Think before you post.

EDIT: People already mentioned this.

If the EU refused a free trade agreement with the UK out of spite, despite the huge cost to the citizens of the EU if they did that, that should show you that the EU is run by narcissistic despots and it'd be best to get out quick.

Are we not forgetting that without the EU, the UK would be free to independently form free trade deals with other countries. North America and East Asia are forming the TPP, a free trade union across the pacific nations. Having the EU protectionists in control of the UK's international trade agreements prevents the UK from getting involved in other pacts around the globe.

Not entirely true. If you were a serial rapist and child murderer you would be arrested as soon as you got to the airport/dock because there would almost certainly be a European Arrest Warrant filed.

True, but how much negotiating prowess do you think we would have without the rest of the EU? The whole point of being in the EU is that when it comes to negotiation, you have the backing of the largest economic zone in the world. It becomes a lot easier to dictate terms compared to a single country.

But what your describing, wouldn't that be simply swapping one problem with the same problem but in a different group?

I still find it shocking he's in charge of one of the main political parties.

Stupid unions.

Countries in the TPP: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru,Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.

I don't think we need help negotiating trade deals, when Peru can do it.

They didn't get any in the last general election? Or am I missing something

Did they get a good deal?

And surely the problem of being part of this group would be exactly the same as with the EU? How much control do we lose when joining another economic pact?

Lol keep dreaming that, the UK needs the EU far more than the other way around. A lot of the EU money goes back to britain and they block a lot of great intiatives because their anti EU stand. If the Brits want to leave, good riddance but the consequence for Britain will be way harsher than most imagine. UK  isn't the same mighty power it was a few decennia ago that always gets what it wants, deals will have to be made. Deals which will be worse than what they have now with the EU

It's not, and the EU has problems. My point was that it's easier for escaping criminals to get arrested when they try and move through the EU.

Even with all the problems the EU brings, I think it's still in our best interests to stay in. If Cameron could renegotiate our position then great (although I don't have much faith in him). But I don't see the point of jumping out of the EU and still being dictated by a lot of their economic rules. Afterall, we would still need to trade with them but instead of little influence we would have no influence to dictate policy.

There are also other benefits to being in the EU. One that often gets overlooked by most people (because it's not their field) is the advantages to Research (Uni and smaller startups). We get a lot of money from the EU specifically for Research purposes. For every £1 they put in, our economy benefits 3-fold from the discoveries and the companies that start up from the findings (not to mention the extra jobs). But that's overlooking the simple fact that a lot of our research in this country is now collaborative and jumping out of the EU would seriously hinder our place in the World. We currently punch well above our weight in the science and technology sectors. We have a good number of small and medium sized businesses spinning out of university research and none of this would be possible if the research collaborations weren't in place. Swiss R&D for instance has taken a significant hit in recent years simply down to the lack of significant collaboration with instituitions outside the country.