[matty]

I used to do an awful lot of travelling a few years ago, when the Euro was introduced it was a godsend for me.

It was an absolute pain in the ar*e travelling within Europe having to carry small amounts of the various currencies for taxi/bus fares, food etc.

I think the UK was wise not to adopt the Euro at the same time as the rest of Europe, but it can't be too far away - I also think it would be good for us to adopt it in the not too distant future.

[simon]

Some argue against British adoption of the Euro based on the idea that different countries (governments or central banks) should be able to set different interest rates in order to control money supply according to the states of the local economies.

This is a spurious argument - since one could equally argue that Douglas, East Kilbride, Liverpool and different parts of London should also have different interest rates. According to local economic conditions.

When national control of interest rates is surrendered (an automatic condition of Euro membership) - then the only national or sub national method of controlling money supply is via taxation. This is one of the good arguments for federalism - ie the devolution of tax raising to small local areas.

Manx interest rates are currently set in London.

[simon]

Kilroy Launches 'Veritas' Party


oh behave

This post has been edited by simon: 02 February 2005 - 12:50 PM

[P.K.]

simon, on Jan 24 2005, 08:34 PM, said:

Personally I'm in favour of Britain adopting the Euro. I would ask anyone who opposes British Euro membership to come up with any good reasons for their opposition.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Personally I'm not in favour of giving anyone the opportunity to puff their ego however one excellent reason for staying out of the Euro is the current strength of the UK economy compared to that of it's neighbours. Of course, forecasts can be produced that will propound this and that course is the better one but at the end of the day they are only that - just forecasts.

If it's not broken then don't fix it.

-

[simon]

Quote

one excellent reason for staying out of the Euro is the current strength of the UK economy compared to that of it's neighbours.

Better to join from a position of relative strength, no ?

I'm not convinced that comparing economies on a country by country basis provides a reliable snapshot. Country - by - country is only one of various, ultimately arbitrary, ways of making comparisons between the relative strengths and weaknesses of different economies.

For example, not all regions of the UK share similar economic conditions. Parts of the UK probably have more in common with the poorer parts of the Euro - Zone, for example. The logical conclusion of the keep - Sterling argument, IMO, is that different regions and cities, within say the UK (and the islands), should have different interest rates. Effectively abolishing Sterling and introducing different currencies in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Plymouth, Ramsey etc.

Maybe we should be comparing regions and cities throughout the EU when we look at averages. Or perhaps looking at the relative strengths and weaknesses of different areas of business within geographical regions.

I don't believe that joining (or not) the Euro should be about anything other than our ultimate inevitable destination. Timing would be a different matter. My belief is that Sterling will certainly cease to exist and we should be planning for how that happens. The Euro isn't going to be abolished. Its long term stability comes from its existence as a viable alternative to the US$ - in terms of the amount of business which it represents. (And the current strength of Sterling vs the US$, for example, is exactly because the US$ is weak compared to the Euro. It has very little to do with any relative strength in the UK economy - as if the UK economy was really one thing). US$ weakness affects anyone trying to do business in the US. However, the greater part of UK export trade is with EU partner countries (our neighbours) and with people dealing in Euros. Which is a good reason for adopting the Euro, IMO.

But I'm prepared to be corrected.

This post has been edited by simon: 02 February 2005 - 08:28 PM

[plan_b]

I havn't read all the posts on this topic so sorry if im repeating someone else and I know Im only 16 so my opinion probably dosent matter anyway but I think Kilroy is just the man needed in the political state Britian is in at the minute.

The whole of Britian is so caught up in saying and doing the right things that it is going completely downhill. Whatever you say nowadays is either sexist/racist/homophobic. And if your too nice, you get called a Hippy!

Britian needs someone like this man to stand up and say "Were becoming to soft" Because Britian is and its only going to end up in a state it wont get out of. He will just get labeled another Nazi, just like the BNP did. But if thats what is gonna have to happen then so be it but something needs to be done.

[hollandaise]

I'm not sure Great Britian needs more people like you, plan b. People who can't spell the name of their OWN COUNTRY!

(And before any Manxies leap on my head, bleating endlessly about nationality, you know what I mean, so put a sock in it.)

It's Great Britain. GREAT BRITAIN.



The rest of what you were saying was okay though.

[Declan]

I disagree.

[simon]

Kilroy is flaky. He broke from the UK Independence Party, which he only just joined, because even they figured that he is a self serving idiot.

It's a great pity that middle of the road, pro EU, Tories have become so marginalised within the Conservative Party.

The rest of this post is was a rant (!) :

This post has been edited by simon: 03 February 2005 - 08:09 AM

[hollandaise]

Aren't rants great? The best thing about ranting on here is that you've got a captive audience. Well, assuming you ignore the existence of the scroll button.

[simon]

You still button scroll?

[simon]

[Declan]

simon, on Feb 3 2005, 12:20 AM, said:

The rest of this post is was a rant (!) :
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe, but it wasn't wrong. Shame you edited it!

[simon]

[teejay]

Rog, on Jan 21 2005, 01:55 PM, said:

ans, on Jan 21 2005, 01:38 PM, said:

Are the UKIP like the equivalent of Mec Vannin?

You know. Run by idiots, voted for by simpletons and supported by few?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Close, but not quite.

UKIP have an agenda that is relevant, are willing to actually get involved, and are at least trying to doing something positive for the population they claim to support rather than just kvetching from the sidelines and getting in the way of those who might do something useful.

Mec Vallium – if they didn’t exist then they would be created by The Keys in order to prevent someone useful from creating a Manx national party..
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh Rog what a card you are.

One thing is for sure Mec Vannin isn't a right wing neo-fascist party - say like Zionists?

Maybe that's why all the MV knockers don't like Mec Vannin, because it's not far right?

Still Rog why on earth do I let a myopics like you rouse me? You really are best left alone in your midden.