Dear Sir,

05/01/2013 00:00

I can see a lot of ex-pats worrying over if UK should pull out of Europe. As many are pensioners living in the island and getting all the benefits from the UK such as pensions, winter fuel allowances all index linked to UK inflation. Also as members of the EU they get health benefits in Spain. If the UK pulled out then a lot of these benefits will go by the board as other Ex-pats in other countries outside the EU can tell you. Also as a net contributor to the EU budget who would be in a position to pick up the slack to continue to bail out the poorer countries in the EU, Spain, Portugal and Greece to name but 3.

For selfish reasons I do not want the UK to pull out as I am planning to retire to Spain, however if it were to happen there is not only a plan B but possibly C and, D. l B) Money thrown at Europe invested in the UK l C) Because EU sells more to UK than the other way round a trading agreement would be drawn up l D) EU nationals would not have right to settle in UK and be entitled to Benefits
So maybe the time is right for the other members of the EU to offer some olive branches to the UK in stead of constantly berating them and giving UKIP ammunition to argue for the pulling out of the EU

Best regards, Ray Gidley
Bramhall