CBI wants to stay in EU
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The CBI, which represents the bigger corporatioms and employers in Britain, has just published a report rejecting the idea put forward by Eurosceptics and bar room bullshitters that Britain should leave the EU but stay in the Single Market. The report is summarised in this two-and-a-half minute video:
It is clear that the CBI wants continued free access to the Single European Market and to do this on the best conditions thinks Britain should stay in the EU so as to have a say in decisions about it, which Norway and Switzerland don't have despite having negotiated access to it.
The CBI must be worried that xenophobic politicians with their talk of an in-out referendum are playing with fire and might have to withdraw Britain from the EU when this is not in the best interest of the dominant section of the British capitalist class.
There is something in the report that I hadn't known before — that Norway has to pay to have access to the Single Market. As the report says:
Quote:Norway is part of the single market, without being an EU member, via the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement.The Agreement provides access to the single market through the inclusion in national law of EU legislation covering goods, services and capital, as well as the free movement of people. In theory, Norway has equal access rights to any EU Member State. Several areas are not covered by the agreement including trade negotiations, agriculture and fisheries policies, justice and home affairs.
EEA members still pay contributions to the EU, with Norway paying 100 EUR per capita, well over half of the UK’s contributions as a full member (180 EUR).
Norwegian Conservative MP, Nikolai Astrup:
“If you want to run Europe, you must be in Europe. If you want to be run by Europe, feel free to join Norway in the European Economic Area.
This was elaborated on in an article in yesterday's Times by CBI Director-General John Cridland in which he said that Norway pays the EU
Quote:about 600 million euros a year, making it the tenth highest contributor to the EU, paying more than half the amount that the UK pays per person just to be allowed to follow EU rules as a non-member.I wouldn't have thought UKIP would be content with such an arrangement despite their view that Britain should adopt the same policy as Norway. The CBI, on the other hand, has taken on board the point made by the Norwegian MP, with Cridland quoting it with approval in his article. Their problem is that many politicians and voters have not and may vote against it.
Here's Farage's reply to the CBI (a letter it today's Times) in which he confirms that UKIP wants Britain to have the same relationship to the EU as Norway:
Quote:Sir,John Cridland (Opinion, July 4) is trying to frighten people with dark warnings for when Britain finally leaves the EU.Claims that Norwegian authorities sit around the fax machine impotent, waiting for their latest instruction from Brussels, are risible: 90 per cent of Single Market rules are covered by UN and other international bodies. Norway acts in its own interest on those bodies, which is more than can be said for the UK where our place is taken by the EU. In reality Norway has more influence on EU rules, from outside, than we do from within. It has access to the market but sets its own rules.NIGEL FARAGE, MEP. Leader of UKIPThe leaders of British capitalist business must regard him as an ignorant fool. The problem for them is that he has some popular support and is at present able to wag the Tory dog.
Not just the CBI, according to today's Times:
Quote:City Votes for Europe.More than eight out of ten senior City professionals believe that staying in the EU is the best option for the competitiveness of the UK as a financial centre, according to a survey by TneCItyUK. It said that the country has to be in the single market to shape how it operates and develops.So that's finance capitalists as well as industrial capitalists against withdrawal. The dominant section of the UK capitalist class is never going to forgive Cameron if he gets it wrong and in the promised in/out referendum people vote to withdraw.
The Euro, in out hokey cokey debate, has nothing to do with workers. As evinced by the posts above. Will the majority be wage slaves in the EU? yes. Will this be the same outside of the EU? yes. Let those who own and rule the world sort this crap out. At the mo, I've enough on my plate, as do most workers, feeding ourselves and keeping the lights and heating on!One would'nt think it was 2013, in the 21st century. For workers, nothing changes, everything stays the same. Stevie C.
The CBI again on the EU http://www.scotsman.com/news/uk/eu-worth-3000-a-year-to-every-uk-family-cbi-1-3172088 Mind you , i'm still waiting for my three grand.
If UK leave the EU, Nissan may leave the UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24859486
Ukraine demonstrations protests to join the EU. While Ukip nationalists strive to exit, Ukraine nationalists struggle to enter.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25078952 But perhaps more anti-Russian.
Ukraine is an artificial country. The western part was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire and Catholic while the rest is Orthodox and more Russified. Those who demonstrate to join the EU will come from the wesern part (the same part that supplied the Nazis with concentration camp guards).The dilemma for the people of eastern Europe is that "independence" is an illusion. Their only choice, within capitalism, is to be dominated either by Germany or by Russia. Poor sods.
"Ukraine is an artificial country." Just to make clear, most nations are artificial constructs and that the illusion of independence applies to most countries which will be dominated by a more powerful one. Ukraine is not unique. The pro-EU movement is maybe the continuance of the Orange revolution, the promise of actually fulfilling the aspirations that it raised and has so far failed to deliver. http://www.dw.de/failed-revolution-ukraine-heads-back-to-soviet-past/a-16794088
Ukraine heating up http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/01/ukraine-largest-street-protests-orange-revolutionAs Ukip leads the rush to the exit door, Ukraine fights to get a foot in the door…strange contradictions .No doubt if Ukraine does join , there will be a whole new population to direct nationalist venom against…the "flood" of new migrants and also another 400,000 new Roma for racists to vent their spleen against.
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