Eek! I've just lost another hour of my life!

[whole diary]

[Tim]

No problem with agreeing to change our clocks to CET^▸ (Controlled Emission Toilet) if it is agreed with other European nation states.  I would object to it being imposed by the EU^» (European Union - about).

It is the difference between intergovernmentalism and supranationalism.  The first is democratic and the second, the EU model, is totalitarian.

Before you ask what is the difference as applied to the clocks, ask yourself would we be able to move back to GMT if we decided it was in our national interest at some future date.  I bet if the EU was behind the move the answer would be no.  But if the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) freely entered into an agreement with friendly neighbouring countries it would be free to unagree as well which is much more democratic. 

[devon_metro]

Sorry, but I bet it's another way the EU^» (European Union - about) are trying to control our lives. Get the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), who DEFINE time, to change OUR time to match theirs. Just because theirs is wrong. (France and Spain should be same as us, etc.)

No - they should change theirs. And we should stick up for ourselves, before it's too late!

Appalling!

And I thought you voted Red!!!

[Phil]

Didn't we already try experimenting with CET^▸ (Controlled Emission Toilet) a few years back? I have vague memories of one year's change being quite a bit different to usual

[Btline]

Tim's got the point - if we carry on the way we're going, it WILL be irreversible.

Please note, I've got nothing against Europe and its peoples. It's the EU^» (European Union - about), and it's obsession of forcing the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) to throw out its way of doing things to adopt European ways. So I'm glad there's a tunnel and not a wall. i also object to the fact that we've lost control of borders etc.... [Cue: eurosceptic rant, which I'll spare you]

Yes, D/M I do vote Red. But I disagree over the EU (hence vote UKIP in EU elections). Does anyone agree 100% with the party they vote for. I doubt it!

[devon_metro]

Yes, D/M I do vote Red. But I disagree over the EU^» (European Union - about) (hence vote UKIP in EU elections). Does anyone agree 100% with the party they vote for. I doubt it!

Indeed, it simply struck me as an incredibly un-socialist thing to say.

They again, the Reds don't exactly bat for that team anymore!

[inspector_blakey]

i also object to the fact that we've lost control of borders etc....

Wot...?! I'd swear that every time I come in through Heathrow there are lots of British immigration officers checking passports. The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) isn't party to the Schengen "open borders" agreement and maintains full control over its borders: a Schengen visa isn't good for travel to the UK, only actual UK visas (unless you're entitled to travel visa-free).

And don't forget that a British passport is an exremely valuable document, giving you the right to work and reside in other EU^» (European Union - about) countries as long as you're not a burden on the public purse.

Come on Btline, I know you get a bit overexcited but you can do better than that!

[Btline]

(a) Post Lisbon, I'll give it 5 years before the Schrengren (or whatever) open borders agreement is forced on us. I hope I'm wrong.

(b) Come on - we have effectively no control on the numbers when dealing with EU^» (European Union - about) immigration. Only on the radio the other day, a Labour politician (forgotten who) was talking about using the points based system to cope with immigration numbers outside the EU. Of course the gov have NO control of EU borders.

[smokey]

The 1952 Titfield Thunderbolt film, when Mr Valentine is asked by the good Lady, "Do you Know what time it is?" 

His reply is "Yes my dear Double Summer time."

So yes we have had GMT +2 before.

[JayMac]

And don't forget that a British passport is an extremely valuable document.......

Indeed. Mossad seem to prize them quite highly. 

[johoare]

So I'm glad there's a tunnel and not a wall.

Me too.. Otherwise when I try and get to Brussels in a couple of weeks it's going to hurt a lot.. Sorry to distract from the politics but it's in the Lighter Side so I thought I would 

[Tim]

Yes, D/M I do vote Red. But I disagree over the EU^» (European Union - about) (hence vote UKIP in EU elections). Does anyone agree 100% with the party they vote for. I doubt it!

I vote LD (who are more Pro-EU than Labour), but UKIP in the Euro-elections.

international cooperation is fine and has a long history in which Britain has played an important role - NATO, the European Patent Office, OECD.  The EU is different because it was deliberatley designed (by Monet and Salter) to be only partly democratic and to place the real power with an unelected supra-national authority.  The founders of the EU did this deliberately because they thought (wrongly IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion)) that too much democracy without a benign authority to reign it in, would result in counties taking popularist right wing and unpleasant directions. 

Reform that EU to make it democratic and I will be right behind it.