The Pilot Who Played to His Audience

Carole and I were walking along the dike towards the car park of Manea Bird Hides. We had been looking out over the Fen towards Ely Cathedral. No birds of prey put in an appearance on this day, but there were many other things of interest to look at. We had our coffee and sandwiches and talked about every day things before calling it a day and making back to the car. 

In every direction there were fields and Fenland. The whole place was very remote. Then, as we walked, there came the sound of a lumbering propellered aircraft. We looked up instinctively and saw this single prop plane flying across the clear blue sky. It sounded as though the engine had a splutter to me. I half expected it to stall and fall from the sky. However, I'm no mechanic and would not know what a good or bad aircraft engine sounded like.

I pointed my camera up and I'm almost certain the pilot saw me because he started looping, twisting and turning right above a particular spot. As he flew off he would loop about and come back again. I'm sure he was doing it for me. 

I came to the conclusion that the engine must have been fine because he seemed to be manoeuvring the plane very well. 

UK Can't Stay in Politically Integrated EU

The more I listen to this the more I think the UK is in a position to distance themselves from this mess. I feel sorry for the Greeks, but to expect Germany or other EU nations to bail them out is very wrong. If the Germans want to; fair enough, but the UK must distance themselves from this club. It's not working. A Common Market policy was good, but this closer political union is something we can walk away from. We in the UK would be better to do so.

Will Mass Uncontrolled Migration Cause the UK to Exit EU?

Even if David Cameron loses the next election he will leave the idea of yearning desire for EU withdrawal. This issue will not go away - the die is cast. He can't win concessions from the EU because they simply can't make one rule for the UK and different ones for the other members. This would be unfair. 

Big business pro-European newspapers say The UK is on a downward road to EU withdrawal - tremble, tremble. I think it could also be argued that we were on a downward road to European political union, which most Brits never wanted in the first place - yawn, yawn. 

It's not that Brits dislike Europe - they want to get along with fellow Europeans, but do not want to be governed by them. The reasons for this are much more simplistic then Banking regulation and human rights law, which the average British voter does not care about. The ruling classes are more angered by such laws, but they do not account for the majority of the voters. 

There have been good working laws from Europe too and although Brits were not too keen on the EU, they never really wanted to get up on a soapbox over financial issues concerning bank regulation and all. They often saw good laws brought in by well-meaning yet un-elected people. There was not much interest in big boy politics for Brit political classes and other Euro political classes. Let them squabble and get on with it, while we might sigh with detached amusement over wrong shaped banana stories. 

Then the problem concerning European law of free movement of people throughout the EU became apparent when Eastern European countries joined the EU. It has resulted in mass and very irresponsible migration, leaving our country accountable for vast numbers of migrants. One might argue that Spain has vast numbers of Brits living out there, but the reality is, that most of these Brits take wealth out there too. The migrants coming to the UK don't. Like it or not, it is a simple truth and voting people are prejudice - like that or not. They become quite and resentful with no words to argue against trendy liberals who talk them down or smile patronisingly while pretending to listen. 

Then one day the EU passes financial laws that stamp on the Brit big boy's toes and all of a sudden, the EU is forcing us into a political union - they have enforced a single currency on nations that can't cope the way one overall powerful nation economy is. 

Er... tell the electorate something they don't know, or tell them something they care about. We're a bit more fickle than that, but the two heavyweights (UK political class v EU political class) don't get the picture. 

Our Brit ruling classes seem to have said: "Oh dear, never mind let's threaten the EU and tell them to make new laws for us or we'll get the electorate, who are simmering nicely and offer a referendum."

The EU are too financially hamstrung with the currency crisis and the Mediterranean nations that no one realised was cooking the books - hmmm! Also, they can't and will not entertain the grumbling financial institutions of the UK without new legislation. They can't afford too and irresponsible mass migration will blow over. Perhaps it will one day, but not in time for the UK in the EU.

Then the Brit rank and file voter see UKIP has suddenly given the voter a real voice. "Hello, big boys out there - our little issue on mass migration is still very important to us and no one is listening. Your squabble does not matter, we want out anyway."

The EU does not realise they don't have anything we want. They do have this freedom of mass migrations, which we are sure that we don't want and that is all the rank and file voter can see. It's like they are trying to sell us excrement with sugar and our Brit ruling classes are saying; "We will not let you sell them excrement with sugar unless you give us banking and other financial withdrawal rights." Don't bother big boys, we can tell them ourselves and you can run your financial institutions under your laws, but hey, you can't have the benefits of the EU because we don't give a dead rat's backside about it. Oh dear, that wasn't in the script, was it?

