We hate EU too but we are staying

[topum]

Danish daily Berlingske on Thursday published a rare English-language editorial imploring Britain to "please stay" in the EU, amid fears the eurosceptic Scandinavian country could lose a key ally in Brussels.



"As a nation, we in Denmark understand your scepticism about the EU, perhaps better than any other country. Three times we voted no - in 1992, 2000 and 2015 - but never out," the right-wing daily wrote in an editorial it posted in both English and Danish.

"Let us stay and fight for pragmatic, better and more sustainable European solutions," it said, adding that Britain's voice was needed in the EU to "fight for free trade and (for) breaking down regulation and bureaucracy."

A cartoon on the paper's front page showed a door marked with an EU flag slamming shut on a half naked man with a bowler hat and an umbrella, tearing off his Union Jack suit as it closed behind him.

There has been speculation that Denmark — which, like Britain, has euroskeptic tendencies and its own currency — might follow the U.K.’s lead if British voters decide later this month to terminate their nation’s membership in the political bloc. In December, Danes fueled that conjecture by rejecting an opportunity to establish closer ties with the EU by voting down a referendum to adopt the group’s cross-border policing.

Denmark has been a reluctant member of the EU since joining in 1973, rejecting the Maastricht Treaty in a 1992 referendum and only saying "yes" the following year after being granted opt-out clauses on the euro, defence, and justice and home affairs.

Danish voters also rejected joining the euro in 2000, and proposals to lift some of the country's exemptions on EU justice rules were turned down in a referendum in December last year.

Like his British counterpart David Cameron, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wants to curb European migrants' access to child benefits, but with exports accounting for just over half of the country's economic output there are few politicians who back leaving the bloc completely.

http://www.thelocal.dk/20160623/we-hate-the-eu-too-but-please-stay-danish-daily-urges-britain

And of course Denmark’s support for remaining in the European Union has risen sharply since the UK voted to leave while the number of people demanding a similar referendum has dropped sharply as people saw that it actually can happen if you ask for it and vote for it. The morning after Brexit was announced, Rasmussen ruled out the possibility of the country holding a vote on EU membership.

I actually know a number of people who would really want the referendum to leave the EU to happen and would eagerly vote to leave the EU...if only someone could guarantee that they would definitely lose. Sticking two fingers up at the EU - oh yes please, but actually leaving - oh no!

Comments

[diejacobsleiter.livejournal.com]

After the referendum, there were two possibilities:

1. Brexit provokes the domino effect, and other countries start to look at the door;
2. Brexit frightens the other EU countries and so they stick together even closer.

I think, it's early to decide which of them is coming true. Countries would like to observe how brexit goes in a longer prospective. Then we'll see what tendency prevails...

[topum.livejournal.com]

Watching what happens to Britain is of limited value for most countries though because it would be very different for them if they left. UK is huge, with Europe's only truly global financial centre, etc.

Denmark always has been one of the most (if not the most) eurosceptic members of the EU and an ally of the UK in opposing Brussels within the EU. Very closely tied to the UK economy wise too.

[diejacobsleiter.livejournal.com]

"Watching what happens to Britain is of limited value for most countries because it would be very different for them if they left. "

I agree. But at least they'll see how painful (or not) the divorce procedure could be, and what unexpected economic consequences it could bring. If they see a disaster, they'll think twice.

I am not an expert. But Denmark seems to behave wiser. If a little baby walks awkwardly, it's not a reason to say "damn you" and break its legs...

[bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com]

With everything going on, I'm think we should have a 2nd Vote about whether we should change the National Anthem of the UK to this instead

I vote yes, we can work some dance into a routine.

[topum.livejournal.com]

That would be great, I like this song. It would be fun if the Queen had to sing it when opening the Parliament.

Some locals here in Moldova think that after the UK leaves some others like Denmark will eventually leave too and and go into free movement of labour and common market with the UK and then also have agreements with non-EU EEA countries like Norway, Switzerland and Iceland and then other rich sceptics like Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Austria also leave the EU and join the new UK led thing. So Europe will end up split in two parts and set up for the next war. I just drank my beer and listened ).

[bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com]

That is my great fear too - obviously I do want my own country to be successful, but it might be better for Europe generally if we do crash and burn.I don't think we did it do for these reasons, but pre-Brexit there was a suggestion that the UK carried on as projected it could have a go at matching Germany. We all know the Italian economy hasn't got much longer to live, I'm not overly optimistic about Spain or France either, if those deadweight Germany that's going to be problem....and then there's Greece, which is never going to be fine inside the Euro. I think there's about a 50:50 chance that either the UK implodes into a whimper, or it implodes into a Black Hole that sucks everything in, it'll largely depend on the critical mass of London I suspect. If the UK basically runs it's own economic non-political EU then yes I can see theoretically how were going to suck everyone on over to the dark side.

I can only apologise for being such utter bastards quite honestly, but in order to survive I suspect we're going to attempt a much more ruthless, less paternalistic EU Mark II where their aren't any proper rules.

[bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com]

You'll perhaps be able to understand this, but I don't think non-Londoners realise just how lethal London has become in the past 10 years - I was explaining to the Americans the other day that basically the Vote now makes London a fully Operational Death Star piloted entirely by Ewoks.... whereas at least before it was operated by Imperial Fleet Officers with engineering degrees and safety goggles.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I'm interested, would you care to explain further? Lethal in what sense? What do you fear the Ewoks might do?

(I'm British but have never lived in London)

[bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com]

I'd say that London is basically operating as it's own Global City-State in it's own City-State interests and aggressively seeks to annihilate rival City States in order to get more money and power for itself. Before it's at least been tethered to the EU and EU rules. Whereas now it's going to potentially be floating free, largely unrestrained. If it sees a potential rival it's going to take co-ordinated action to defend itself. I.e corporations HQ potentially leaving for Berlin, the suggestion was raised that we'd now have the lowest corporation tax in the Western World which is liable to decimate Ireland for starters.. The City has a weird economy, that can do weird things and put itself into siege mode for years. Before at least when it was part of the larger Empire it coordinated and fitted into a larger game plan of logistical retrainedness and followed a chain of command. Now it's controlled entirely by Ewoks it's going to float around without any sort of larger team to be part of. If the [now enemy] neighbouring star destroyers start restricting the biscuit supply to the detriment of the Ewoks, the Ewoks are going to laser beam them I would have thought.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

An interesting way of putting it. I think that there are people outside London who voted 'Leave' who would agree with you, and that's *why* they voted 'leave'.

Well, it's going to be fascinating finding out what will happen. I keep thinking that chap who was everywhere in the 90's talking about the 'end of history' must be feeling awfully silly now.

[bluemeanybeany.livejournal.com]

yes the slight problem being the hijacked Death Star is powering, feeding and sustaining the rest of the Ewokian civilisation....and having pushed the "Imperial Experts" out of an airlock the Ewoks don't ACTUALLY understand any part of how the Death Star either manoeuvres or functions or on what deck the biscuit supplies are stored.