Joining the Euro

[rov1200]

The majority of goods bought by the British consumer come from abroad, especially the pricier items. Just take cars, white goods, computer hardware and software, what percentage are made here?

If the � loses 1/3 of its value against the $ or the Euro this will in future cause those goods to increase by 1/3. The stocks already here should be unaffected.

So why are the British so against joining the Euro? Are we being brainwashed especially by the Tories or the Little Englanders?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7806936.stm

[123everton]

I'm caught in two minds about the Euro, on the one hand to be able to just fly off to Italy and not have to cange the money in my wallet is very persuasive.
On the other I wonder how such a vast area as the Eurozone with so many different cultures, elected governments, languages, economies and GDP can be made to work well in the interests of all.

[brionon]

I'd like to know too. Just what are the arguments against ? The queen's head ? You can have it. so what else ?

[jake-the-peg]

Ever been to the US Everton?

There's a huge range of cultures, local and regional governments and heck even languages there.

I don't know if anybody that joined the Euro is seriously considering ditching it.

But it doesn't really matter, it's yesterday's battle. No politician in his right mind is going to take on the tabloids over this in the foreseeable future.

A falling pound is actually very good news for British Exporters and British jobs and we sure need that now.

Just looking at manufacturing is missing the point - I'm a British export myself! I work for a major American company an they have to buy stirling to pay my salary - No cars, refridgerators or washing machines involved at all.

You dont have to be able to hit it for it to be an export!

[Ethel]

Jake - the US is a single country, unlike the EU.

[weeal]

Hmmm I dont know enough about it to make an informed choice, Ive only ever come across Euros once lol
Ok I dont go far...

[123everton]

As Ethel says, the U.S was founded as a single political entity, they even had a war to make sure of it.
Europe on the other hand has had several wars to ensure the opposite.
The U.S has 1 government and state councils (so to speak) I'm not sure I'm willing to accept Britain becoming a metropolitan borough of a European super state.
Blimey enough people on here struggle with the concept of our becoming a cosmopolitan country. ;-)

[jake-the-peg]

The US was NOT founded as a single political entity!

It is only now a single country

There were original states and some were added through expansion, some were won through wars, some were even purchased!

The last Queen of Hawaii was actually overthrown and the Island occupied by Marines!

Clinton's Government formally appologised for this 100 years later

I suggest people do a little History revision before making such sweeping statements!

[rov1200]

Alright not belonging to the euro helps exporters but at whose expense. Surely not the British workers who have to make the products. When they get their pay packets the � has devalued so much their standard of living must suffer. It will be like taking a pay cut of 1/3rd.

[jake-the-peg]

It depends on what you're buying!

Normally that might be the case but with a global recession like this all bets are off.

There are a lot of people cutting prices too trying to stay in business.

It would normally have the price of petrol shooting up, but because of the recession there's suddenly a glut and the bottom's fallen out of the price of oil resulting in the price of fuel coming down!

Then there's interest rates - your mortgage now costs less than for more than 40 years.

Not so hot if you own your house and are living off savings though.

In these times the dice are rolled and there are new winners and new losers.

[Amber63]

The long and short of it this.

Whilst our economy may be up the duff at the moment, we still have control over it as far as setting interest rates and other financial decisions.

To adopt the euro would put these decisions in the hands of the European Central Bank which sets one interest rate for the whole of the eorozone.

This 'one size fits all' approach doesn't suit all countries at the same time. Some economies want low rates whilst at the same time others want higher rates.

I am and always have been against Britain adopting the euro for these reasons. I really don't care what the money in my pocket looks like as long as I know that the government elected by the people of Britain tretains control of that currency. It frightens me to death to think that there are people in this country willing to put our economy in the hands of unelected and unaccountable bankers in Frankfurt who care little for the fortunes of Britain.

If that makes me a 'Little Englander', even though I'm Welsh, then so be it.

[R1Geezer]

Ahh bless the standard pre-insult of your terminal Europhile. Anyone who dares question ceding control of the country to a corrupt foriegn power is a "Little Englander".

You are only talking about the here and now. Things can and will change, even a numpty like you must have spotted the volatility of financial markets in the last 25 years.

Anyway as Jake points out a low pound is good for exports and before all the ludites start, we export things besides widgets you know.