Cameron and the EU In-Out referendum

By Emma Dickinson, L6

Membership of the European Union has always been a much debated and controversial topic, within the UK, with both supporters and Eurosceptics carrying entirely different views on the matter.

Picture Credit: unlockdemocracy.org.uk/

David Cameron, since becoming Prime Minister in the 2010 General Election has become increasingly aware of the public's divided opinion on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union, or whether it should stop its involvement. As a result, Cameron has proposed that, should the Conservative party be voted into office again, (but with a single majority instead of a coalition), in 2015, then an EU referendum will take place.

This could potentially be seen as a "bribe" to the middle ground swing voters (such as UKIP or the Liberal Democrats) to offer them something which no other mainstream party is offering. Is Cameron, in effect, trying to buy votes?

Whether there is a referendum or not, economically, there is absolutely no way that the UK can afford to leave the EU (as the amount of loss in exports to Europe has been estimated to be massive, and at a time where the UK economy is only just starting to recover from a recession, this is, realistically, the last thing that is needed). If we consider the consequences for a political leader who is navigating through a fragile economic recovery and who then agrees to cut off a huge source of exports for the country. Then this might be seen as "political suicide".

Picture Credit: ONS

As a leader, David Cameron's legacy, as it stands, only shows him being a coalition Prime Minister but he would ideally, (as would any aspiring PM), like to be the Prime Minister with a large, single party, majority. The concerning question is how Cameron can possibly achieve this, whilst coming out of a fragile economic situation, where the political opinion is very wide spread. Cameron is clearly looking for a majority in Parliament in the 2015 election, and it could be suggested that an effective way to persuade some of the electorate to give him their vote is to offer an EU Referendum.

Cameron promises a referendum in this video:



The counter argument to this may concern the reasons why the UK still wants to be linked to an industrial zone which is financially broken and in significant need of (both banking and political) reform. By being associated with it, might the UK be dragged down? Politically, in the UK, people are getting irritated with continuously being "told" by European Legislators what they can and can't do. For example, the retirement age always used to be the normal state retirement age, be that 63, 65 or 67. However, under European Legislation  there is no retirement age (although countries are free to set their own retirement ages). Therefore, an employer will potentially have to continue employing someone forever. Clearly, the idea behind the EU legislation is to provide employment with people of an older age (which is understandable, as we are all living longer) but from an employer's point of view, how is it fair is this?

Ultimately, the debate continues over this matter, but change may be around the just corner...only the 2015 General Election will tell.