![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Dec. 14th, 2008 11:31 amThe Guardian reports today that the Pound has slipped below the Euro on the High Street. Now, this is a bit alarmist for The Guardian as it has actually only slipped below when commission and handling fees are taken into account, but the rate today does stand at 1.11, yet another drop with commentators suspecting it will reach parity soon.
I can't pretend I'm very bothered about it reaching parity right now. I'd love nothing more than not to be robbed blind when withdrawing my money in the UK and having silly exchange rates applied. Then again, it makes me worry for people like my parents, who are being priced out of travel across Europe because the weakening pound has seen prices on the Continent shooting up.
This is yet another reason why I despise Gordon Brown. The sensible thing to do would be to look at our options, to stop pandering to the Daily Fail et al and review the case for joining the Euro. What are the reasons against? Most of our trade is with the common market. We don't like the other countries? We're upset for reasons of sovereignty - after all, our German queen's head should be on that cheeky monopoly money, damned Germa... oh.
Switzerland, my favourite place ever, has just ratified the Schengen agreement so that the borders are now open and people shall no longer be harrassed by passport control every five minutes. Switzerland. It's not even part of the EU, yet they have Schengen. The UK refuses Schengen and the Euro. We want the good things that come with EU membership but refuse to budge on the craziest things. It's always been nice for us, crowing about the strength of our currency and our independence, but it's affecting the everyday people now. Whilst it ensures me a nice Christmas spending here and there and everywhere, we need to get the hell over ourselves and sort this out.
I can't pretend I'm very bothered about it reaching parity right now. I'd love nothing more than not to be robbed blind when withdrawing my money in the UK and having silly exchange rates applied. Then again, it makes me worry for people like my parents, who are being priced out of travel across Europe because the weakening pound has seen prices on the Continent shooting up.
This is yet another reason why I despise Gordon Brown. The sensible thing to do would be to look at our options, to stop pandering to the Daily Fail et al and review the case for joining the Euro. What are the reasons against? Most of our trade is with the common market. We don't like the other countries? We're upset for reasons of sovereignty - after all, our German queen's head should be on that cheeky monopoly money, damned Germa... oh.
Switzerland, my favourite place ever, has just ratified the Schengen agreement so that the borders are now open and people shall no longer be harrassed by passport control every five minutes. Switzerland. It's not even part of the EU, yet they have Schengen. The UK refuses Schengen and the Euro. We want the good things that come with EU membership but refuse to budge on the craziest things. It's always been nice for us, crowing about the strength of our currency and our independence, but it's affecting the everyday people now. Whilst it ensures me a nice Christmas spending here and there and everywhere, we need to get the hell over ourselves and sort this out.
