Unfortunately not a Brit... I think that would be wonderful, though.

I'm an Aussie and I think you should tell the E.U. to stick it!...you don't need to really aline your self with anyone ....you are having your very way of life undermined by the E.U. ...sure be friendly with the U.S. and anyone else you feel like ...but to remain apart of the E.U. is to see a once great nation being brought down to its knee's by two bit tinpot nations

no

yes definatley if we stay in the e.u we will lose our sense of national idetity as well as our national currancy and or ability to goven ourselves

God no. I have mixed feelings about the EU, but certainly I don't want to be any closer to the US. Blair already acted like Bush's puppet, any closer and Bush & Brown might be tempted to have a civil ceremony.

Britian is already a close ally of the U.S. and a member of the EU. Britian should do what is best for their interest and that is doing what I stated.

fuck no! seriously though, if we aline ourselves closer to the US get ready for another fucking war

From an American: Keep your distance, you won't regret it.

We should get closer to the EU! We need to adopt the Euro, it will do us a lot of good.

Why would you wanna do THAT??

no we can remain an ally with the US and trade with them always...... but i really think we need to swallow our pride and join the Euro currency asap

As an American I don't think that would be good for you. The US has a highly unstable economy, and a habit for worrying too much about the world, while letting itself go down the toilet. I don't know about staying with the EU, but the US isn't the best friend to have at the moment. My view may be different from many other Americans, but I have lived abroad most of my life, and have seen the way the world really works, instead of just what the highly censored US media shows us.

Pfft. If we want higher risks of terrorism and even more financial problems. Yes.

No, because we are better off staying with the EU and we at last have stability in Europe.And we are not at war with each other as in the past,and many of the old eastern block countries are waiting to join us and that in my opinion will secure peace.We are already the closest ally of the USA and we always will be.

No, we should be in the EU. The UK is not big enough to stand alone in a world of big countries like the USA, Russia, China, Japan and India. Becoming the 51st state of the USA is not an option if we want to keep our identity. We should ally ourselves with other EU states like Spain, Italy and Poland who are also suspicious of the French and Germans. Also, the close ties between the UK and USA are essential in maintaining the Western Alliance of democratic countries. The UK in the EU is also essential in order to prevent the French and Germans taking over and destroying it with too much Euro-Socialism.

Careful what you wish for, you may get it

Space is not an issue these days. And where the hay would you settle? Earth to the EU - the whole planet is taken. You should go to Mars, that's your best option. Plus, what are the USA gonna do for you there that they can't do for you now? Nothing, nothing at all. And the EU is so beautiful, why would you want to swap it for America? Ew. (nothing personal, America - just your ridiculously sized cloud of consumerism, tis all).

hell no

I think we ought to leave the E.U. I don't know of any advantages we get from being in the E.U (there may be some, I just don't know of them) and I can think of many reasons why not to be in the E.U. I'm not saying we shouldn't have any alliance with the countries in Europe, I just believe the E.U as it currently is, is too corrupt and has to much control over the countries in it. I think an alliance between the European countries is a good idea, however I don't think the E.U is the right thing for this. It has too much control and is able to change laws in countries without consulting anyone who actually lives there. Also, as some people have said before, the E.U is slowly destroying the nationality of countries in it. I don't think we need to ally ourselves with America either as we already have a strong alliance with them. If we want to ally ourselves with the European countries we can still do so but we should not surrender control of our country to a foreign power. (no offence meant to any foreign country) Sorry for the double post.

I think we ought to leave the E.U. I don't know of any advantages we get from being in the E.U (there may be some, I just don't know of them) and I can think of many reasons why not to be in the E.U. I'm not saying we shouldn't have any alliance with the countries in Europe, I just believe the E.U as it currently is, is too corrupt and has to much control over the countries in it. I think an alliance between the European countries is a good idea, however I don't think the E.U is the right thing for this. It has too much control and is able to change laws in countries without consulting anyone who actually lives there. Also, as some people have said before, the E.U is slowly destroying the nationality of countries in it. I don't think we need to ally ourselves with America either as we already have a strong alliance with them. If we want to ally ourselves with the European countries we can still do so but we should not surrender control of our country to a foreign power. (no offence meant to any foreign country)

We should stay in the EU and I'm not sure how much closer we can ally ourselves with the US. I think we feel that we get a rough deal from being part of the EU, but actually its in comparison to what other EU nations gain. The fact we never had any referendum also doesn't help, but I think we gain a lot from being part of the EU. We enjoy our independence and individuality often at our own expense. We have over a 100,000 british companies trading in other european countries.

