The Euro, is it now time to join in?

[0iD]

At midnight Slovakia became the latest country to start using the Euro, bringing the tally of European countries using the single currency to 16.

Is it, in your opinion time for us to drop our airs & graces & join the single European curency, or is the GBP still our best option, with the independence it brings.

[Saracen]

Joining the Euro might well be our best bet but only when circumstances are right. And right now, they're a very long way from right.

It's a complex decision and, as is usually the case with economic decisions, there's aspects of joining that would help us and aspects that would hurt. There are reasons to join, and reason not to join, and probably always will be.

So it's a case of judging the balance of relative merits and disadvantages. On the basis of disparate interest rates alone, now is not the time.

And then, in addition to the economic arguments, there's the political factors. Do we want even more of our lives decided at a European level than we've already got? Do we go alone with the idea of a federal Europe, a United States of Europe or not? If you do, then joining the Euro is the next big step. But it is a political move as well as an economic one. And if we're going to do something that radical, we the people deserve to have a full, frank and open discussion about it, and then be asked to vote.

So, right now :-

- no to joining on economic grounds
- absolutely no to joining without a referendum
- and in my opinion, no to joining a federal Europe.

So that'll be a "no" then.

[Funkstar]

According to the rules of the Euro Zone (and from the little I have payed attention to when this has been discussed else where) we wouldn't be able to get into the Euro even if we all wanted.

The pound would have to be stable for x amount of time, same with our economy etc. This certainally isn't the case right now is it?

[0iD]

No, I'm anti Euro all the way, for many reasons & yes, some of them imperialist. But brown will keep chipping away, and it may be the case we see the economic downturn used to lever us into a bargaining position to cajole the country into accepting it.

[TAKTAK]

No, No, and triple No... Stirling all the way

[handscombmp]

I'm not to bothered but i don't think that now is the time as we'd hardly get any money

[Gfinch]

Yes! We should! It would be great! BUT, we aren't allowed to, due to our nation having too much national debt. The sterling is a joke.

[Blitzen]

Euros....
Rubels....,.
Buttons.....

Im not bothered what i get paid in as long as i can spend them.

I have to confess though, this Euro joining is very confusing and i dont know enough to have an informed opinion

[mediaboy]

Apparently 71% of Britain says no... There was an article on the BBC about it.

Of course, depending on how cynic you are, you have the right to ignore that article completely.

[Whiternoise]

Calling a dog a cat doesn't change anything. Switching to the Euro will not magically clear up Britain's debt.

[midzt]

I have to agree with the general consensus on here so far and say no.
As has been mentioned before we woouldn't be able to join right now anyway.
But with the current ecnomic crisis, I think that the flexibility of having our own monetary policies is very important to ensure that the effect of the crisis is lessened as much as possible.
Plus, if we changed now we would lost 30% odd of our wealth from a couple months ago. At least wait till the pound is strong again!

[ARBY]

Having voted FOR a Common Market, but being totally against a Federal Europe, I think the question should really be "Is it time to get out of the EU?"

[radar]

Britain needs something to remain BRITISH!!

[G4Z]

What about the national anthem, the royal family, parliament, driving on the left, fish and chips and all the other things that makes the UK what it is.

The currency is nothing at all to do with what makes us British, are we somehow 'less British' since we went with decimalisation?

Personally, I am all for a federal Europe, I don't see anything like a democracy here anyway so why not give up one rotating dictatorship for another. At least in Europe they have proper rules about civil liberties which won't be ignored, at least in Europe there are no Jacqui Smiths. Bring it on I say.

[Stringent]

Britain needs something to remain BRITISH!!

Fish n Chips

[Saracen]

What about the national anthem, the royal family, parliament, driving on the left, fish and chips and all the other things that makes the UK what it is.

The currency is nothing at all to do with what makes us British, are we somehow 'less British' since we went with decimalisation?

Personally, I am all for a federal Europe, I don't see anything like a democracy here anyway so why not give up one rotating dictatorship for another. At least in Europe they have proper rules about civil liberties which won't be ignored, at least in Europe there are no Jacqui Smiths. Bring it on I say.

I don't agree with you about a federal Europe, but what would be refreshing is if we, as a nation, were actually consulted by our politicians. It's about time we had a frank, open and honest national debate about where we want to be in some political Europe, and about exactly what the EU is and more relevantly, is NOT, and depending on what the EU is going to be, whether we want to be in it or not.

If the powers that be want a federal Europe, say so and sell it to us. And the same applies to all the other EU nations too. If they think that we need to be one country, would all be better off as one, then make the argument and convince us. I can't see it, personally, but I'll listen. Who knows, maybe I'll see the light (if seeing a light by listening isn't too badly garbled a metaphor).

What we do deserve is honesty and a chance to voice our vote. Then, if the majority want in, those that don't might not like it but it'll be the will of the people. But right now, successive governments, Labour and Tory, have taken us deeper and deeper down the federalisation path without once having had the honesty to admit what they're doing or where it leads.

That, more than anything, is what I detest about the EU. It is no longer anything remotely resembling what it was when we joined, and has become a long list of things we were explicitly promised we were not joining. If the people of this country want to be part of a federal Europe, then much though I don't like it I'd accept it. What I won't ever accept is that the handful of politicians that have done this to us had any right to do it, and until and unless the people are given their say, I will detest the institution we've been conned into by our leaders.

It's not just what the EU has become that I dislike. It's the way we've been dragged into it by the deceit of our leaders.