Vagueness of EU future could hit UK economy – Deputy PM

Published time: January 15, 2013 12:57
Edited time: January 15, 2013 16:57
British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.(AFP Photo / Georges Gobet)

Uncertainty around the future of economic ties between Britain and the EU could scare investors away from the country, as well as create higher unemployment, is concerning Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The EU is now re-thinking its treaty seeking to gain further integration of eurozone countries. On Friday Prime Minister David Cameron, a Conservative, is set to out his aim for Britain and the EU and possibly reshape ties with the bloc, as Reuters reports.

While the UK wants to take advantage of possible changes, it remains a question whether they will have much to do with Britain, according to Clegg, who leads the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives' junior coalition partner. This creates unhealthy uncertainty over the British economy, that could damage its business profile and real environment, Clegg warns.

"The eurozone is changing, that is obvious. We do not know when that will manifest itself in a new treaty, and we don't know if there is a new treaty. Some significant states in the eurozone do not want any treaty change at all," Reuters quotes Clegg as saying on BBC radio.

"We should be very careful at a time when the British economy is still haltingly recovering from the worst economic shock in a generation to create a very high degree and prolonged period of uncertainty, because in my view uncertainty is the enemy of growth and jobs," he added.

UK membership in the EU has become a point of heated debate between various politicians, with about a half of the country’s population believing that the crisis provided an ideal opportunity for the UK to leave the bloc. David Cameron leads a predominantly euro-sceptic Conservative Party, where many of its members are insisting to hold a referendum on the destiny of UK’s membership in the union, or a so-called ‘in-out vote,' which Cameron doesn’t support.

However, a split up of business ties that have been developing for 54 years within the bloc initially known as the European Economic Community (EEC) would be extremely painful for any member state. Both the UK top authorities and the business community understand that and want to retain access to the European market.

Comments (5)

western girl (unregistered) 16.01.2013 03:32

Britain really has no say anymore as it has morphed into a homogenous   mess with Europe and the US and is  run by banksters and staying afloat only with the petro-dollar.  When the petro dollar is replaced by the  petro-gold Britain will  flounder as it is no longer has gold reserves or  a huge industry to support its currency  and civil unrest will ensue  on a very big scale. The last words of the outgoing treasurer  of the labour govt to the incoming of tresurer of the conservarive govt is "good luck,you are going to need it because there is no  money left." The clowns running the govt in Britain today jump up and down, spout   and shout and  run around the world  to this venue  and that, pin medals on each others chests and say that Britain is comming out of recession.  The truth is it can't it has nothing to pull itself  out with,  and there are no rabbits comming out of the hat in this circus  and if the population try to change things they get criminalised, thrown in jail, or dubbed as terrorists, spies, or undesirables. The population of Britain are becomming spectators of their own lives, not participants and the govt and military are now  separate from the people and the needs of the people.

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webby tarps (unregistered) 15.01.2013 18:38

Collapse by design. The post-democratic (Socialist) era is here. Socialist subversion is the order of the day. Cameron and Clegg disagreeing on issues is just part of the show. "Common Purpose" has infiltrated all aspects of UK business. Their job is to bankrupt the UK system, whether it's our national health service, education, Policing...etc. The end result is to privatize all that was once nationalised. The Corporation rules people!  The health system will be replaced by Insurance companies, the Police replaced by security firms etc etc. It's Hitlers wet dream in the 21st century. A cashless system is now on the table for the welfare state, whereby the government will be able to monitor all transactions by the jobless. (banning them from cigarettes, alcohol and Sky TV) Why Sky TV i here you ask? Well, the BBC has dominance over the "freeview" alternative, 1000+ COMMON PURPOSE trained BBC employee's ensure the UK populous gets fed the right diet of government propaganda. Anyways,  Food banks continue to grow in popularity while the elderly choose between heating or eating tonight. Like I said, this article is all about the show, the fake show that politics loves to act out in this country. Until the secretive organisation "Common Purpose" is exposed and understood we will continue to watch this once great nation morph into a North Korean nightmare.

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Richard (unregistered) 15.01.2013 16:36

What it really comes down to is that Britain does not like the idea of being told what to do by others. Britain thought that they would be the tail that wags the dog and now because they cannot get what they want, i.e. rule to the rest of Europe, they want out. Want out, get out but don't destroy peoples' lives in the process.Example - Cameron wants all Bulgarians and Romanians to have a visa to travel to Britain. How absurd is this, at the moment when Britain is in the EU as with Bulgaria and Romania - free movement ect etc. Because of this this will create waves against the English in Bulgaria. Those who want to settle in their retirement.Why does this idiot not state visas for the Latvians, Serbians, Belarussians, Germans, French, Spanish, Irish, Portuguese etc etc.

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