View Full Version : Should the UK switch to the Euro?
Simple question. There have been threads on here before so I wanted to see if any opinions have changed. Just in case anyone doesn't know, almost all countries in the EU have to embrace the Euro in order to join the EU. The UK is one of the lucky few who get the choice. We are going to switch but only IF its what the public want. So lets see what your opinions are.
percy toboggan
09-Apr-08, 19:33
Value is slowly converging. I think the Euro is now worth about 75 pence.
I'd be opposed, but it's part of the grand plan I think...as ever the man in the street will be almost powerless ultimately. If it happens, how long before the average Brit is earning the same as a Greek fisherman or a Warsaw brickie?
We'll level down to pull them up...it was always on the cards.
Hope is fading fast for Great Britian...we have been ruined and milked by the poliltical elite.
The only reason I could see to adopt the Euro would be if it lowered our prices to those of our European neighbours and eliminated this culture of rip off Britain. Having said that, there is something comforting about having our own currency.
No We Should Not Join The Euro We Are Already In A Bad Enough State Because Of The Eu.
No We Should Not Join The Euro We Are Already In A Bad Enough State Because Of The Eu.
How so? Give your reasons behind this opinion.
My mate married a Spaniard and was there when they changed over - he said every shop , business, service used the change over to inflate their prices overnight - as people had no perspective of the new currency.
mr do dar
09-Apr-08, 21:16
The way the uk is going at the monent they will be calling our county new america . we alway seem to be following them in everything they do . they will soon follow on and get the euro then our county will have to follow just to keep bush on our side .
I went through one euro change over and don't want to go through another, unlessthey do it the way they did it in Portugal: 1 euro was 200 escudos. When changeover happened the shops kept the price signs, just adding in a decimal point. For example if apples cost 150 escudos per kilos, the price became 1.50 euro, effectively doubling price overnight. If the same happened here ( ie: keeping same price tag: what cost £1,00 started costing 1,00 euro) prices would be going down 30%. Funny feeling it won't work that way though........
~~Tides~~
09-Apr-08, 22:15
Incompetants in Frankfurt in charge, rather that idoits in London. I dont really see the difference there.
flowertot
09-Apr-08, 22:50
My mate married a Spaniard and was there when they changed over - he said every shop , business, service used the change over to inflate their prices overnight - as people had no perspective of the new currency.
That'll be no different to what happened here in 1971 then! Our currency remember hasn't such a long history as many would like to think.
if it's worth no more or less than a Euro then whay not just call it a Euro.
That'll be no different to what happened here in 1971 then! Our currency remember hasn't such a long history as many would like to think.
Eh Flowertot???? we only changed to decimals in 1971, we have had a history of Sterling for many years :confused
Whitewater
10-Apr-08, 00:13
I don't think we should change, we would be robbed again, I was here when we changed to decimalisation, we lost out, things that used to cost 5 pence in old money suddenly became 5p in new coinage. Doubled in price instantly. I was in Australia when they changed from the pound to the dollar, same thing happened there, except it was not quite so blatent, 10/- ( 10 old shillings for those of you that don't know) became their dollar. It made most things stay at the same price, but needles to say, there were a few robbers around.
The other thing against changing is the fact that our, and other currency values would probably be tied to the weakest of the European nations. At the moment we are controlled by our own government and how we perform in the international market. We don't have any weak nations holding us back. Sure the euro is good at the moment, but how long is it going to last? If Germany or France hiccup it is down the tubes for everybody that is dependant on the Euro. We are better of without it. We have a good strong currency on the international market, lets keep it that way.
Boozeburglar
10-Apr-08, 02:11
I think we should reverse Decimalisation. Everything has gone downhill since 71.
:)
The way the uk is going at the monent they will be calling our county new america . we alway seem to be following them in everything they do . they will soon follow on and get the euro then our county will have to follow just to keep bush on our side .
That's it - change our currency to the Dollar. Excellent! ;)
Just kidding.. :D
I don't think we should not join despite the benifits that it would give to commerce.
My reasoning for this is , that as others have mentioned there would be a substantial rise in prices as happened under decimalisation, also there are several countries within the euro zone that never have and never will comply with the criteria.
I also wonder what the cost would be to convert, if the usual government estimates are to be believed then just think of a number and quadruple it.
Maybe we should convert to the Dynar (http://cornish-heritage.net/shop/images/Dynars=Front+Rear%20(Small).jpg)?
Simple question. There have been threads on here before so I wanted to see if any opinions have changed. Just in case anyone doesn't know, almost all countries in the EU have to embrace the Euro in order to join the EU. The UK is one of the lucky few who get the choice. We are going to switch but only IF its what the public want. So lets see what your opinions are.
As someone who travels abroad regularly can I say it is high time Britain switched to the Euro. We should have done it long ago. To change money from pounds to Euro costs us and to change back Euros also involves a cost through the exchange rate mechanism.
More importantly for all of us the pound and te dollar are steadily dropping in value against the uro showing the Euro to be a more stable currency and a currency for the future. If the Gremans have been willing to give up athe Mark and the generally obstnate French have allowed the Franc to go it is surely a sign of confidence in the Euro.
Times move on - move on with the Euro.
percy toboggan
10-Apr-08, 16:58
I think we should reverse Decimalisation. Everything has gone downhill since 71.
:)
especially my toboggan...I remember fags going from four and six to twenty five pence overnight! Twenty Embassy lasted me a day...what mug I was in '71. I remember the little blue coupons we used to save up for toasters and other tripe.
