If there is an election.....

The idea of the Brexit Party "sweeping the country" is laughable. Does anybody remember that march with a hundred or so stalwarts while there were hundreds of thousands protesting against Brexit in London?

There were between one and two million marching in London, even now aknowledged by the Brexit Broadcasting Corporation.

A pathetic few turned out for Farage's march.

Happy Anniversary Urmstongran ???

Marching, polls, demonstrations.......all irrelevant....the only thing that had any relevance is the ballot box!!

Oh god .. remind me never to post a joke again on GN!

(Wears hair shirt).

I don’t think it as about US (in the U.K.)
It was about the USA feeling oppressed and wanting out from the colonial U.K.?

Anyway.
It made me laugh.
Remember that Remainers??

It sickens me that, at a time when this country is in absolute chaos you seem to find it all amusing.....

America was oppressed by the UK in a way the EU has never oppressed the UK.

Following Merkel's announcement, a few months ago, that there would eventually be a European Army (which I actually saw on the Internet, so know that this is true) I read that France was bringing back conscription (into their armed forces). Yesterday, on BBC Radio's 'Any Answers', a caller said that Germany is also bringing back conscription.

Now, I have no idea if the last two bits of information are true or not, as there is so much misinformation around now, that I've got so that I don't believe anything!

But all this talk of a 'European Army' sends shivers up my spine. Yet there is little real news of it. And I do wonder if all the young people (who supposedly would vote 'Remain' if there were to be another referendum, are aware of it).

It does look like there will be General Election now. I'm voting for the Brexit Party. The EU seems to be getting above itself in a very worrying way. Let's just get out!

Just because you see something on the Internet doesn't make it true.

What kind of European army do you think is envisaged?

We are more likely to see young people involved in warfare if we continue squabbling and distrusting our neighbours. It makes sense to share expensive weapons and to work in a co-ordinated way.

Germany has debated bringing back conscription (but not necessarily in the forces), but it is unlikely to happen. www.dw.com/en/germans-debate-return-of-military-conscription-and-service-for-men-and-women/a-44962067

France is trialling on a limited basis a scheme for young people to do compulsory military service. www.thelocal.fr/20190617/is-france-really-bringing-back-national-service-for-teenagers

Incidentally, Farage has talked about compulsory military service in the past - mind you, he talks a load of BS, so it probably wasn't true.

No, I don't think we should "just get out", especially when people believe the kind of myths you obviously do. I am more determined than ever that this kind of scare-mongering should be stamped on its the head and the truth is told.

My mistake:
France is trialling on a limited basis a scheme for young people to do compulsory military community service.

Dominic Cummings on why Leave won the referendum:
twitter.com/i/status/1170257850528075778

Lyndiloo.... I recently put loads of links re: an EU army on here ....it's well researched and proves it to be true. Merkle herself has been pleading for one for years. It is almost complete now. If we do not leave the EU this October, or before 2020 our Armed Forces will be subject to EU laws. If they wish to go to war, we have to follow. Ditto the Euro, the failing, pathetic currency which has caused endless problems in Greece, Italy and other countries. By 2022 the UK must join the Euro.

That's on another link about the Lisbon Treaty I put here.

This is from Full Facts
All EU members have to adopt the Euro after 2020.
Conclusion
Incorrect. The UK and Denmark have opt-outs so don’t have to join the Euro. The seven countries without an opt-out and not already in the Euro are supposed to join it, but only once they meet certain conditions. There is currently no time limit on this process.

Surely a European army is the same as we mean when we talk about NATO or UN forces taking joint action somewhere, Bosnia, for example. It is not taking control of each nations army and running it from Brussels. I cannot think of any EU member that would be happy about that.

What it does mean is very close co-operation between armies and when the EU as a whole agrees that they need to be involved in any action requiring military involvment - and more and more such actions are humanitarian - as for example the aid currently going to the Bahamas. The joint command would decide which EU units would be best to use. This is normally done by working out what forces are needed and liaising with EU members about who can best behind them.

In other words exactly what is currently happening in Bosnia at the moment, where the EU peace keeping force(EUFOR) took over from NATO in 2005. There are currently British soldiers serving in Bosnia wearing EUFORS badges as their badge of identity, alongside soldiers from other EU countries doing exactly the same thing.

I think the idea is eminently sensible. Why should it not be?

I won't paste the whole article as it's huge but this is the conclusion to a question about a EU army
Conclusions

Plans can always change. But the recent Commission plans, and the EU summit declaration, don’t amount to an EU army. And if there’s no EU army, the UK can’t veto one. It’s arguable whether a veto threat is a good negotiating strategy; but it’s indisputable that an empty threat is simply ridiculous.

A more rational approach to the issue would be to acknowledge (as a number of calmer voices on the Leave side have advocated) that the UK and the EU might well benefit mutually from continued defence and foreign policy cooperation after Brexit. In that light, the best way for the UK to spend its remaining time as an EU Member State as regards defence issues is to offer constructive criticism of the EU plans – and align that with sensible proposals for how post-Brexit EU/UK cooperation could go forward in this field.

The voice of reason!

Thank you, MOnika and Labaik. It's reassuring to know that there are sensible people out there.

Where the heck do you get your information EnglishRose? Your links proved absolutely nothing.

Growstuff I think you have misunderstood my comment about Angela Merkel saying that there was going to be a European Army. I didn't just 'see' news of this on the Internet, I actually saw Merkel herself announcing it. (Unless it was a 'look-alike'?)

And you will see from my post that I'm very sceptical about information on the Internet. Whereas you obviously believe the two links that you included in your post ...?

What did Merkel ACTUALLY say?

I agree that some information on the Internet is rubbish. In fact, some of it is deliberately intended to deceive, which is why I try to choose my links carefully.

I'd be very interested in a link to a video of what Merkel actually said. I read the German press regularly and it really isn't what's being reported.

Do you have a problem with NATO? If not, why do you have a problem with the same arrangement, but controlled by and more focused on European needs?

Google Lord James Blackheath addressing the House of Lords

“It is intended the oath of every serving member of our armed forces will be cancelled, and they will be required to undertake a new oath of loyalty to Brussels”

More proof (if needed) that Jeremy Corbyn is a coward and liar!!!, The bill got Royal Assent and he still is running as fast as he can away from a General Election.

GrannyGravy13, none of the opposition parties in the House of Commons are going to agree to a General Election being held until Johnsons requests the European Union for an extension to the October 31st deadline.

He will also have to set the date of the General Election for beyond the end of October as well.

Reason for the above, no one trusts him being that he is a compulsive liar.

Simple as that.

GG13 I am always stunned that brains works in such different ways.

Did you look up a background to Lord James? Do you check your source before believing what you want to believe. He seems to be a great believer in weird an wonderful conspiracy theories. Most of the reports of his speeches treat him as a laughing stock and, having read them, so would I.