The notion of UK leaving the EU is now very real and desirable. I don't think people in Britain are scared of this - many look forward to it, and the key issue is this uncontrollable migration from eastern Europe. This is not what bothers Tories or the political classes. They are more interested in EU regulation upon the city of London and Tory desires for EU withdrawal are based upon this matter of controlling huge corporate finance industries inside the UK. As the political ruling classes go; they can tap into this immigration rank and file frustration for their own ends - large resentful masses of people to use for their own desires, but the notion that we are real people with issues of our own does not seem to have entered the script. Playing politics with people must involve the real important issues at hand and if we are reading from different scripts it is very easy to get wrong. Perhaps the resentful masses are grateful too because now the EU is treading on our big boy's toes, they have found an unwitting and unwilling champion who accidentally opened Pandora's box for us. 

David Cameron thought calling the EU's bluff on a referendum would quash UKIP and the notion of the UK leaving the EU. He would force the EU to the negotiating table and then get a better EU deal that he believes the rank and file voters want. It has not and all we see is more excrement with sugar. It just stokes the fire more. It is mostly immigration that the majority of voters are concerned with and they don't care about the other things. The British political classes don't seem to realise this and neither does the EU. They are too busy fighting other battles while this uncontrolled immigration issue is locked away. UKIP will not go away because they keep arguing on this matter at home, where it counts. In the EU Parliament, Nigel Farage can switch into EU issues for his own ends, concerning the failing currency and the un-elected elite. He does not make too much of mass migration in the Euro Parliament because there is a slight danger that someone might have the notion of doing something about it - clever boy Nigel. 

The EU is checkmated on Brit desires to withdraw from the EU. (The real rank and file I mean) The Brit political elite feels they may have shot themselves in the foot too because they wrongly believed they might blackmail the EU to make concessions or hoodwink the voters to pretend they are getting them. It has not worked because of UKIP who are screaming "Beware of being hoodwinked." 

The political classes are being too closely scrutinised now and we (the real rank and file voters) are aware that the Tories might pretend to get meaningful concessions that they will try to sell the UK voters before the referendum. It'll just be more excrement with sugar. More of what we don't give a hoot about.

Unfortunately for the UK political class and the EU; (both contestants who do not want the UK leaving the Union), The matter has slipped from both grasps. Neither are going to get what they want because they are arguing on issues that do not concern the main electorate.

No matter how the leading political parties dance around this issue or try to play it down; the average voter feels his country is being taken away. All other laws concerning city finance and regulation from the EU don't create too much interest to most voters. Go North, West, East and South across the Isles and the average people are very concerned about mass migration. London is where all the fat cats live and most rank and file voters have little interest in EU regulation, but more in EU law allowing mass population movement across the EU. Every time leading politicians try to play this down it drives people to UKIP. Call people fascist, racist or whatever you may like - they are fed up with being put down on these issues and they can vote and someone has captured the imagination for better or worse.

UKIP

This political party might not have proper leadership policies on the internal welfare of our country, but the play host to such ideas and address the key issues. The mass migration topic is the big hot potato that they are not scared to tackle and other things can go hang for now (even though this might be fickle and wrong in the long run.) People are not racist for this, though we are prejudice, which can't be helped. Also, it is possible that UKIP might also have concrete plans other than such things as uncontrolled migration - who knows? Conservatives or Labour will not win the argument on this, even if they are right because David Cameron has put the cat among the pigeons with the referendum promise.

The opposition Labour party will not voice an opinion either way. If they want to champion EU solidarity, they must start to champion the complete in vote. That would mean nothing on uncontrolled migration and no party is going to be seen doing such a thing. This, of course, seems suicidal at such a moment in time. 

On the other hand, what would happen if Europe allowed individual states across Europe to control migration in-house? By this I mean the EU must revise the free movement of people within the Union for now. Make that law across the EU. This is, after all, what is going to cause UK voters to leave the EU. It is why I will vote for UKIP. It will also cause problems in other nations too. Can Germany and France take all these peoples?

The only press that seems to grasp this is the Irish media that looks into the UK from outside. They seem to know what is going on more than our own big newspapers. Britain's political classes seem to be dancing around the hot potato of uncontrolled and very irresponsible mass migration. It has to be tackled. We don't dislike eastern Europeans and many are very friendly people who do work hard, but there are too many coming here and we are fed up with it being played down when we complain.

