Our future is with Europe
David Cameron’s big speech of the new year was that he wants the nation to be able to decide if it wants to stay in the European Union.
I think Cameron is more worried about the rise in support for UKIP and the eurosceptics in his party than he is about democracy.
He says he wants to stay in the European Union but maybe only if they play more by his rules. Or maybe not even then.
And he will go to the electorate for their decision but only in about five years. Decisive.
Cameron doesn’t seem to be as worried about the UK economy. Figures released shortly after his after speech show that the United Kingdom is heading into an unprecedented triple dip recession.
“Cameron wants to sow more confusion”
All the information is that the economy had zero growth in 2012 even with the Olympic Games boost.
Cameron said “The EU often went too far in social, employment and environmental legislation” in a CNN interview at the economic forum in Davos.
So I guess he feels that part-time workers should not be able to get holiday pay. That having Health and Safety reps in the workplace is not a good idea. That employers consulting with workers on conditions and changes that affect them is going too far. All these are part of the effect of our being in the European Union.
So during the slowest recovery in a century, Cameron wants to sow more confusion.
I find it interesting that Labour, the Liberal Democrats and members of the business community are all opposed to the idea of a referendum.
It is true that the referendum date is so far in the future it is hard to have an idea of what the conditions will be for our film and TV industries.
What we do know is that planning is a two or three year cycle and as it gets closer the consequences could be more productions going elsewhere.
I wonder if the really long term commitment of Warner Brothers to Leavesden Studios could be replicated by any other studio with question raised on the UK’s role in Europe
The Ipsos Mori poll of early January reports that six in 10 of us think that 2013 will be a year of recession and 56% think that unemployment will increase.
Another poll by them finds Britons pessimistic about the shape of our economy with only 13% saying it is in good shape compared to 31% in the United States and 63% in Germany.
Cameron seems less concerned with moving the UK out of the slow lane of a two-speed Europe than placating members of his party.
Another sign, like his response to the Leveson Inquiry, of the narrow world he lives in.
19 February 2013
Categories: Politics
