‘I warned the EU about this!'

Tony Blair blames Brussels for Brexit as they IGNORED him
TONY Blair accused the European Union of being to blame for Brexit as he claims the Brussels bloc ignored the right wing backlash.
The former Labour leader claimed the EU must focus on “real issues” such as energy, security and education, that can inspire voters.

And he insisted the change would help stem the rise of populism, which most recently saw Front National leader Marine Le Pen get to the second round runoff in the French presidential elections.

But he also lashed out at the bloc, as he claimed he had already warned them about the rise of the hard right - and is adamant the ignored his cautions.
Last month European defence ministers met in Malta to thrash out the next steps in creating the force.

Britain has long been opposed to the creation of an EU army, over fears it will ultimately undermine the NATO alliance by creating a rival command structure within Europe.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/80...s-European-Union-Brexit-ignored-populism-rise

EU Commission chief Mr Juncker ramped up his calls for the EU to have its own fighting force in light of the election of Donald Trump, who has brought into question US commitment to funding European defence.

The USA and Canada have their own separate military group in North America yet no one thinks that is a threat to NATO. More Brexit paranoia.

Previous German controlled plans to militarily dominate Europe have not worked out so well, have they Max...

So much for the remainers saying there would be no EU army, I'm sure the UK would have been forced to join something yet again that the British people didn't want.

The UK contributes to both NATO and UN forces (defensive / peace-keeping initiatives ) so presumably many agree with the general principle of pooling military assets for the perceived common good?

I'm agnostic on this particular matter but perhaps - with Brexit not far away - it's right that Britain recluses herself from these discussions?

G

Aaah the millionaire after-dinner speaker Tony Bliar, who led our country into bankruptcy, and who's open-door immigration policy led to you all paying thousands for your settlement visas.
Prat.

I cheered him to the rafters in 1997 when he ended 18 years of Tory misrule (the Michael Portillo "moment" was sublime) and he and Brown did much good in trying to repair the wrecked social infrastructure of the nation.

Iraq was clearly a defining moment - he was so far up Bush's arse it was disgusting to observe such servile sychophancy.

Downhill after that - his PR business earning millions supporting dictatorships around the world.

Gerry

P. S. - respectfully suggest you bone-up on the causes of the 2007/08 financial crash. You'll possibly conclude that greedy bankers in the USA selling mortgages to millions of people who couldn't afford them (and all the creative, unsustainable, wheezes like CDOs) were to blame.

I'm pretty well 'boned-up' thanks.

The fact remains, our government at the time were responsible for protecting our country from the screwups in the world that were likely to adversely affect us (and do you think that bank customers in this country were not encouraged to borrow too much ?).

That is their job... for which they are amply rewarded.

So how can you possibly conclude that the last Labour Government bankrupted the economy?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...woke-didnt-know-hed-save-world--lose-job.html

Why should Britain recluse itself? We remain full members of the EU until the end of March 2019 and would be expected to contribute money, men and materiele to Junckers' army.

Daily Mail ? Pah !

I will continue to live in the real world and form my opinions from that.

5 x salary mortgages ? Ridiculous.

As I say I'm not overly exercised by this either way - but one would assume that something as big as this - in terms of planning, treasure and materiele - cannot be delivered overnight - so maybe best if that blessed Theresa and the hapless buffoon Michael Fallon should concentrate on other more pressing matters.

Gerry

I despise the Daily Mail with a passion - which makes my point even more forcefully!

I'll see you Don...and raise you:-

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...s-report-lays-bare-city-hit-jackpot-sale.html

Okay, tell you what: we will write to Mother Theresa and ask her to kick the EU army into the long grass if you have a wee word with La Sturgeon and ask her to concentrate on her day job - which, you may need to remind her, is governing Scotland and not whining continuously about independence . Deal?!!

NATO requires us to send troops to die in Turkey to defend it against outside agression. Where is our sovereignty in that?

I personally think an EU military structure is sensible in the same way that the USA and Canada has a separate one, NORAD. No one has suggested an actual EU army, other than rabid Brexiteers. Fallon is in the news today for claiming to raise military numbers to 82000 when in fact it was a pledge not to allow numbers to drop below 82000. Well done Tory boy.

What news? The only reference I could find to this is a blog by someone calling himself "AnotherAngryVoice".

According to Ministry of Defence figures, there are just over 80,000 fulltime soldiers in the British Army and around 26,500 fully-trained reservists.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/fallon-talking-utter-nonsense-203x6xz2m