The Germans seem to be weighing the sentiment in Britain very carefully.
An interview by Der Spiegel with Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is worth reading in full.

Here is an extract:
Schäuble: That cannot be ruled out - it is conceivable theoretically. How, for example, would the Netherlands react, as a country that has traditionally had very close ties to Britain? It is important for the EU to send the message that it has understood the vote and is prepared to learn from it.

SPIEGEL: How, exactly?

Schäuble: In response to Brexit, we couldn't simply call for more integration. That would be crude, many would rightfully wonder whether we politicians still hadn't understood. Even in the event that only a small majority of the British voters reject a withdrawal, we would have to see it as a wakeup call and a warning not to continue with business as usual. Either way, we have to take a serious look at reducing bureaucracy in Europe. And in some areas, we also need to find our way back to the member states assuming more autonomy, as the British are demanding.

SPIEGEL: Greater autonomy instead of deeper integration: that would contradict everything you have fought for in Europe to date. Which areas do you have in mind?

Schäuble: Not at all. A strong Europe is not a bureaucratised Europe. More autonomy and adherence to mutually agreed-upon rules are precisely the foundation we need. We must strengthen the EU in those areas where it offers true added value relative to national approaches. Just look at foreign policy or defence. What can an individual country achieve in these areas? We need the British if Europe is to punch at its proper weight and have a significant voice in the world.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/spiegel-interview-with-wolfgang-schae...

bogarde73 wrote on Apr 28^th, 2016 at 6:34pm:




No doubt Innocent consistently came top of his class at precis at school.

bogarde73 wrote on Jun 1^st, 2016 at 2:39pm:


And every church and chapel.

The names of the Vichy British should be registered against a future Trial by the People.

Now they are trying to scare pensioners.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36509931

John Cleese has engaged in a Twitter storm, unloading on the EU:

Reflecting the views of potentially millions of formerly undecided British voters, Mr. Cleese tweeted: “If I thought there was an chance of major reform in the EU, I’d vote to stay in. But there isn’t”.

The tweet was inevitably followed by a torrent of support and abuse from Mr. Cleese’s nearly five and a half million Twitter followers.

Answering some points tweeted at him about the European Union, veteran comedian Mr. Cleese told followers about Britain’s lack of power to influence policy and legislation inside the European Union: “We were usually swimming against the tide ; and the EU bureaucracy took away any trace of democratic accountability”.

Mr. Cleese said the argument for leaving the European Union was about a lot more than just the money, which he called “the nub of the ‘Remain argument”, remarking that Britain had traded with the world for millennia without the EU. He also touched on mass migration, saying that while he wasn’t against migration itself but said it was worth “haggling over the numbers”, and that in his opinion “limiting immigration more effectively would reduce competition for work and protect jobs”.

As for what reforms the EU needed to survive, Mr. Cleese again mixed politics and humour, suggesting Europe do to with it’s Luxembourgian president Jean-Claude Juncker as the Italians did with Mussolini, as well as ditching the Europe currency which has dragged Greece to its knees and now threatens to do the same to France, as well as opening the bloc up to real accountability.

bogarde73 wrote on Jun 13^th, 2016 at 3:47pm:


It's interesting he left out his already stated disenchantment with London being swamped by immigrants who bear no resemblance to the 'parent culture' and people.

Here it is again, folks ...

Actor Sir Ian McKellar has laid out a stark truth.He said if you're LBGT it makes no sense to vote for Brexit because "if you're gay you're an internationalist".

Well what he's saying Herb, as if we didn't know, but he's reminding them, if you're gay you'll be left wing and if you're left wing you're internationalist by definition.

Its why we see so many actors and show v
biz celebrities urging a Remain vote.