Should Britain take the Euro?
 

Yes or No?

I don't think we (Britain) should as I feel there is nothing wrong with the sterling and changing everything would be unneccessary hassle.

So I pose you the question, what are your thoughts and views?

I'm going to go with no.

Regulatory constraints are too tight and the Euro regions are too different.

I don't understand for sure what is going on so I probably should't be getting into this. I think it would be difficult getting into an alliance with nations that are not exactly agreeing on a whole lot of anything. How much of this does Frawnce intend to control?

While the UK is part of the union they should keep their own currency. To lose control of the currency is the surest way to lose control of your nation (but I suppose that is part of the point of the EU)...

come on, a central control on monetary policy would result in much stronger EURO.

it'd integrate britain into the EU more and would increase european cooperation.

and it's a hassle changing from pounds to euros

A stronger Euro at the expense of whom? Anytime something becomes stronger it is because of something either going away or losing strength. If we look at it from our viewpoint would we be willing to combine our monetary system with that of Canada and Mexico? I doubt this would be acceptable to either Canada or the US - Mexico would be glad to tie their economy to anything with a better chance of survival than the Titanic. If I were in Britain I would have a difficult time in accepting a currency tied to all or most of Europe.

There has been rumbling from many neo-cons to switch to the US dollar in Canada... bloody stupid idea.

I need only point to Venezuela... they tied their currency to the US Dollar and look at them now... Chaos.

The whole point of the euro is to promote unity within the EU and if the longer the UK shuns the euro the longer it will miss out on the benefits of a unified currency. Some companies are likely avoiding doing business with UK companies because they can do the same business with a euro-adopting country and face the currency risks.

The UK uses the Euro for all foreign trade, and has only balked at implementing it domestically (although Tony Blair has promised to bring the issue to referendum). Personally I think that using the EU domestically would only be a hassle for Britain, and eat away at an important part of their national sovereignty (the monetary control that comes with printing one's own currency). I would say no.

Then again, I'm not a Briton, so I can't speak for them. Anybody here actually from the UK?

a joint currency is a stronger currency.

I think that its very likely that Canada will adopt the US dollar in my lifetime. I don't think we would ever 'join' the US though.

I've been using the Euro since it's introduction in my country more than two years ago, and can honestly say that it's not as bad as many British people seem to think. It may not be perfect, but it's better than having dozens of different currencies, and the accompanying exchange rates. You get used to the things very quickly, and it's not a hassle at all.

Then again, I'd like to have a (democratic!) United States of Europe.

From an economic/ideology pov, I'd say yes.

From an ashthetic pov, I don't know - UK banknotes are quite nice looking.

I'm just waiting to see Britain become a Republic or something before us Aussies get around to it - we'd end up looking SOOOO pathetic.

"Yes hello, I'm Australian, my country is run by a monarchcy that doesn't exist...what system do you have?"

me too!!!!!!

I think it's only a matter of time before you can't belong to the EU without being part of the EEC. Countries like Sweden and England have been given great leeway in not doing so, but for the greater good of the community I think it has to be done eventually. I don't see why it would be any more difficult for the Brits to give up the pount than it was for the Germans to give up the Deutschmark or the Dutch giving up the Guilder. To me this is akin to having Alaska and Hawaii using their own currency.

Wait until you have a joint checking account and then tell me this again!

more money = more interest

im american so i have no idea about it really but from what i know, europeans have some issues with the euro. not taking the euro isn't gonna change anything. so i dont really see how it could hurt, the rest of europe has taken it so i dont see why not.

also it will make tourists a little less confused... lol


edit: I AGREE with the United States of Europe, but first we should take canada, mexico and the rest of North and South America... United Continents of America... :p

I don't think I'd mind using a joint Canada-US dollar sometime in the future, but the thought of "joining " the US is scary. I have a hard time with that. I'm not anti-US, I just love my country.

I have friends in Holland that said it took a while to get used to the Euro, but they seem to like it now.

Please help this ugly American understand. How does changing to the Euro effect Englands economy or lessen control of their own government?

it is like using selective breeding to create an exceptional result and then mating it with an inferior specimen. polluting the "gene pool" is all it will do. I know many Europeans who hated/still hate the Euro. There are european countries with good economies and there are bad economies, so why the hell would the strong economies welcome weakness?

I don't know if the selective breeding is such a good analogy TaLoN, considering what an "unpolluted" gene pool did for the British Royal Family and all.;)

Besides, the community might look beyond current poor economic performance and recognize the existence of a country's potential and resources that may one day be utilized for the benefit of all member states.

dose a hell no count as 2 nos i dont want them to take the euro

I vote no. The British should keep the pound.

I just wish the brits would stop changing the coins they already have. It's been awhile since I've been there but have you guys managed to shrink the 5p or the 10p coin any more? Or have you made any of the other coins smaller?

Britain should, and will, keep the pound. If they went the way of the Euro, it would not increase the value of the Euro, it would actually devalue the currency since their economy is in the shits right now just like the rest of the world. At .93 Euro to the US dollar and falling, I would think that they would want to stop the bleeding.

If they decide to let in Turkey, expect to see a huge dip in the value of the Euro, but I digress.