Class Work for 2/10/15

Think of a controversial issue and imagine two characters who would have opposing views. They should write as if each of those characters were blogging their arguments, trying to create a really different, realistic voice (idiolect) for each one. One could be responding to the other's ideas or not. Bibliography needed for research on the topic.

 
Controversial Issue:
"Should the United Kingdom leave the European Union?"

Character 1:
James, 23, Against Leaving Europe, Left-Wing, Working Class

Character 2:
 Nathan, 55, For Leaving Europe, Right-Wing, Upper Class

James' Blog on Leaving Europe

Recently, a lot of media attention is being paid to the referendum on whether or not the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union. This referendum, proposed by the Conservative party upon re-election this year, is set to take place 'some time before the end of 2017'.

While there has been much debate on the subject, I for one, am completely certain that the best thing for our country, both now and in the future, would be to remain a member state of the EU. In this blog post, I'll do my best to outline why I believe this.

Even to me, someone who has never lived in a Britain outside of the EU, the advantages of remaining are clear. First and foremost, one of the biggest aspects of our lives would be affected. Trade. Should we leave the EU, we risk jeopardising valuable trade links that have been established over decades. Surely it'd be equivalent to collectively shooting ourselves in the foot if we were to sever these ties in an instant. Even if we were to leave, and become dependent on the few exports that we have, they would still be subject to EU  export tariff and production standards, meaning that we'd just as well have stayed a member state. For some figures, it is said that if the UK leaves, we'll lose the estimated £400bn we make in a year, which amount to 52% of our total trade in goods and services.

Another aspect that deters me from the idea of leaving the EU is the way in which it would affect the rules and laws under which our country could operate. In losing the support of the European Court of Justice, we lose the current human rights laws we currently use. This gives the Conservative party the power to enforce new human rights legislation as they see fit, an idea that doesn't sit too well with me.

Employment will also be heavily affected if we leave the EU. As it is, as European citizens, we are entitled to free movement across the whole of Europe, as well as increased employability. Not only will it be harder for our citizens to find work outside of the UK, but it will encourage international companies to move production to cheaper EU nations. For example, our large foreign-owned car industry would likely soon be transferred to other countries. Aerospace would also be hit hard, with companies like Airbus likely to shift their production facilities to countries like France & Germany.

While it isn't as essential to me, our military standing would also be affected. It is said that should we leave the EU, America is likely to consider us a less valuable ally. This could also alter the impact of our say in United Nations decisions considering factors such as: the environment, security, and trade.

All that said, I ask my readers this:
Is this the kind of future you want for our country?

Nathan's Blog on Leaving Europe

As anyone who's watched the news since May knows, we're long overdue a referendum on our position as a member state of the European Union, and David Cameron made the good move of ensuring that we'll get one before 2017 in his elective manifesto. As I'm sure you'll all know, this has got those bloody lefties up in arms, spouting irrelevant facts like some kind of faulty fountain. You'll no doubt come across dozens of articles or blog posts containing them whining about how dependent they are on the EU. A load of rubbish, if you ask me.
As I see it, it's rather black and white. There's no question, we should definitely make it our highest priority to get out of the European Union as soon as we can. 2017 can't come soon enough!

You'll see the left incessantly moaning about how helpless and weak we'd be outside of the EU's influence. They seem to forget what country they're talking about. A nation that once boasted the finest navy the world has ever seen, and one of the largest and most illustrious empires throughout history, the influence of which can be seen today.
Besides, it's not like there aren't countries who haven't prospered and thrived outside of the EU's 'protective' embrace. Just look at Norway & Switzerland. They're doing pretty well, right?
It's not as if we couldn't leave under our own terms, taking the rules that will be of advantage to us and ditching the ones that hold us back.

Our trade won't be hampered either. Those lefties will have you believe that we'll be completely unable to trade if we back out. What they seem to conveniently forget is the current state of the European economy. What a mess. Staying there will only harm us in the long run. Sure, the Union was a great idea back when it was first conceived. but nowadays, what's the point. Soon enough the likes of Spain and Greece will drag us down, just you wait. Economists have even said that we could be like 'Singapore on Steriods'. I'm confident that this is the definite right move for our economy.

They also like to spin tales of the employment crisis that will 'inevitably' follow a split from the EU. For those fools, a quick statistic: more than 90% of the UK economy is NOT involved with EU trade. Pulling out of the EU and staying in the EEA could create as many as 1 million jobs for our people!

A split from the EU would do wonders in the way of securing our borders, too! We'd finally be able to control the flood of migrants pouring in from EU countries, and have a say in who gets in, an issue of great importance to us all.

So, readers, I trust I have convinced you to sway the vote and save us from the dictators of the EU, and to make Britain truly great again!



Bibliography: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/05/brussels-eurosceptics-british-voter-out-lobby
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21567914-how-britain-could-fall-out-european-union-and-what-it-would-mean-making-break
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20448450
http://www.theweek.co.uk/eu-referendum
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/05/brussels-eurosceptics-british-voter-out-lobby
(All last visited 05/10/2015)