Even if the Tories lose the next election, which seems very likely, the referendum will not go away. I believe UKIP might get enough votes to prop up a government that would allow one. Unless Cameron stays in office till the election and makes the sacrifice of not joining such an alliance allowing an uncommitted Labour party in power without a promise of an EU referendum. It is possible that our political classes might kick the can further down the road again.

  

Why UK Can't Blame Germany For Euro Crisis and EU Can't Blame UK for Referendum Desire Due to Inforced Fiscal Union and Growth of UKIP

Germany Successful

Germany is one nation in the EU that has worked hard to keep her house in order. Her economy is good and her manufacturing industry is fine. Unlike other EU countries, Germany is very successful. This is despite the fact that other nations in the EU are now in a crisis over the Euro currency which is causing a lot of hardship among countries inside the Eurozone. This is not Germany's fault. It is the responsibility of the countries that got themselves into the mess in the first place. A harsh thing to say, I have no doubt, but all I hear in my country of Britain; is that Germany is trying to control Europe.

Germany does not want to do such a thing. Collectively Europeans are at fault for steam rolling these changes of fiscal union through. The one Innocent country is Germany. She kept strong and spent what she could afford. Other debt ridden nations are now in trouble and need Germany to financially help them out. This is unfair on Germany because she is condemned if she does not help. Therefore she needs to make sure debt ridden nations implement strong austerity to pay back the loans. Again, Germany is being condemned for telling nations what to do. This is most unfair on the German nation. After all, Germany got her act right in the first place.

It is not Germany's fault

This cannot be blamed on Germany and this crisis will get sorted out - one way or another, despite what all the doom merchants across the planet are preaching. It might get worse before it gets any better, but I firmly believe it will put itself right. In the meantime, the UK is in danger from its volatile electorate who see the EU as developing from a Common Market of free trade into a federal United States of Europe steamrollered in through the back door. A great number of Brits fear this as do other European nations.
 
Danger of British Referendum

Pro European British Politicians are trying to ride the storm while anti-European Brits are trying to capitalise as the Euro Crisis storm rages. The anti-Euro can't afford to loose any opportunity to exploit this and get a referendum on British participation within the EU. The UKIP see their moment has come and they continue to feed Euro scepticism to the British electorate who might vote to withdraw if a referendum can take place at this time.

After the problems of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992, the British wisely stayed out of joining the Euro currency, but this has rebounded on her. She probably wants to join the Euro in the future when other nations have sorted out their problems - problems the UK did for see. This has left the UK in a catch 22 situation concerning future Euro currency membership. Her fears were proved very right in the short term, but even more damaging then UK politicians could predict. This will make it difficult for Britain to convince people to join the Euro one day in the future. In a strange way; the British were too correct in their fears and this could have an unwanted and lasting effect on the British electorate. One that anti-European British political parties enjoy and try to exploit.

 

UK Should Look at Joining Euro Currency in Future
 

The UK must seriously look at the future within the Euro currency. I can understand our reluctance to join the European single currency now, but in the long run, I feel sure it would be better for us to integrate more with our European neighbours. We must also help preserve the Eurozone from outside too. I'm not sure if the being alone aspect, outside the EU, will work in the world of today if the referendum comes and Britain leaves the EU. I think most of our politicians know this too but the anti-Euro referendum vote is in real danger of appealing to UK voters during a time of maximum fickleness. (for want of a better word)

Pro Euro Brits are correctly worried about a referendum vote at an inappropriate moment when the Eurozone is in real crisis. Millions of British voters could be persuaded to abandon the EU. In the long run this could ostracise the UK from all the benefits of what the real EU can achieve for us. The Unity of Europeans as got to be a dream for most people, but because Britain is an island race; it is hard to convince most that we are still Europeans. She has not witnessed or seen her boarders changing for many hundreds of years.

British Political Parties Fear UKIP
  

I think most of our politicians want the Eurozone to succeed, but dare not openly show  commitment to this for fear of giving more votes to the UKIP party led by Nigel Farage. This party can sit back and criticise without offering real alternatives to the situation; except to abandon ship and leave the EU. Their criticisms are often right, but their selfish solutions of cutting and running are not. Our much criticised British MPs, who are trying to help, behind closed doors, are up against all sorts of odds at the moment, in this tricky European political climate. Never have our politicians had to do politics on such an intricate level. They are walking a tightrope trying to avoid a British referendum upon a fickle population that can only see a few inches in front of their faces and help a Europe in deep crisis - one they expected, yet not nearly as disastrous.

