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There is growing political pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron of Great Britain to hold a national referendum to vote for withdrawal from the European Union.
Britons are becoming increasingly restive over Europe’s attempts to gain more control over laws, banks, immigration and other traditionally national concerns.
Some European countries see increased integration as the key to improving economic conditions. For example, such integration could attempt to create regional power centers that could demand compliance with granting loans across national boundaries. Imagine such a European Central Bank directing the Bank of England to loan funds to the continent, whether the Bank of England thought that was a good idea or not.
One member of the British Parliament is quoted as saying, “We’re dealing with the tyranny of the nursery, a pathetic nanny state of Europe.”
For centuries, the British Isles, 21 miles off the coast of Europe, has protected their own national interests against nations on that continent. In 1975, Britain broke with that long tradition and voted overwhelmingly to join, at least in part, the newly emerging European Union.
However over the past four decades Britain has become increasingly restive against intrusion from the continent into British affairs. It seems the current groundswell of opinion in Britain is coming by and large from the people of Britain as well.
A total break from the European Union presents great challenges for Great Britain. But as Europe sinks deeper into economic turmoil with huge debts driving smaller countries closer and closer to bankruptcy, it is not surprising to see and hear the people of Britain considering, once again, to stand on their own.
If Britain does decide to abandon the European Union, the United States will be confronted with huge decisions as well in terms of how to sustain strong relations with another potentially divided Europe.
Opinion
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