In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:
> " I think it's inevitable that we go for a two tier EU, Eurozone and the rest. "
> There are two tiers in the eurozone alone (arguably three). We can't isolate ourselves from these problems, but we could step aside and make sovereign decisions to best protect ourselves from the growing disintegration of the project. I'm interested how we influence from within? Not saying we couldn't, just not seen much reasoned evidence of what we could a) achieve and b) how it would be done (or even what this solution is that would be palatable to the electorate?)
To be honest I think we've already started. IMO the formal acceptance that the UK is not part of 'ever closer union' is more significant than people think. Eurosceptics have been right for years, the guiding principle for EU politicians has been 'ever closer union', economically and politically, and British politicians have been coy about it. Now that one country is exempt, others will follow. The EU elite will have to accept this.
The Eurozone needs to integrate further to succeed, it is in our interests that it does that. It cannot do that while trying to drag reluctant countries like the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Poland ect with it. Some seem to look forward to the carnage of EU/Eurozone breakup..... I think that's crazy, there's a real risk it would lead to a major economic depression we would be part of.
> I understand that that is a glass half empty view and others (probably including yourself) are inclined to half full, devils advocate and all that..
Yeah, but then you're probably glass half full about leaving!
On the refugee crisis, I think Germany did the least worst thing. Refugees were landing in Greece, that cannot realistically deal with the situation, so the country with the most robust economy took them in (Germany). They won't be able to do it again, and winter gives a chance to come up with an alternative, but at the time I don't think there were any alternatives.