I think Britain should leave the EU and get closer to the USA because both countries have the same language and a similar mentality.

The Brits were always allied to the USA and they always were in an extreme close relationship over centuries while the Brits never were much intersted in the continent. So, I never could understand why Britain was joining the EU. I also think that whole idea of an European community is nothing but a sick idea. In all countries the people do not want it. It is only the political class who is always talking in an extremely boring way of that Europe. I am rather sure that this stupid nightmare will be over when the first countries will leave.

'facts' as far as I see them: -EU politicians write veto's but do not agree to them (progress is still going, regardless the outcome) -USA is warring the world -Bush was negotiating the NAU without consent -People feel powerless/weak -the Dollar is not owned by the USA, but by the FRS (who owns that?) -after about a thousand years of 'market', there are a few people who decide monetary flow, most of the financial world indebted to them -few people believe me, or any related story

I say a big no to getting closer to the U.S. We can't have a real allied, official and working relationship with the U.S and certainly not to the same degree we get with the EU. Besides, our relationship with the U.S. has cost us big since 2001 and I am quite frankly sick of it. The U.S. is trouble for us. Besides, you can't trust America - its priority is rightly to itself. Europe on the other hand, there is more co-operation and trust. I am not a fan of the EU. If pushed by my own opinions I would be inclined to think we should leave it, but I am not an expert on the economics of it all and ultimately I think we should go with whatever is best economically for the UK. which I guess would be to stay. I really don't know. After a year of intensively studying the bloody thing I am so confused as to what is best economically and politically since even the economists and political analysts cannot agree on it. I think we perhaps need it more economically than we do politically. [edited in] At the very least, I would be much happier if we were granted referenda on the big issues such as the Euro etc; and took back some level of autonomy with regards to big issues.

It is rather funny, the British blame the Germans to rule the EU and try to get Britain into submission. Fact is that Germany pays 30 % of the whole EU and only 12 % of the whole EU administration are German. The political influence of the German government to the EU is so little and so insignificant that you can say there is no German influence at all. If there are made rules in the EU they are made by quite other nations but not by the Germans. And apart from all that more than 80 % of the German voters would vote for leaving the EU. Nobody likes the EU here. The same is in the NATO where the influence of the Germans is more than insignificant.The NATO is run and completely dominated by the Anglo-British cooperation. And every German government keeps off from international affairs and lets go always first other nations inn order to avoid mistakes or misunderstandings. So it is completely wrong that Britain gets dominated and submitted by the Germans using the EU. Just have a look at Brussels and see who is ruling there and you will not see any German because Germany is very little present at Brussels. Pleae inform yourself before you play the old bias and prejudices we know meanwhile more than 60 years. And Germany is also not about to invade Britain as there is a quite strong drive in Germany that we abolish our small army completely because we don't need it anymore.

I have my big doubts if Britain would make a better deal by leaving the EU and getting the 51st state of the USA. And although you are blaming Germany for submitting Britain just let me know what your imaginary submission by German rules has really changed in your country after more than 30 years of imaginary submission. So it is mere fiction to say that just Germany was about to get Britain into submission. But you can be very sure that a political and economic unification with the USA would change whole Britain much more withinh a few weeks as that imaginary submission under German rule has changed in 30 years. And if Britain would make any good deal in economic, social and political sense, I have my doubts. But it is up to the Britains to decide and if they want to leave they can do it. Some other countries in Europe (not the Germans) would be rather happy if the British would leave. And don't forget there were quite a few countries which were a long time clearly against a membership of Britain in the EU and that was also not those bad Germans. So, I think it would be an immense risk for the British leaving the EU.

