HeadingNorth Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 In that case why have a referendum for anything? Why did we have a referendum on the alternative vote, when we could just vote for a party pledging to introduce it? We have a government consisting of two parties, one of whom is opposed to any form of PR and one of whom is committed to it. Holding a referendum was a compromise position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 Yes, why have referendums at all ?? The Liberals campaigned for Proportional Representation for years, they never formed a government because peple dont want PR. The Tory's aren't brave enough to advocate leaving the EU, they let the numbskulls in UKIP sow all the seeds of discontent for them. I am no fan of rule from Brussells, but I fear the Tory's even more. Eventually Europe will become one state, one set of laws for us all, we must make the best of it. In the era of the internet i would like to see referendums as a vital change to our outdated political system. And why not? To vote in people for a 5 year period, who continually say one thing to get voted in and yet ignore their manifestos when in government. This could take the form of PR with the right to referendums & recall by petition. Exactly what happens in Switzerland. Parliament & government would then be the servants of the people instead of vice versa and the electorate can then control them. Imagine that! Theres plenty of people talking about this now. Its food for thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyofborg Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 So your argument against holding a democratic vote is that more may want the same right? democracy isn't all its cracked up to be a choice was made for us back in the 70's and we have to live it, that doesn't mean we shouldn't amend the eu works so that it works better. but the idea that we might or might not leave and that every few years we're going to revisit that choice is corrosive to long term business confidence and planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradescanthia Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 So you don't like it, but are resigned to an inevitability that you don't really want? Do you not see, that is exactly why we need a referendum? I dont like how the UK govt can choose which EU laws to disregard. Anything which improves the lot of the poorer worker is disregarded, e.g. agency workers. If we are in the EU then we should be in 100%, one European Parliament with just small regional assemblies in each country. We are an island but we cannot exist on our own. Look at the USA, it's not really one nation at all, but several states all signed up to a union. We will eventually have The United States of Europe, that I am sure of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hots on Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 we had a referendum years ago which took us in and that pretty much committed us forever. we should be focussed on making it work and where necessary reforming it to make it work better. if we had one now, regardless of the result, then there would be pressure to have one every couple of years and the uncertainty associated with that would collapse business confidence. I've never took part in any referendum on Europe, the last one was years before I was born, and besides, Europe now is a totally different political animal to the one that people voted in a referendum for in the seventies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 democracy isn't all its cracked up to be a choice was made for us back in the 70's and we have to live it, that doesn't mean we shouldn't amend the eu works so that it works better. but the idea that we might or might not leave and that every few years we're going to revisit that choice is corrosive to long term business confidence and planning. Andy, the choice was made for us in the 70's and we have to live with it. Not in my world. Politics change, and a big change is coming. The internet gives us different opportunities now. A good part of the electorate are fed up of present day politics and the bias of the big 3 parties. They are not listening to us, and eventually change will be put upon them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 I've never took part in any referendum on Europe, the last one was years before I was born, and besides, Europe now is a totally different political animal to the one that people voted in a referendum for in the seventies. Exactly. I never had a choice in it, but it effects me every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cressida Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Yes, I think we should have a Referendum. When we joined it was simply as a trading partner, now we are more or less ruled (badly)by Europe. We didn't sign up for that, and it's doing us more harm than good. I thought it was all about trade too:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradescanthia Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 In the era of the internet i would like to see referendums as a vital change to our outdated political system. And why not? To vote in people for a 5 year period, who continually say one thing to get voted in and yet ignore their manifestos when in government. This could take the form of PR with the right to referendums & recall by petition. Exactly what happens in Switzerland. Parliament & government would then be the servants of the people instead of vice versa and the electorate can then control them. Imagine that! Theres plenty of people talking about this now. Its food for thought. Interesting, I dont know anything about Switzerland, exept that they are not renowned for being stupid................perhaps we could learn something ?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hots on Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Because we've already had a referendum on this very subect in 1975. What an idiotic statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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