Why **couldn't** the UK leave the EU?

The argument is that 40% of our exports go to the EU. But i agree i dont see it as a problem for leaving. The only benefit i see with the EU is the harmonisation of acquisition and removel documents for buying and selling within the EU fiscal area. And some of the lawsi.e consumer protection and minimum wage.

No, it's not snouts in the trough. It's just that as a nation we'd be far poorer, have fewer export markets and a far lower standard of living if we left the EU. But the government cannot possibly tell us so, because that would be like admitting that we are a fourth-rate nation with no empire left, and the public likes to cling to its illusions.

So EU member states would refuse to buy our exports!

I didn't know that.

In article , The Grey Man writes

It's definitely not snouts in the trough

Mike, who tells lies occasionally.

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 at 16:56:10, The Todal wrote in uk.legal :

An oft repeated claim, but never with *any* evidence to back it up.

Absolutely no reason whatsoever why we shouldn't leave europe. Lots of countries trade with europe perfectly well without being in the EU and I believe we should too. Now, whether the other member states would then spit their dummies out and refuse to do business with us for choosing to leave, who knows?

that is not true...the eu puts up considerable tariff walls against 'outsider'

I do!

Money is a far better lubricant than politics.

If so, that's an even better reason to leave, so we can stop buying stuff from them. And giving them money for nothing.

Minimum wage is a domestic abortion.

Germany doesn't have a minimum wage.

There are no real reasons why we couldn't. They would still want to sell us goods (any "business" would) and they would hardly stop buying from us either if the prices are right.

I don't know; you can grease a palm with money but it doesn't mean you won't end up reaching for the K-Y.

Too much information, dude.

In that vein, you should see the t-shirt I recently bought:

The back-print is particularly... incisive.

Looks wonderful, for the second I got before it redirected because bidding was closed.

Well!!! You're a proper 'ickle monkey aren't ya???

Just scroll down. The page for completed listings is always redrawn once it has finished loading with the related items inserted at the top.

My shirts are infamous at work. I wore this one a couple of weeks ago:

OK, got it. Vaguely reminiscent of Landscape XX which came with Frankenchrist.