As Britain is a one of the biggest superpowers in the world they should get closer to the other superpower in the world, the USA. I think as closer as Britain will get to the USA the more these two unbeatable superpowers will be able to manage problems in the rest of the world. The place for Britain has never been in Europe but always at the side of the USA. Britain should leave the EU and become an extreme close partner to the USA. Both economies are that extremely strong and superior to any other economy in the world that this would give an extreme synergy effect. Britain has not even the most powrful military in the world but also the most powerful economy. Together with the USA they would be unbeatable.

Great Britain has always focussed its political interests very far away from the continent just as if the continent would never exist. British interests were always worldwide and the continent was for Britain quite unimportant and very irrelevant. I think this will be for ever and this mind will never change. The countries on the continent are more focussed on the continent and so I would say that the EU is really the wrong club for Britain. Mentally the USA, Canada or Australia are much closer to the British than France or Holland.

I say you cannot trust the USA. You should stand on your own as best as possible and play one against the other to get the best for your own country.

I think Britain is a superpower with tone of the biggest economic and military ressources in the world and Britain stands on the same level as the USA. So I think Britain does not need anybody in the world and Britain can do anything they want completely alone. Great Brfitain with its immesepöower did never need anybody's help and Britain will never need anybody's help. Britain was able to build their Empire and I think they can do it again if they only would like. So Britain does not need the EU nor the rest of Europe and so Britain should go ts own way as a superpower in the world or getting a very close ally of the USA in military and economic sense.

We should stay in, but also have close ties with the USA, these are not exclusive options i don't see why we can't do both. The world has a population of over 6 billion, that is going to double over this century. We in the UK only have a pop of 60m, the USA 300m, India 1100m, and China 1200m. The whole EU has about 400m. By being part of this bigger group i think i give Britain more bargaining power on the international stage. Within the EU Britain is also one of the big players so we should use this to our advantage more. We can also be a bridge between Europe and the English speaking world.

I think the problem with the UK is that we are naturally drawn outwards towards the other English-speaking countries, with whom we share that common bond and a lot of history. The common language makes the common history seem more apparent, and makes us seem more similar than we perhaps are. Yes, we share a lot of common history and culture with the US - but so do other European nations like Spain and France - not to mention the many German, Italian etc immigrants that made the US. Of course we are also drawn to the US because it is a world power and we still feel a strong memory of out own imperial power. The dawn of the internet where we interact with Americans all the time, and the fact that we watch so many US programmes, makes us feel a further sense of closeness. Being forced into closer political union with the rest of the EU completely against the wishes of the majority of the population has also made people very hostile to Europe, which is unfortunate. We are an island. We feel a sense of physical separation from the rest of Europe. I think, just as is reflected in the behaviour of our politicians, the British feel torn between the two - Europe and America. Like we are actual mid-atlantic. I used to feel that we should leave the EU. These days, I am not so sure. I lived for a while in Europe and travelled around it. I feel the similarities and I can see our shared history. With America, I can see the obvious similarities but also that there are a lot of hidden differences. I would be happy with the EU as long is it was purely for trade, for relaxed borders between the EU countries, and so the individual countries could band together and have a louder voice in international affairs. I do not agree with political union - especially not by the back door, which is what is happening. I think the nature of the British is to want to maintain independence, to stand alone and be separate. For us, that means maintaining close working relationships with both Europe and the US, but not subsuming our own identity in either. I WOULD like to see a close alliance of the English-speaking countries, with open borders for citizens of the other alliance members. Then it would be as easy for an American to come and work here, or us to work in Canada or the US, as it is for us to work in Europe. But obviously that would require us to sort out our own immigration policy first. It would be a good thing to try to move closer to Canada and Australia, etc, in terms of friendship and alliance.

I think Britain should leave the EU as soon as possible and I think there would be very little sadness in the rest of Europe. Britain should go its own way as ever before because the cultural differences between British and the continental Europeans are so big and so different so that Britsh never will be abe to get along with the rest of Europe. After my opinion it would be rather better if all European countries would only concentrate on their own problems and start for more isolation of their countries. Getting back the old borders would be more than helpful. It was a very bad idea to abolish the borders in Europe. Keeping out foreigners from our countries would help more and the fiction of a United Europe is nothing but the worst nightmare. Let the British stay Brirish and let the French stay French and we the Germans should close our borders for foreigners and keep off from all European problems which are not ours.

