Terry, you make the best defence for standing out here, IMHO. I once heard Norman Lamont describe economies as oil importing or oil exporting, and that European financial integration was impossible as the pressures on interest rates are opposing, ie Germany = oil import, GB = oil export. I don't ever recall him saying anything else that made sense, mind!

It may well be a red herring for the duration of this parliament, as even with a 'yes' vote for a carefully worded referendum question will be a side show to the 'correct conditions', which include what you spake of. These will not be met in the short to mid term, and cannot be 'bought' (i.e. Black Wednesday was about trying to buy stability for the Pound in the ERM - and it cost Lamont £30 Billion of my money in a week to find out Soros was right).

Dave, I agree with you that we should not be hostages to history, and loyal to the memory of the lives that were given to protect our freedom, but we are in Brussels, and hopefully will be 'In Europe, and running Europe'. We either evolve or wither off the coast of an economic bloc that will rival, and probably overtake NAFTA, before the nemesis that awaits all empires.

So yes, when the conditions are right.

Skipjack