Welcomefamily
10-Apr-08, 17:29
I think the new scottish notes look just like euros, just need a sign change.
Althought there arte arguments for and against I would say do n`t change unles you can accept that the cost of living for the average person will increase by upto a third as was mention germnany gave up the mark without askeing the people and the majarity have been lamenting it eversince as usual the prices creeped up all though there were supposedly indicates that everything was ok it is now 8 years or so and id say that with price rises in petrol/Prperty and Kredit apart from stagnating pensions and earnings the average pers has lost a third of what he had to spend against before euro. but you might say that was going to happen anyway but with the currency change you dont get a real grip of it but thats my view
Well I think it is high time Britain converted to the Euro.
I have witnessed both conversions as well decimalisation and Euro.
For those who think they still have Sterling, think again. Sterling was pounds, shillings and pence. 12 pence to the shilling, 20 shillings to the pound. Decimalised sterling is just pounds and pence it is just the dollar with another name as the Euro is.
Yes prices did rise with the introduction of the Euro, but that was the fault of commercial greed, not of the Euro itself. Countries coming later to the Euro can learn from this and set up watch bodies to monitor prices before, during and after the change over.
It costs British companies a fortune to conduct business with the rest of Europe. Partly this is the fault of the British and European banks who charge a ridiculously high fee to transfer payment to companies on the continent.
I am shocked every time I come back to Britain and see what you are paying for everyday things and services. Bus fares are much too high, the prices in the shops are unbelievable but, what I notice most are the prices asked for a simple meal in a restaurant. People have said in the posts on this forum that they had an acceptable meal in a carvery for £30 - £30 is about 45. People, I live in south Germany, considered by many to be one of the most expensive parts of Europe for 45 here I would not expect an acceptable meal, I would expect a fabulous meal cooked by a top chef in exclusive surroundings. I would talk about such a meal for months afterwards.
And as for the price of property. I could buy a converted farmhouse here with 120 sq m living space and sitting in 1500 sq m of ground for about 150 000 (£100 000 ). I see people in Britain with their two story, 3 bedroom house with a postage stamp of a garden boasting that it only cost them £350 000. That is a half a million Euros, for that money I could buy a villa sitting in a garden the size of two football fields.
Please dont tell me that the Euro is a bad thing.
You are being robbed blind my friends. The Euro in Britain would not be a cure for everything, but it would certainly help.
Sterling was pounds, shillings and pence.
It still is. Sterling is the shortened term for Pounds Sterling. So as long as we have a pound we will have Sterling.
People have said in the posts on this forum that they had an acceptable meal in a carvery for £30 - £30 is about €45. People, I live in south Germany, considered by many to be one of the most expensive parts of Europe – for €45 here I would not expect an acceptable meal, I would expect a fabulous meal cooked by a top chef in exclusive surroundings. I would talk about such a meal for months afterwards.
I can dine out on a regular basis and pay £20 for a very high quality meal which I can certainly talk about for sometime afterwards. Not sure where "people" in the forums eat for £30 a head!
And as for the price of property. I could buy a converted farmhouse here with 120 sq m living space and sitting in 1500 sq m of ground for about €150 000 (£100 000 ). I see people in Britain with their two story, 3 bedroom house with a postage stamp of a garden boasting that it only cost them £350 000. That is a half a million Euros, for that money I could buy a villa sitting in a garden the size of two football fields.
And I dare say if you went into the old East Germany you could pick up a schloss for a song!
Like anywhere in the UK you can get bargains property wise - I don't have a "postage stamp of a garden" - eighty odd feet long by 40 wide and the same to the front of my property. Sometimes I wish it was a postage stamp. Be a darn sight easier to look after!!! And I don't live on some isolated moor somewhere. I am 50 minutes from London.
The vote is standing at 75%+ against the €uro. I have to wonder if this would be the result if the whole country went to a referendum. I hope it would.
Bobinovich
13-Apr-08, 20:18
...People have said in the posts on this forum that they had an acceptable meal in a carvery for £30
Well I'm not sure where you got that from. The carveries I've been to locally have been around about £12 per head for 3 courses (£9/10 for 2) which is great value. Are you sure the post you found wasn't for 2 or 3 people?
Give me stirling anyday. Lets keep some of our identity! Europe and the EU has too much say sometimes (back off Brussels!).
I believe the point that dellwak is making is that Britain is not the place to get value for money and I would have to agree with him on that one.
I believe the point that dellwak is making is that Britain is not the place to get value for money and I would have to agree with him on that one.
Thats right Tristan.
Perhaps I got a bit carried away and I apologise if I have upset anyone.
But I stick to the opinion that Britain is much too expensive and I am not alone in thinking that.
flowertot
14-Apr-08, 22:03
Eh Flowertot???? we only changed to decimals in 1971, we have had a history of Sterling for many years :confused
We had a history of a sterling yes but post 1971 it could have been called anything it was effectively a new currency, admittedly our destiny was to a certain extent in our own hands unlike as part of the Euro but as seems to be happening, the markets are seeing little difference between the Euro and the £ they will eventually converge and remain about the same value effectively we then are using Euros only under a different name.The day of the ever powerful $ look to be numbered.
the_count
17-Apr-08, 00:29
i think europe has tried just about everything else, they straightened out our bananas, painted all our apples yellow and changed the weights system lol We decimalised and that was bad enough changing to the euro is o a good idea. we hate change in this country lol i still ask for an ounce of baccy lol or a 2lb bag of sugar or flour:lol:
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