Handbags   (The sad, the bad and the ugly. Non-productive stuff here.)

Good morning Rosbott.

I'm with you all the way, except on the following;

"Common Market that wastes MILLIONS of POUNDS EVERY YEAR bailing out other countries that would love to see GREAT BRITAIN go down the drain."

Bail out, that 100% correct.
However, its not a gift, its a loan that has to be paid back,
A) To the ECB.
B) Individual Countries that made loans to those countries that needed the bail out.

I'm from Wigan but have lived in Ireland for well over 40 years - I still hold my British Passport - that will not change.

The UK offered Ireland a 7 billion loan - that has not yet been taken up by Ireland - but now ask yourself why.

When the bubble burst, the man in the street wanted to BURN the Senior Bond Holders - in short that means - other countries that speculated on the Irish Markets would loose all of their investments.
The Irish man who also "invested in Irsh Bank shares" have lost out, their shares are worthless.
But Senior Bond Holders are protected - their investments are safe.
The ECB would not allow Ireland to BURN them.
IF that could have happened, the UK Banks would have lost a hell of a lot more than the 7 billion on offer.

The UK is not in the ECB, but all other EU countries are.

The UK can devalue its currency, those EU countries whose currency is the Euro - cannot devalue.
Thats what the loss of sovereignty really means, its nothing to do with having the "Queens" head on the coins - its all about no longer having the rights to run your country (financially) in the way that you want, or would like to.

IN Ireland, we have 15 years of austerity measures, during which time "those loans" will be paid back.
I, as a almost 72 year old, have not been effected.

Free Travel pass Bus/Train anywhere in Ireland.
Free TV licence.
400 Unit of Free Electricity + 14% reduction on bill because I pay by DD, On Line bIlling, and not in arrears.
Free Medical Card.
My current monthly phone bill is 53 euros, that includes broadband, and 2 euro/month for UK & Italy phone calls.
I receive a 26 euro phone allowance.
The OAP in Ireland is one of the highest in Europe and will not be touched.

Have a nice day.