97 NOT OUT?

Prior to the 1997 election, a group of pro-Europeans issued a list of 97 reasons why the European Union is good for Britain. Ignoring the many times they repeated themselves, and the points which were totally laughable, this page examines what is left.

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1. 58% of our export goods go to the E.U., a vital part of Britain's exports.

Lying by omission. Include services, and the figure drops to 44%, really lower than it should be for a group of countries so geographically close. Neither do we need the Union for this; GATT (the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) protects us.

2. The E.U. has helped keep the peace for over 50 years, the longest unbroken period for over three centuries.

Oh please! Well, let's look at Europe's record. When Britain was engaged in the Falklands War, many of our 'partners' were actively trading with the Argentinians and/or refusing to help us. The Union proved totally ineffective in the Gulf War, and its only attempt to keep the peace in Europe ended in such farce in Yugoslavia that the Americans had to step in and sort things out!

3. Britons can live and work anywhere in the continent, with practically no restrictions.

Note the 'practically'. Germany and several other countries impose underhand and subtle restrictions on Britons living and working abroad, and the Union always fails to protect them.

4. Britain receives £1.5 billion a year from the Union, which helps create jobs.

Lying by omission again. Did someone forget to mention the £3.5 billion we have to give the Union every year - and that they tell us what we can and cannot do with the money we get from them?

5. Britain has more bargaining power in world affairs because of its ties to Europe.

Open lie. Take the recent GATT negotiations, when Britain was forced to go along with Europe and block progress until the French got what they wanted. Or the time Canadian fishermen blocked the French from poaching in their waters, and only public opinion in Britain forced the government to abandon the Union line. Such power!

9. Britain benefits from £13.3 billion of overseas investment, creating 98,000 E.U. market jobs.

Not relevant. When asked for their top five reasons for investing in Britain, foreign investors did not include membership of the Union as one of them. That came a massive twelfth.

10. Europe has imposed tough safety standards on many imported products, making them far safer.

Not relevant. The British parliament would have imposed its own standards anyway. And many of these restrictions were drawn up not to protect the customer, but inefficient Continental businesses from overseas competition. Also, the E.U. would like to force Britain to abandon the three-pin plug, in spite of the fact it is much safter than the European two-pin one.

11. British exports to the Union rose from £59 billion in 1990 to £89 billion in 1995.

And why? Solely because Britain was forced out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992, devaluing the pound and making British exports cheaper. Exports in real terms didn't change.

12. The Union has made for increased competition and cheaper prices.

WHAT!!! The Union has frequently propped up ailing state Continental airlines, and it still costs more to fly from London to Greece than it does to New York.

26. In 1995 we exported more goods to Holland than to the 'tiger economies' of China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Indonesia put together.

Lying by geography. Clearly being a Europhile means having no geographical knowledge at all - Holland is that little bit nearer, and easier to get to!

32. The Union has introduced a new green labelling scheme, identifying environmentally-friendly products.

Unnecessary. This point is made on several occasions in the '97', and the answer is always the same - the British government could have done exactly the same for less cost.

40. The Common Fisheries Policy has protected stocks in the North Sea, protecting fishermen's livelihoods.

Double lie. Not only has the CFP failed to protect stocks, the British fishing industry has crumbled as Britain (or rather Edward Heath) handed over its large fish stocks to other European countries, which have fished them to extinction and now want what we have left.

42. Britain has received £18.5 billion over the past eight years, helping regenerate inner city areas and creating more jobs.

Bull. This is part of our own money handed back (see 4 above).

53. One million Britons take advantage of the Union to work and study abroad.

Irrelevant. They would work or study abroad, Union or no Union. And there are proportionally far more elsewhere in the world.

68. The Union stopped the French from discriminating against British ski instructors.

Wrong. They only stopped the French from openly discriminating against them. The discrimination is now more subtle, and if anything stronger. This 'case study' features several times in the list, always wrongly.

81. The Union was responsible for removing the limit on pay-outs to victims of sex discrimination.

Not something to be proud of. In Britain this led to a spate of crazy pay-outs to pregnant women who left the armed services, costing the taxpayers millions.

88. A Britain outside Europe would have less influence in the Union courts, and would be unable to contest unfair subsidies.

Hell, we can't even contest them now! As already mentioned, Britain has failed to stop the Union from propping up inefficient Continental state airlines with British money, whereas the E.U. courts frequently interfere to the detriment of British businesses.

89. Overseas investors would be less likely to invest in a Britain outside the Union.

Not true. An argument nicknamed 'the Toyota Question', after the chairman of that company went on record as saying his company's investment in Britain could be in jeopardy if Britain withdrew. Incidentally on the same day two other top bosses went on record saying it would have no effect whatsoever - but they weren't given quite the same coverage!

95. Britain outside Europe would have to subsidize its own farmers.

But .... This could be done by the money we save from not propping up the Common Agricultural Policy - and it would also bring down prices in the shops.