If a single currency in the EU is so important, why not make it The Pound?

I have been talking this one with friends from Britain and Europe.

If a single currency across the EU is so important to those who manage and run the EU, and the UK is one of the major stumbling blocks, why not change the currency in the EU to be GBP or the Pound?

Surely this would take over any anger or issues the British have with a single currency. And please do not reply with "It's not a issue for the British", it clearly is a big enough issue that UKIP have MEPs.

One could suggest that some of the anger at Europe and what Europe stands for helped the BNP get their 2 seats as well.

Are those who hold the single EU currency as the goal of a single integrated European entity so attached to the Euro, that would not give it up for GBP to have Britain at the very center of the European ideal?

I think the reason that wouldn't work is because the purpose of the Euro was to supplant national currencies. Adopting the pound sterling across the whole EU could show, in some eyes, favoritism toward the British. This could then spur some current eurozone nations to revive their currencies and make new member states not want to adopt the pound. In short, the Euro is a neutral entity.

Another thing that I just though of, the treaty of Lisbon will most likely be ratified this fall. This treaty essentially makes the EU a country [along the lines of the UK from what I've gathered]. In any event, this treaty acts as a European constitution and invests more power into the EU parliament. The parliament could then just force Britain to use the Euro, as well as the rest of the EU, eventually.

The reason the uk doesn't want to join the Euro is partly to do with having control over its own interest rates, which would be the same no matter if the 'euro' was the pound, the intrest rates would still be set in Euroland somewhere.

The EU is just one big joke anyway, people in the uk will know we were promised a vote on the Eurpoean treaty, but i think they got round that by re naming it a constitution (Or maybe the other way round)

Something has to be done.

reply to post by octotom


So you think Ireland will vote Yes? I spend a fair amount of time in Ireland and there does seem to be a feeling against the second vote and some of those who voted Yes last time had told me they will vote NO this time as Ireland has made it decision.

Next thing you'll be requiring English as the Language for the EU and a proper fry up as the European breakfast

reply to post by woodwardjnr


I can think of worst thing to enhance the lifes of the EU.

But I guess you have missed the point of the thread. If a single currency is so important to the EU, and the UK is one of the biggest blocks to that, what's the issue in saying "OK" to the British and the new currency will be called "The Pound".

Do you think that any Government is going to have a move to the Euro as a policy goal? If they want to be elected, not a chance.

The English Pound is an old currency and already excisted at the time. If the EU wanted something like that they could have opted for the French Franc or the German Mark aswell. But the EU wanted a new currency, so the ECU was called into life, which later was renamed to the Euro.

Do you honestly think the French would sit quietly and allow the Pound to replce the Frank? Haha, not bloody likely!

The EU is the latest round in the long-running, repeated attempts by France and Germany to dominate the continent.

They've been trying for centuries to be "top dog", but were always thwarted along the way by an Alliance led by the UK/England (usually an alliance with either France or Germany, against the 3rd party, depending on who was trying to take over at the time!).

The issue for the UK is not over what the currency is called, but rather it is surrendeing a significant chunk of soveriegnty over to the EU that we have fought for nearly a thousand years to keep hold of! If anyone in the UK wanted to be part of a large European country, then we would have given in to France 900 years ago (the first of many times...), or Germany 60 years ago...

We never signed up to be part of a European Union! In the 70's, we were asked if we wanted to be part of a "common market"... Now it has evolved into some sort of quasi-state, without our say so, yet Britain is "the stumbling block"? How so?

I think the complete euro thing is bad.
We didn't had the possibility to vote if we want europe or not.
Europe cots us a lot of money, but what do we get back?
Since there is the Euro in our country, everything is a lot more expensive.
I wish there was no European Union.
That's just my opinion.

reply to post by Freedom ERP

So you think Ireland will vote Yes?

Yes, I do think that Ireland will vote yes. Mainly because many of the opposition leaders from the last time around are now in favor of the Lisbon Treaty. Also, I remember watching BBC's coverage of the European election back in June and they showed a poll saying that Irish voters would pass the treaty. They also mentioned that some stuff was "changed" to make Ireland happy.

In the end, we'll just have to wait and see.

reply topost by dope001

We didn't had the possibility to vote if we want europe or not.

Some countries did. That is why the EU constitution failed several years ago. Don't forget though, that while the Europeans didn't, for the most part, vote directly for the Lisbon Treaty, it was still voted for by the people indirectly. This is because in many of the countries, it was done in the parliament, which is chosen by the people. So, when Joe Smith is voted into the parliament of his country, and he believes that the EU is a good thing, he's going to take it meaning that the people that he's representing believe the same thing as well.

Why not have a global currency

The Polish President refuses to ratify the Lisbon Treaty this will be an issue until the UK elections, if the Tory's get in there will be a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, there will be imo a resounding NO, the £40m a day it cost us to be in the EU is a huge problem.

A global currency would stop financiers making huge amounts of money and we would all be on an equal footing, yet it is a step towards a world government.

Who could be the leader of a world government?

reply to post by dope001


Me, I would make a great leader of a World Government. I would pretend to listen to everyone and then do exactly what I wanted.

Begins the question: Would there be elections for the leaders and senior offcials of a World Government.

Haha it would be funny to see al the current leaders fight and blame each other to get the title of ultimate leader.

reply to post by dope001


Good point dope001. It would hopefully make for better viewing that elections in the UK. And just look at the nut jobs that would want the job as leader of a world government.

So long as they said The Pound (GBP) was the global currency, I just think the UK might come on board and support the idea.

the British Pound is controlled by the Central Bank of England. Euro - by the European Central Bank. Whoever controls the money supply, controls the nations. Europeans would not joyfully submit their control to the quinn of England . Rather they created a monster , called the EU

Originally posted by Freedom ERP
Are those who hold the single EU currency as the goal of a single integrated European entity so attached to the Euro, that would not give it up for GBP to have Britain at the very center of the European ideal?

1) Was the UK one of the founding members of the EU? No.

2) Did the UK adopt the EURO. No. So why make any change to the system thats in place?

3) The UK is Eurosceptical.. why would any of the real Pro EU countries like France, Germany or Spain do that just to strengthen the British Pound while doing themselves no favours?

4) EUROpe - EURO - € > It makes sense to me. The continent is not called EuroPOUND
Also, creating a new currency from scratch makes it more fair for the rest of the countries while also creating a new product for investors to sink their teeth in without making it too strong like what would have happened the pound if all the EU had begun using it.

5) Why would the UK deserve any special treatment? Germany is the biggest country.. Why not rename it to the Mark?