Chris

Let me make clear that I personally am not in favour of outright withdrawl from the EU. I support UKIP as it is the best means at my disposal of focusing the main political parties on what I am in favour of - and that is a far looser association of sovreign nation states.

Perhaps you could explain to me what is to be gained by 'ever closer political union'? When the current draft Constitution of the EU calls for certain powers to be granted to the EU in such a way that national Governments are not allowed to make their own decisions in certain areas, unless the EU has first decided that it doesn't want to, where is the British national interest served? When membership of the Euro would instantly mean interest rates in the UK reduced from 4.5% as we now have, to just 2%, how would British national interest be served, given that the expert opinion of the Bank of England is that interest rates in the UK need to go up in order to prevent the housing market spiralling out of control? In fact, perhaps you could explain how the German national interest is served by its membership of the Euro, given that its economy is in recession and economists believe that the country requires an interest rate of 0% in order to kick-start growth?

These are the questions that I have never yet heard a Euro-enthusiast answer convincingly. This morning's sad excuse of a front page in the Independent did not even begin to address these issues. What it did was cloud the debate with yet more amateurish rhetoric (something I accept the anti-euro camp is also doing).

I can't answer your question about withdrawing because I don't want to withdraw. I'm going to bed now but tomorrow (if I get time, busy day) I will post some of my reasons for wanting less close integration. Perhaps you would return the favour and post some defence of European integration? (and please, don't just quote the Independent at me, it will make you look foolish )