May you live in intersting times

[Snowhobbit]

All true, but you know exactly what I meant.

The fall of Rome, like the the fall of the EU, was a long drawn-out process and nobody realised it had happened until centuries later.

Snowrabbit may think the EU "hasn't fallen" because he looks at each individual event and nobody says after "well, EU's dead now". What he doesn't appreciate is that the EU is tilting towards its end, and will fall if the tilt is not corrected.

Philippus Flavius Homoerectus might think that the UK is as strong as ever. What he doesn't appreciate is that the union of the United Kingdoms is tilting towards its end, and will fall if the tilt is not corrected. Ireland is gone, Scotland is trying to open the door to leave and Wales might not feel there is much in it for them anymore.

[Greyblades]

Enjoying the pre-referendum jitters are we?

The Scots are seeing with the Oil price drop how screwed they'd be if they had voted yes and they have at minimum 20 years before they get another go. Northern Ireland is still experiencing the afterglow of being the most loyal province in the empire and the welsh don't have either the will to leave or the GDP to support the level of welfare they currently employ.

Also, I'd be more concerned with your own estate if I were you.

[Snowhobbit]

Enjoying the pre-referendum jitters are we?

The Scots are seeing with the Oil price drop how screwed they'd be if they had voted yes and they have at minimum 20 years before they get another go. Northern Ireland is still experiencing the afterglow of being the most loyal province in the empire and the welsh don't have either the will to leave or the GDP to support the level of welfare they currently employ.

Also, I'd be more concerned with your own estate if I were you.

Were you responding to anyone or do you normally address a whole room as a singular individual?

What jitters? If UK votes to leave then UK will after negotiations (or on their own if those drag out) and that's that. That is the choice of the electorate of the UK. It will still not mean the end of the EU. All this constant crying about how the EU is dying is rather tiring, we can go look back at history and I'm sure we will see plenty of talk about how the UK is dying as united kingdoms starting to divide (they already have their own parliaments and certain levels of autonomy), the empire is already dead anyway. That Scottish parliament has a majority support for independence fyi.

My house is just fine, no loans and low costs makes my financial concerns a lot easier. Or were you coyly trying to insinuate something else? I suggest you speak up instead of trying to make lame insinuations not relevant to the topic at hand. If you have any concerns about Sweden (and whatever independence movement you have clued in on) then I suggest you raise those questions in a relevant thread.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Philippus Flavius Homoerectus might think that the UK is as strong as ever. What he doesn't appreciate is that the union of the United Kingdoms is tilting towards its end, and will fall if the tilt is not corrected. Ireland is gone, Scotland is trying to open the door to leave and Wales might not feel there is much in it for them anymore.

You missed the Scotland referendum so let me give you the basics. England doesn't really care all that much any more - it's up to the Scots, Irish and Welsh is they want to go. They moan so much we might well be happier without them. Economically all three are a drain on the English finances due to the Barnett Formula and the only real logistical difficulty is with Scotland leaving - because we'll have to find somewhere else to put our nukes.

Realistically, Independence for all three is probably inevitable, complete home rule certainly is, because the devolved administrations have put them on the same path as the Dominions.

[Gilrandir]

England doesn't really care all that much any more - it's up to the Scots, Irish and Welsh is they want to go.

AFAIK, Cameron urged the Scots not to leave, and he is English, isn't he? England may pretend it doesn't care, but I believe it does.

[Greyblades]

What he means is PVC, a few people he knows and a couple of article writers/comments he reads dont care anymore.

Serious the only one actually testing our patience is Scotland, wales hasnt really done anything and Northern Ireland is more happy to be in the UK than even England.

[Pannonian]

What he means is PVC, a few people he knows and a couple of article writers/comments he reads dont care anymore.

Serious the only one actually testing our patience is Scotland, wales hasnt really done anything and Northern Ireland is more happy to be in the UK than even England.

Wasn't there a poll a couple of years back that showed NI Catholics to be more eager to be part of the UK than the English were?

[Greyblades]

If i were to guess have something to do with the republic going through a rough patch lately, with the catholic percecution over and the prejudice receding, the option of a second Ireland, with the (comparatively) economic stability of a great power, is starting to look rather inviting.

[Rhyfelwyr]

As a resident Scot on this forum, I can say that Brexit is more likely to happen than Scottish independence. Support for the SNP has always been higher than support for independence - a lot of people vote for them as a protest vote.

I hope that these ongoing crises will cause the EU to be scaled down and return more to the functions of the EEC.

[Beskar]

Thread cleaned up, please keep it on topic. Person Attacks are bad, Debates are good.

[Greyblades]

Damnit, some of my best rhymes up in smoke.