This is going to be interesting! We can watch what actions Brussels takes against the Swiss! Like looking into the future? BBC News - Swiss immigration: 50.3% back quotas, final results show It will demonstrate what could happen to the UK if: 1) We ever get the promised vote on EU membership. 2) UK Votes and leaves EU and brings in EU immigration quotas..... Gliddofglood, You should be able to give us the inside story
Yes, my point is what will Brussels do to the EFTA when Switzerland introduces EU immigration quotas?
That's the thing, what will the EU do? By withdrawing from reciprocal immigration arrangements, will the Swiss be excluded from advantageous financial and trade arrangements? "You are either in or you are out." Which leads us to the question, did the referendum outline likely outcomes in either case, voting to stay in or voting to partially withdraw? How informed were the Swiss people?
OMG, I am in agreement with 749er, again Still Scotland can apply to join EFTA if it wins independence, which it wont :wink:
Doh! Post gazumped, thanks Glidd .......I still think it'll be really interesting to see how things could pan out for Blighty if we follow the Swiss model.
Swiss have always been insular and conservative. I remember some years ago in certain local elections "newcomers" were ineligible to stand. " Newcomers" were those whose families had arrived in the canton after 1618.
NO. Just stating a fact. I spent a lot of time in Switzerland in the 80s,climbing. Found the people civilized, generous, friendly and helpful. But there was always a certain reserve.
I really like the fact that the Swiss people vote and the Government do as they are instructed. I have long been a fan of having votes on major issues instead of the MP's doing what is in their, and the lobbyists, interests. All done online/mobile apps to get a really high level of the population voting........no it'll never happen, they know best!
Joking aside, this will test that system imo and show whether the govt actually follow the people or not. Although half the votes didn't want restrictions did they?
The Swiss really are the canary in the coal mine on this. [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Well, clearly the two sides punted different arguments at us: The "keep it all as it is" side said that the EU would beat us up, cancel all bilateral arrangements, and send our economy into the dark ages. The "piss-off EU, we want to decide how much immigration" camp said that was all bollocks and the the EU have a whole heap to gain from Switzerland, like plenty of EU citizens working in the place (who aren't going to be asked to leave, let's face it) and trans-border day workers. Not to mention a balance of trade that probably favours the EU, and some handy roads through the Alps for EU goods. So they said, call their bluff. My view is that the people run this country. Not the politicians, and definitely not a load of politicians in Brussels for whom we haven't voted in any shape or form, not even by proxy. We will decide how we want to run things here, thank you very much. Of course the EU politicians are now beginning to flex their muscles, especially the God-awful Viviane Reding who is a sort of female equivalent to Sepp Blatter in my demonology. Fucking cow. The Swiss need to start cosying up to Cameron now, but I doubt they have the diplomatic nous. Mind you, Cameron isn't blessed with much of that either.[/FONT]
Who is the EU nowadays though? I mean isn't it simply Germany and France in the main keeping it knitted together? if so since when would they listen to Brussels when it came to dealings with Switzerland /UK. the whole EU thing whilst a good idea in principal is a bit flawed isn't it, I mean its nothing more than a paid members club that you have to continuously analyse to check if what your putting in is worth what you're getting out. the world worked no different before the eu, trade still happened, jobs still existed and as far as I can tell the sun still came up everyday. Yes it'd be bad for employment....... But only if your job entailed being some fat cat euro mp getting paid a shit load for doing next to sweet fa.
