For some of these companies - they would move anyway as production costs in Eastern European countries will be cheaper than in the UK. Moving production however isn't as simple as you suggest. These major automotive companies are highly dependent on local British engineering companies producing components - that is not so easy to duplicate by moving production to Bulgaria for example. That expertise takes years and money to build.
Hog wash. The reason that car companies have not moved yet, is massive incentives from local and national UK government and the fact that they are within the EU borders. No amount of incentives will make them stay if they suddenly have to export into the EU, when they can just move their whole business on the other side of the border with minimum hazzle. The expertise exists in places like Poland, Spain and so on.
Meantime, the EU crisis clock is ticking...
Have you looked at the UK gild rate lately? I would be far more worried about the UK economy than anything else... even the French are paying less to borrow than the UK at the moment.
As I suggested, we have bigger priorities and costs than Norway. We have a historical place in NATO and a nuclear deterrent to maintain. Bigger and more costs including as the Scots will tell you - the cost of unemployment benefits soaked up the oil revenues. Norway is a smaller population, has less world presence and thus could put its oil revenues into future development.
Of course Norway has insane costs - the
same thing is happening in Australia right now as she benefits from being China's mineral basket.
And I agreed, and pointed out that the UK had short term priorities where as Norway had a long term vision. Norway might have a smaller population and bigger reserves, but the principles are the same. Discovering oil in the North Sea was fantastic, and countries like the UK and Denmark squandered it away for short term gain instead of long term vision.
And as for your "historical place"... stop living in the past and grow up. You are not an empire, you cant afford the nukes... get rid of them. They are nothing but a penis extender for conservative governments.... make them buy a freaking Porsche.. it is cheaper!
See above - the Scots especially will disagree with you and say the oil revenues went on unemployment benefits for England.
And I agree with the Scots up to a point.. point is it was wasted.
I'm not saying the fault is of the EU, just stop being petulant please!
Sorry but it sounded like it. Guess I have been listening too much to Nigel "the liar" Farage.
We have limited sway, we are at a table but we have little say on the general juggernaut direction to greater integration. That is the truth of the matter.
Sorry but the UK has the relative sway of its population size. Germany has most, then followed by France and the UK, and then Spain, Poland and Italy. That is how it always has been. The issue with the UK has been, that it has constantly been confrontational in the EU, much like the Poles were under the twins, and Italy under Berlscoloony and THAT limits your "sway" more than anything else. When you act the way Cameron did with the banking crisis, then you loose credibility and sway with the rest of the EU. It happened to the Poles with the twins.. they went all in trying to get the EU to be a "Christian" union by demanding it in the new constitution, and in the end they lost everything with that boneheaded move.
Maybe our politicians should have been clearer with us at the start but the actual mechanics of this direction have problems - if you disagree, just look back at the ERM and then the Eurozone crisis. The solution is not a re-think or re-assessment but putting greater speed into current policy.
Your politicians are masters of using Europe as the blame for all the political ****-ups they have caused since before Thatcher. They will never be straight with you because it is not in their interest. Take the whole debate we had with the life terms... the media and your politicians say EU this, EU that.. it has nothing to do with the EU, and they always forget to mention who wrote the rules that they now dislike.. funny eh?
India has long had a policy of self reliance, even before trade. I worked for a charity long ago working in the 3rd world. There were never any placements in India because India wanted to solve its own problems. Its a mentality thing.
India has had an official policy of protecting local business pure and simple. South Korea did that, Japan did that.. hell the UK did that in the industrial revolution.
Anyhow, as I said, at some point India will open up further. It has been opening - not just to the EU but to America and China.
No. They have been opening up to everyone, but still insist on all companies are Indian owned, which means that any British, EU, American or Chinese company wanting to set up shop in India, must have an Indian majority owner... and that has for decades been a big turn off for most companies.
Germany can only pay to prop up the Euro for so long - its focus is there.
Not factual.
France wants revenge - I'll give you that.
Not the only nation.
Germany is less vengeful - they have always had a bigger eye on exports and sales. Germany won't want a vengeful divorce from the UK because she sells to us.
After the stunt that Cameron did a year or so ago, then Germany is very vengeful.
Of course it won't be easy however we can simply wait while the Eurozone crisis empties EU pockets and make a new deal from a better position a few years later. As I keep saying - the crisis hasn't gone away. It may only be Germany profiting from the Euro's position right now but the others can't keep paying in to support it for ever. Germany is not as I said above going to want to exact revenge on a trading partner.
UK 10 year guilt.. 2.30%
French 10 year guilt .. 2.21%
4 months ago the French were paying more than the British and had been for years... that has flipped now. That is a sign that the supposed markets clearly dont trust Cameron and his policies, that have not resulted in growth, nor cut the deficit in any meaningful way. You are still borrowing at almost record levels, 3 years after Cameron started his so called austerity drive.
If anyone is going to go down the drain first.. it will be the UK since she stands alone.