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View Full Version : The Queen is cold on Turkey's bid to join the EU



-:Undertaker:-
23-04-2011, 01:08 PM
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8468984/The-Queen-is-cold-on-Turkeys-bid-to-join-the-European-Union-claims-Labour-ministers-lover.html

The Queen is cold on Turkey's bid to join the European Union, claims Labour minister's lover

The Queen said Turkey should be kept out of the European Union for a 'long time’, according to the girlfriend of Denis MacShane, the Labour Europe minister.


http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01879/queen_1879214c.jpg


The Queen is accused of making an 'unconsititutional' comment.



Throughout her 59 years on the throne, the Queen’s political views have remained strictly between her and her ministers. Now, though, a Labour minister’s former girlfriend has made public what she claims is the monarch’s opinion of the expansion of the European Union. “I was present when the Queen made a comment that was both reactionary and unconstitutional,” alleges Joan Smith, an author and broadcaster, who split up with Denis MacShane, a former Europe minister, last year.

“It was at a Christmas party at Buckingham Palace. It was mostly MPs and ex-ministers.” Smith, who refused to make a curtsy for the monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh, tells Mandrake: “Before the Queen came in, a small group of us were asked to stand in the corner and wait to be introduced. I smiled and said 'hello’ and she looked at me with almost disbelief and passed on to the next person. It was a nice Conservative MP and his wife, who, he said, was Turkish. She immediately said: 'Philip and I have been on a state visit to Turkey.'

“The woman was very polite and said how pleased people were that she had visited. Then, the Queen turned to another person in the group and said: 'The EU is getting awfully big with 28 countries.’ They said that, actually, it was 27, 'but we are hoping Turkey will come in soon’, to which the Queen said, 'Oh, we don’t want Turkey to come in for a long time.’ “I thought it was very rude. The myth is that she is above politics, so it is interesting that she would express political views like that."

Politicians from all three major political parties have argued for Turkey’s accession to the EU. The country, which has a mainly Muslim population of 78 million, applied to join in 1987 and has been an associate member of the organisation and its predecessors since 1963. Turkey was officially recognised as a candidate for full membership in1999, but its bid is highly controversial because some European countries fear that the nature of the EU would change if it admitted a largely Muslim country. Buckingham Palace declines to comment, but a courtier tells me: “While it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Her Majesty made such a comment, it may have been taken out of context. “The Queen has a good relationship with Turkey and Miss Smith is, I believe, a prominent republican."

Whether or not this story is true remains to be seen, but if so - it reassuring to know that she differs from Mr Cameron, Miliband and Clegg on the issue of Turkey coming into the EU which is something that would give free movement (and ultimately access to our health services and welfare free of charge as is the case with Eastern European countries) to 70m+ people from Turkey, many of whom are poor just as they are in Eastern Europe and would flock here, naturally, for a better lifestyle to the detriment of ourselves.

In a related topic, on the 1st of May hundreds of thousands of Eastern Europeans will be allowed full access to our benefits system (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1362451/100k-Eastern-European-migrants-free-claim-UK-benefits-EU-ruling.html) and there's not a thing our government can do about it - not that the Conservatives, Labour or the Liberal Democrats want to do anything about it in the first place.

Should Turkey be allowed to join the EU? should we even be in it?

FlyingJesus
23-04-2011, 01:29 PM
Brilliant title lol

Anyway some random republican journalist spreading a story about how terrible the Queen is isn't really gonna hold any weight with anyone except other people who like complaining about the royals. It's not an unconstitutional comment anyway, I'm fairly sure there's nothing in British law that says that the head of state can't express an opinion

Jordy
23-04-2011, 01:30 PM
"The EU is getting awfully big with 28 countries." - The whole article is a complete joke from some nobody, that comment is so stereotypical it could only come from some sort of satirist.

Didn't the Queen controversially recommend Turkey should join the EU whilst in Turkey a few years back (One of the few moments she has intervened in politics)?
Found it... http://euobserver.com/9/26132

-:Undertaker:-
23-04-2011, 01:50 PM
"The EU is getting awfully big with 28 countries." - The whole article is a complete joke from some nobody, that comment is so stereotypical it could only come from some sort of satirist.

Didn't the Queen controversially recommend Turkey should join the EU whilst in Turkey a few years back (One of the few moments she has intervened in politics)?
Found it... http://euobserver.com/9/26132

Depends whether she's on offical duty or not, oh to be a fly on the wall.

beth
23-04-2011, 01:54 PM
to me, turkey will never be a part of the e.u. it just doesn't seem right in my head ha.

Jordy
23-04-2011, 01:56 PM
to me, turkey will never be a part of the e.u. it just doesn't seem right in my head ha.and the rest of the EU does? :P

It's time will probably come in a decade or so.

beth
23-04-2011, 01:58 PM
and the rest of the EU does? :P

It's time will probably come in a decade or so.

yeh mainly. there's a couple of exceptions to that rule, but turkey to me is just not e.u.

