SPIEGEL Interview with Tony Blair: 'Leaving Europe Would Be Very Bad for Britain'

[sysop]

British Prime Minister David Cameron intends to hold a referendum on his country's future in the European Union. His predecessor Tony Blair tells SPIEGEL why that is extremely risky and says it ignores the benefits EU membership has brought to Britain.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-880047.html

[SHBasse]

Thank you for a very sensible and balanced article.
The main topic GB/EU is interesting and straight forward, but what can be harvested as a very important by product are the facts about the future conditions for the old industrialized countries:
Blair: I think it is bound to be preoccupied with itself right now. The problem for Europe is very, very simple: For reasons of globalization, demography, and technology, all developed countries will have to change radically. The social model of Europe has got to reform if Europe is to remain competitive. That doesn't mean abandoning the values of the social model, but it means recognizing that the world around us has changed and we have to change with it. The issue now is to recognize that Europe is going to exist in a completely different economic and geopolitical context. It's not a left-right-issue. It's not about ideology. It's about an understanding of how fast and how much the world has changed and how we have to change to keep up with it.
Mr. Blair has grasped that the monetary problem is the least of evils. The fundamental problem is competitiveness.
One thing is to recognize what has gone wrong, another is to recognize why we have landed in such a mess!
http://unifiedscience2.blogspot.com/...-downturn.html
Mr. Blair takes for granted that we must accept that the old industrialized countries (EU and the USA) in future will be medium size, second rate players in geopolitics.
Fortunately as can be seen in the above mentioned article the understanding of why we have landed in the present situation also leads to an understanding of how the old industrialized countries can remain on top.
The troublesome point is that to remain on top radical structural changes (that dwarfs the EU/UK issue) will have to be implemented!

[Iwantout]

Never forget that this is the same Tony Blair who was forced to promise a UK referendum on the EU Constitution because of the rising tide of public anger against the direction of EU movement. A promise he never had to fulfil because the French and Dutch voted no and amazingly enough there was then no point in letting the British have their say. Then to crown this achievement, Labour decided that the Lisbon Treaty was so different from the failed Constitution that no voting was necessary for that either.

If you asked the British (of any political party or no party at all) most would tell you he is deeply distrusted across the country, and I suspect if he were to campaign in any referendum he would actually damage the side he supported.

[thorpeman@sky.com]

Originally Posted by sysop

British Prime Minister David Cameron intends to hold a referendum on his country's future in the European Union. His predecessor Tony Blair tells SPIEGEL why that is extremely risky and says it ignores the benefits EU membership has brought to Britain.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-880047.html

The UK isn't threatening to leave the EU its just a statement of fact. If the round peg doesn't fit in the square hole its not going to change its shape. How can it be a threat? what does the EU stand to lose if the UK left tomorrow? nothing. It will be rid of the buffers to progress & the creation of the single European Superstate which is the obvious agenda of the leaders & shakers within the EU. They want to create a state that will compete with the USA & China in all spheres of life & this will only happen if the UK leaves the Union & allows it to integrate & grow

[BillSperco]

Tony Blair shaped the massive Euroscepticism of the majority of the British electorate by refusing to gain consent for his actions. He unilaterally signed up to the Social Chapter which has caused huge problems in the Health System by imposing a way of work which was different to the tradition. In his years as premier he was party to the political fraud of signing the Lisbon Treaty after he was committed to a referendum. He refused the referendum as the Lisbon Treaty was not the Constitution, though it pretty much embodied every significant term within it. Without championing Britain joining the Euro he marginalised Britain. By permitting and encouraging vast increases in Public Spending, he caused the crash in the UK in 2008. So for Tony Blair to now state that Britain should stay in the EU at whatever cost, it is purely self interest in the vain hope that the EU would appoint him to the Presidency that Sarkozy promised to deliver of he signed the Lisbon Treaty.

Most of Europe would like any other end to a German dominated Europe; even the Germans believe this to be dangerous. Blair was indolent when he could have prevented this, but he was too happy committing British servicemen to pointless Wars in the promise for future contracts after he left office.

All that can be said of Blair is that he suceeded in feathering his own nest in office and sadly he has nothing to contribute to the debate.

Now the British people have to decide whether it is in or out. If the EU wants the UK to remain it must help the polticians with terms that they can sell.

[sylvesterthecat]

I do not like Blair but I'm glad he's so against Britain leaving Europe.

Everything this prat touched or had anything to do with, turned pear shaped. It will take us decades to fix what he has destroyed and probably longer to recover from the economic damage he wreaked on us.

I'm so glad he is against Britain leaving Europe, come the referendum I can vote to leave the EU without concern.

I'd have been really worried had he supported a British exit.

[Englander]

The reason Tony Blair is in favour of continuing membership of the EU is because he has a desire to become the EU President, which might be difficult if the UK is not in the EU. He has shown himself to be driven by naked self-interest both during his premiership and even moreso since, and his reappearance on the fringes of public life is offensive to the majority of the British. Iraq should be a vivid and permanent reminder of the sort of politician he is.

He is also incorrect when he claims that there is a solid majority for staying in the EU. Poll after poll show a disenchantment with the bloated, obstructive and undemocratic Union amongst the clear majority of respondents.

One thing that Cameron said that rang true - that the dialogue to date has been between states (national leaders who live in the political bubble) not between peoples. It is time the people had their say, and the politicians stayed quiet. In 1975 the British people were lied to. We voted for a Common Market, not a government of Europe. There is no sensible reason why all European countries could not peacefully coexist in a free trade area. We don't want or need the rest of the expensive panoply of European integration.