EU Structure Needs To Change

 

The bureaucracy of the EU is not helping either, because it is developing and is in infancy, where EU presidents are concerned. The whole EU package is unfolding at a fast pace, while the UKIP party rightly points out the unfairness. The flaws being; the lack of electoral processes concerning an unelected EU president. However, at this moment in time; how many of us Europeans would even study EU manifestos and things? If the EU is going in the direction I think it is; fiscal and federal union, then the bull had to be taken by the horns and a president had to come. The rights and wrongs of President Van Rompuy being an unelected president are clear now. Europeans are taking interest in this matter. Perhaps it is time to tweak the mechanism and start forming European parties for election across Europe, where by European citizens get a say in who they elect as president? This President of the EU matter, is a good topic of conversation to come to light and could be good for Europeans as a whole if we tackle the situation positively. We (Europeans) are not fond of this unelected situation (Even though President Van Rompuy is surely a very decent person) so lets hope something constructive is done about it. Not pull out of Europe as Nigel Farage and the UKIP party want us Brits to do.

Much of what UKIP criticise about concerning the EU might be correct, but discontinuing Britain's membership is completely wrong. We can join other Europeans and change these things for the better. There must be loads of French, German, Italian, Spanish and other great European peoples who have the same view concerning unelected presidents. We don't quit and run! We look for alternatives within the EU and make it better. This is progress and we British must look at things from this perspective rather then leaving the EU because we don't like the way it is being run at present.  

UKIP Point Out Flaws in EU but have Negative Solutions
 

It is a real swings and roundabout issue for all of the EU, and organisations like UKIP can just sit there and point out all the EU shortcomings without solutions. As a European tool, perhaps the UKIP might have an inadvertent roll to play by pointing out the bad policies of the EU, but they are only a tool - not a real alternative for the UK.

UKIP will not want the EU to have time to get its act together and they fear the idea of Europeans getting electoral manifestos because Europeans (including British people) might begin to look at Europe as a whole - something that destroys UKIP aims - to cut and run - be ostracised with no say in world affairs.

I think UKIP want their British electorate nice and fickle for a British Referendum - fed on the criticisms of the EU crises and the idea of unelected presidents. They will only offer one solution; cut and run - leave the EU. There will be no other vote concerning changing the inner political mechanism of the EU which many other European peoples want to do. That would bring about stronger fiscal union which UKIP can ill afford.

In this tv interview Nigel Farage says so many things that are correct. He even massages other nations egos. He is a very clever man, but he has one aim: Pull the UK out of the EU.

I strongly believe UKIP solutions are less well presented then their correct criticisms. I have heard Nigel Farage say that Germany is dominating Europe. Then when Chancellor Merkel appears to listen to reason and softens slightly to Spanish and Italian needs; Nigel Farage begins to present Germans in a different light. He is suddenly condescending to ordinary German voters. Again, what he says is right, but it is easy to be observant of these issues and criticise them. Putting these things right is much more difficult and again; UKIP's only option is; cut and run - leave the EU.

Is EU Moving too Fast?

Perhaps the EU is moving too fast where fiscal integration is concerned. The European Parliament seems to think all the different peoples are of the same mind set. They are not, and sometimes the steam rollered policies move too quickly. True - the Eurozone crisis of the Southern European nations has not helped, but the introduction of a currency, not properly revised, is the cause of much of this. Maybe the dominating nations expected all other countries to be like them. The differences were not taken into account. Maybe the 'car crach' policies being introduced are the only way forward - grabbing the bull by the horns - so to speak. If it works in the long run then it might be correct. However, I can see the UK breaking away from the EU if the politics of this (car crash) method are not considered more intricately. The UK needs to be considered because of the volatile electorate and the political gains of UKIP. Pro-Euro Brits are having a difficult time trying to walk this tightrope, which I believe will come good in the long run.

I'm not trying to say that the EU is wrong either - all this is for a later long term good. It does need to take other countries into account and ostracising the UK for veto using is dangerous in the long run too. The UK contribute the second largest amount of money to EU after Germany. France contribute a greater amount but claims back much more in subsidies (Giving with one hand and taking back a huge chunk with the other.) The over all net gain from UK remaining inside the EU treasuary of contributions, is second most and, again; in the long run, this is something the EU should not dismiss lightly.