Great Britain is one of the few super-powers in the world and so I think GB does not need anybody in the world. GB could stand for itself absolutely alone and would not need the help of the USA. With its extreme economic and its extreme military power Britain could do alone without the help of anybody in the world. Britain never needed the continent and Britain will never need the continent and the rest of Europe. Britain should stay just for itself alone and go back into a splendid isolation as it worked over centuries. Leaving the EU Britain would be an adequate partner to the USA. For the rest of Europe it would be rather helpful if Britain would know where they want to go. The best what Britain could do would be to cut off as many lines as possible to the continent, stay as isolated as possible for itself and start its new big role as a military and economic super-power outside the EU as an equal partner of the USA.

As it looks like the new government that will come in Britain, probably will leave the EU. We will see if this will be a good decision for Britain but the British should know that if they leave, there will be no come-back. As I read today in the newest informations at Brussels the British do really have not many friends inside the EU and just Germany which is always blamed for anything by the British is the only country which stays still in a certain solidarity to Britain. The Spanish, the Italians, Greek and even the French think quite different and are much more open with their negative opinion towards Britain. Switzerland refused and meanwhile they deeply regret their decision and envy Austria. But it is the decision of the bRitish as officials say open at Brussels, nobody of the EU would ever try to keep Britain back from leaving the EU. You will make a great favour to some other countries (not Germay) if you leave.

I think that there are extremely serious reasons for the British to leave the EU. The British economy never was needing the European market and in regard of its extreme economic power, Britain pays an immense sum into the big pot at Brussels. Leaving the EU, Britain could save Billions of pounds every year. Regarding the economic figures of the British economy it is quite clear that the membership to the EU is for Britain an extremely expensive business. Britain makes no profit of the EU and in addition Britain has to accept the strange laws and regulations given by the EU which are an extreme attack at British sovereignty. If Britain would leave the EU they would not only save immense money but the British economy could improve its extreme lead to all other European countries and the Bitish would have an immense rise of their standard of life. After my opinion the EU never brought any advantage to the British and the British would only win a higher standard of life and save immense money if they would leave. Margeret Thatcher already thought so and so I really can understand that the British want to leave the EU.

Britannia always knows what to do :)

No. They will always be capable of electing someone like Bush again.

We are and always have been closer to the US since WW2 and to be honest the UK needs the EU for the cheap labour worker from the western european countries. We are different for the rest of europe, currency, culture, and life style, we have a very similar culture to the US and we will always be each other allies for as human kind exists.

When the US economy gets stronger maybe but for now we should keep to ourselves.

I'm in my 30s and you're thinking about this the wrong way. If you I invite you to name for me a state on this planet that has had a longer period of sustained ECONOMIC growth than the U.S. Don't talk to me about empires or civilizations because most ran at huge deficits and were in massive amounts of debt due to the costs of maintaining armed forces. The British Empire, at it's height, ran it's military at cost of 50% of it's GNP. Rome was even higher. The US runs military operations at 4% of GDP. Four percent! NO ONE, in the history of human civilization has run military operations so efficiently with respect to its cost as a percentage of GNP or GDP. The other trap that you seem to have fallen into is thinking of these "civilizations" or empires as a continuity. The German Empire was NOT the Weimar Republic which was NOT the Third Reich which is not the modern Bundesrepublik. They all had different economies, different territories, different infrastructure. The same is true for the French Fifth Republic and all of its former incarnations. The Empire under Napoleon is wholly different that the republic under François Mitterand. That notwithstanding, no one can speak of 80 years of uninterrupted growth. Both World Wars greatly interrupted the growth, infrastructure, and political and economic stability of those countries. And if it weren't for the USA (Bretton Woods, NATO, Japanese post-war economic miracle) those economies would have never recovered so quickly. So, yeah, eighty years is a HUGE deal.

Britain and America would perfectly fit together. Britain should join the USA. They have the same identity and the same culture and above all they have the same language. I think Britain would make the very best deal by joining the USA.