Saturday , October 12 2024

Tag Archives: Eurozone

Italy, Spain and the Future of the EU

Italy and Spain are in trouble.  Not only do they have the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the EU but their economies are on the rocks.  The European Central Bank (ECB) saved Italy with promises in March as the Italian Treasury was having to offer ever increasing yields on its bonds …

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Global Collapse? How likely?

There is currently some talk of global economic collapse being imminent. (See for instance Complex Systems Collide, Markets Crash).   The basic thesis is that interactions between the world and the economy can cause the economy to switch into a different mode of operating. Things are looking bad at the moment. The …

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Reasons for Independence

Many users of Social Media have stated that they cannot find any reason for Independence.  Here are some of the main reasons with links to further articles that explain them more fully. The immediate reason for Brexit is the Lisbon Treaty (2009) and the completion of the transitional arrangements that phased …

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The reasons for my opposition to the EU

My opposition to the EU is essentially down to the fact that it works badly. Everything that the UK government does not do well at, the EU does even worse. Let me list some prominent examples… Single currency (Eurozone):Normally, an ailing economy’s currency depreciates, which encourages inward investment and domestic …

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The Euro at 20: Still Destroying Prosperity

In 2019, the European Single Currency turns twenty. Prominent eurocrats have taken to Twitter to celebrate this milestone, simultaneously slapping those in the face who have suffered with stagnant economic growth since the Euro was introduced in 1999. The main problem with the Euro persists – it is a non-optimal …

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The Single Market versus a Free Trade Agreement

What should UK trading relations look like after 2019, when Brexit itself finally happens? We are now being told that the UK must enter the “Single Market “.  The Single Market is, in many ways, another name for being in the EU.  As the EU Commission puts it: “The Single Market …

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A senseless struggle about nothing

There are two forces going on in human nature, the desire to unify and the desire to separate. The reason that we have nation states at all is because people have felt the need to unify with others who are similar to them.  In antiquity each small village had its …

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Only children are scared of a pin-prick

This may be my last bit of writing for a while. I deliberately organised things such that I’d be away during the referendum. I shall not be paying much attention to the news. My guess is that most of the people in the part of Spain I like to go …

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Osborne 2, the horror movie

George Osborne, as he promised, has released a second dossier on the effects of a no vote on 23rd June. This time, the target of doom and gloom was the first two years after a Brexit vote. Sadly, Osborne decided not to attend the House of Commons to defend the …

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Destroying the SNP’s dream

The SNP’s failure to win an overall majority in Holyrood was a setback for them and their cause. It will be very hard indeed for Scottish nationalists to push for a second independence referendum in the next five years. Importantly, in the present context, this is the case even if …

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Brexit would be worth it.

Lately I’ve frequently found myself disagreeing with people I both like and respect. As the EU referendum campaign gets going I find myself more and more drawn to one side of the argument. I wanted to remain more or less neutral for much longer. I wanted to explore the merits …

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Brexit makes the UK safer

Each of us has made decisions in the past which have had profound and sometimes unexpected consequences. The subjects we chose to study at school or at university can have an influence on the job we end up doing. The people we meet, the person we fall in love with …

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EU Ref Series. Post #2. Crisis in the Eurozone means we must leave the EU, to protect our economic interests.

It used to be said that Britain was the sick man of Europe. These days it could be said that Europe is the sick man of the world. Ongoing crisis in the EU regarding its monetary union are not going to get better any time soon. We can expect the …

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SNP threats over #Brexit are empty

William Hague has recently stated that although he dislikes much about the EU, he will be voting to remain. His arguments amount to the following. He thinks that we have to be in the single market to shape and benefit from it. He thinks that the EU despite its faults helps …

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In Scotland we admire things that don’t work

One of the odd things about political discussion in Scotland is our attitude to the EU. During the Referendum it was accepted by both sides that it would be some sort of disaster if an independent Scotland were not to retain membership of the EU. There was therefore lots of …

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