationship with Europe, or am I joining the likes of Mr Bovington in cloud cuckoo land?

From: G Thorpe, Lister Avenue, East Bowling, Bradford.

JAMES Bovington seems to think that people who wish for a vote on EU membership suffer from delusional nostalgic twaddle, as he thinks we should be in the euro.

It seems that Mr Bovington fails to take notice that the EU wants another five billion euros from member states.

Greece and Ireland are bankrupt, Spain, Italy and Portugal on the verge of bankruptcy and Britain is virtually bankrupt. Where do the MEPs think this money is going to come from?

There is definitely no austerity for the European Parliament workers on the overpaid gravy train.

Citizens of some European countries are losing their jobs and are being taxed to the hilt. Why should the working people of any European member state pay to give the employees of the European gravy train exorbitant pay increases and platinum-plated pensions?

In my opinion MEPs are no better than the greedy bank managers, and the unelected rule makers think they are immune to the state of the world’s economy. Let’s see this organisation make some cuts.