Cameron urges 'flexible and imaginative' EU reforms

The very pro-Europe Cameron trying to hold a gun to the head of Europe while bigger ones are being held to his by far more than 27 nuts on his benches. The Tories are cannibals and Dave looks quite plump.

So what does he actually want? It's becoming quite clear that he really didn't expect to win the election and have to make this trip to Europe. Cameron is a joke.

'So what does he actually want?'

He's got no idea apart from looking tough for his backbenchers having given those continentals what for. That's about it. They certainly haven't forgotten his speech saying how he had a vision of Europe which stretched to the Urals. Spring pantomime season.

I'm afraid arithmetically no single net contributors can leave. The Eagles 'Hotel California' is the last word on the subject, 'you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave' key Joe Walsh guitar old, bend that string.

If only Spain, Italy, Portugal, and France could be spared the inevitable, giggle at your discretion but Greece has a economy roughly the size of Detroit, always has, however Greece has been allowed to accumulate a debt of 177% of GDP.... the really is the burden is unsustainable to the sheer size of the liabilities at some point politically the rock meets the hard place. The only exit route would be a credible commitment from the north to mutualise the debts of Spain, Italy, Portugal and possibility France......

Then we have CAP liabilities, budgets for European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development are unsustainable.

On top of that the European Parliament want UK benefit system to move towards a solely contributory based European model with all the ramifications that would have to social cohesion in the UK. In-work tax credits and housing benefit would essentially disappear replaced with a sliding scale based on contribution.

I have not even broached the catastrophic effect of a sliding scale of import tariff restrictions would have on France and Germany export market if UK voted to ditch the present arrangement and it got politically messy. Britain could arbitrarily import from Japan and the US at zero tariffs if free to do so.

Britons won't vote to leave the EU, whether Cameron gets a deal or not. Only a few swivel eyed loons really have a taste for utter economic ruin.

On top of that the European Parliament want UK benefit system to move towards a solely contributory based European model with all the ramifications that would have to social cohesion in the UK. In-work tax credits and housing benefit would essentially disappear replaced with a sliding scale based on contribution.

I don't think the European parliament has ever said they want this, have they? If they were to even care, they would probably be happy with the current system which complies with EU non-discrimination rules. It's actually some people in Britain who want to change the benefits system to one which determines eligibility by nationality; which clearly violates EU rules. The contributory system is just one of the ideas which could work to restrict benefits for newly arrived EU migrants in a legal way.

The EU institutions will do whatever it takes to make sure Great Britain remains a member of the EU. If Treaty change is required then treaty change if will be..Only a swivel eye loon would think otherwise. Economic ruin are weasel words for the unemployed youth of Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/29/angela-merkel-hints-revising-lisbon-treaty-accommodate-david-cameron-demands

end of the day UK needs the EU more than the other way around

Hi M3M3M3 I not fully aware under which area 'harmonization' is being proposed, employment and social policy I told,

However there are summaries to wade though, and a OECD In It Together: 'Why Less Inequality Benefits All' published on the 21 may apparently covers proposals. Employment, social affairs and inclusion gives a up to date country by country break down but 'habitual residency' will confuse. Proposals will be presented in next month's summit. Cameron reform agenda could well have come too late, if Greek bail-out ultimatum talks fail to reach agreement. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius as usual misses the point entirely..

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/summary/chapter/employment_and_social_policy.html?root_default=SUM_1_CODED%3D17&locale=en

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=858

http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/employment/in-it-together-why-less-inequality-benefits-all_9789264235120-en