[en.wikipedia.org]

@PBuck0145 Please don’t patronise me and insult my intelligence. I have lived in the UK prior to entry to the EU and the period since...I am fully aware of the benefits and the negatives of being a member state. The benefits vastly outweigh the negatives, especially for the part of the UK in which I live...namely Northern Ireland. You who do not have first hand knowledge, but who read a one sided view and believe it to be fact, need to be less opinionated until fully informed of all the facts...from both sides of the argument. I would never have the audacity to presume that I knew more about the political situation in a country than those who actually live there.

So what is their solution? Break into separate countries and go back to the age old problem of tribal fighting and wars? Can't imagine what their opinion is of the United Nations.

@JackPedigo Who knows what they want...dog eat dog probably. Cooperation and a trading partnership with one’s closest neighbours seems eminently sensible to me,

@Marionville As the world's population grows exponentially there must be something in place to control all the competing factions. We have gone down the long, horrible road of inter-tribal fighting for too long. Now we are dealing with nuclear, biological and other numerous methods of warfare that can annihilate the whole planet of life. Too many don't have a clue and think we are back in the dark ages where each can go as they please. I am sure there are these types (libertarians) everywhere.

@JackPedigo We really don’t seem to learn the lessons of history do we?

@Marionville Your statement "You who do not have first hand knowledge, but who read a one sided view and believe it to be fact, need to be less opinionated until fully informed of all the facts...from both sides of the argument." is based on false premises and confuses me. Please explain to me how your statement is NOT patronizing and condescending.

@JackPedigo For decades, as a classical liberal, I supported globalism, open societies, open borders etc. In recent years, those movements have become vehicles for the propagation of the cruel, imperialistic political ideology of Islam.
Until human society addresses and deals with the evils of Islam, national patriotism is humanity's best hope for the preservation of freedom and democracy.
I remain a classical liberal, NOT a regressive leftist. Regressive leftism has hijacked the liberal narrative.

@PBuck0145 Do you have first hand knowledge of living in either the U.K. or any other EU state? If you do, and your statements are based on that, then I owe you an apology, If however your opinions are based purely on the publications which you read, then I am not being either patronising or condescending...unlike you, which you were by suggesting that I am suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. That is not just patronising, but insulting.

@Marionville I apologize for implying that you suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. My assumption was not supported by first hand evidence.

@PBuck0145 I see religion as only a vehicle for another thing, access to resources. As our resources become scarce people compete in any way they can and one big way is to form tribes based on religion, race and on and on. Open borders will only exacerbate the problem as then one has multiple tribes competing for resources that are growing smaller due to all the competing tribes. It' a vicious cycle and, in the end, everyone loses.

@JackPedigo Agreed. My previous support for those globalist movements was clearly ill-advised.

The implication of your comment is that there exists a "United States of Europe". Not so now, nor will it ever happen.

The EU regret our decision to leave...they are sorry because it is a bad decision. It will be bad for the EU...but make no mistake, it will be many times much worse for the U.K.

@PBuck0145
"European"
"Union"
"a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where members have agreed to act as one. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. For travel within the Schengen Area, passport controls have been abolished. A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency."

So it's 28 member states, in a Union. It's analagous to the condition the United States was in prior to 1861. Britain is in the position of a seceding state.

Saying there will "never" be a United Europe implies you can see the future. What a marvellous power. Do you have the lotto numbers for this weekend?

Just that...and by William Shawcross...so say no more!