GommeInc
23-04-2011, 02:02 PM
I'm amazed the EU is still wanting other countries to join. I was getting ready to see some pull out, or at least wait a few centuries to go by until any debt problems are solved - assuming there are any debt problems :P I am still yet to see how much money they actually rake in and own.

Moh
23-04-2011, 02:44 PM
Wonder what'll happen to Joan Smith? If it's "strictly between her and the ministers" then surely she could get in trouble?

Don't Turkey have a pretty steady economy? So if they did join the EU, they should be adding to the EU unlike Poland sponging nearly 4 times as much as they put in.

Imo, in with Turkey, out with Poland :P

GommeInc
23-04-2011, 04:06 PM
Wonder what'll happen to Joan Smith? If it's "strictly between her and the ministers" then surely she could get in trouble?

Don't Turkey have a pretty steady economy? So if they did join the EU, they should be adding to the EU unlike Poland sponging nearly 4 times as much as they put in.

Imo, in with Turkey, out with Poland :PI think I remember hearing the issue with having Turkey in the EU was mainly to do with Human Rights. I can't remember if Turkey had any financial issues or whether or not it was just Greece in that area with the issue.. Goodness knows why Turkey want to join the EU though, if they're financially stable they do not need to be involved with the organisation.

ifuseekamy
23-04-2011, 04:22 PM
As head of state of 16 nations, including the likes of Canada and Australia, I can't imagine the queen would have much reason to brown nose European politicians anyway.

Technologic
23-04-2011, 05:52 PM
Editorials =/= news

-:Undertaker:-
23-04-2011, 06:15 PM
Editorials =/= news
@Jordy also

The article itself states that these are only claims and as a newspaper, it is reporting these claims along with the reaction from Buckingham Palace. Whether or not the Queen said this or not we do not know nor will we ever know for sure as the Palace will simply refuse to get involved in a political argument - the issue being highlighted though is the coming membership of Turkey into the EU.

Something which, as past experience shows us - is to be avoided.

AgnesIO
23-04-2011, 06:59 PM
I really hope Turkey joins the EU. Ignorant those this may be, my family owns a few holiday homes in Turkey and though they are rising in value they would rocket if Turkey joined the EU. We can hope. :p

It doesn't really bother me to be honest, as I am not planning in staying in England (probably the worst country to be in in the EU in terms of getting all the crap lol), and maybe not even the EU.

GommeInc
23-04-2011, 10:24 PM
I really hope Turkey joins the EU. Ignorant those this may be, my family owns a few holiday homes in Turkey and though they are rising in value they would rocket if Turkey joined the EU. We can hope. :p
Hard to say if they will rise or not. Turkish homes could well easily drop if being in the EU lowers the overall value of the country and house prices, which it could do to make them more competitive with other EU nations. Would be useful though, if you plan to sell them or hope you get some inheritance from your family (as is the reason most of the time nowadays :P)

AgnesIO
23-04-2011, 10:32 PM
Hard to say if they will rise or not. Turkish homes could well easily drop if being in the EU lowers the overall value of the country and house prices, which it could do to make them more competitive with other EU nations. Would be useful though, if you plan to sell them or hope you get some inheritance from your family (as is the reason most of the time nowadays :P)

Well with the property crash in Spain, ideally my dad wants to sell up in Turkey and buy a bigger house in Spain. Property prices have already risen hugely in Turkey - not sure about one of the houses but one of them we paid 98k off plan, with it not being valued at 145k (three years ago we paid for it..)

Still, ultimately inheritance as you say, is a big impact.

Eoin247
24-04-2011, 05:29 PM
The only reason Turkey hasn't joined the EU yet is because of France and Sarcozy. This is the main voice against Turkey joining the EU.

Jordy
24-04-2011, 11:44 PM
The only reason Turkey hasn't joined the EU yet is because of France and Sarcozy. This is the main voice against Turkey joining the EU.And Angela Merkel too I believe. There's an awful lot of Turkish migrant workers in Germany and quite a lot of ill-feeling towards them from what I've heard.

AgnesIO
24-04-2011, 11:49 PM
And Angela Merkel too I believe. There's an awful lot of Turkish migrant workers in Germany and quite a lot of ill-feeling towards them from what I've heard.

Don't the Germans have ill feelings towards everyone?

On my years trip to Berlin, some old woman shouted at two of my mates (they walked past her talking in English), "GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY!"

Kind person lol

Jordy
24-04-2011, 11:54 PM
Don't the Germans have ill feelings towards everyone?

On my years trip to Berlin, some old woman shouted at two of my mates (they walked past her talking in English), "GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY!"

Kind person lolHaha I suppose, at least the feelings mutual everywhere too :)

Eoin247
25-04-2011, 10:26 AM
And Angela Merkel too I believe. There's an awful lot of Turkish migrant workers in Germany and quite a lot of ill-feeling towards them from what I've heard.

That's true to an extent. However if there was a more moderate leader in France, then i believe that turkey would already be joining the EU.

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