European patriots meet in Koblenz

[parochial boy]

Let's be honest, the driving factor behind the right's hatred of the EU is so that they can "take back control", and then give it to corporations.

[parochial boy]

Let's be honest, the driving factor behind the right's hatred of the EU is so that they can "take back control", and then give it to corporations.

If you really believe this that's pretty conspirational. You may say the views they have would inadvertently help big business etc. and screw over the poor, even if I'd disagree with that too, but the idea that their euroskepticism stems from the idea that the EU is an obstacle to corporations' profits is, err... pretty out there. Corporations are the biggest supporters of "globalism", mass immigration and European integration, the consequences be damned.

I was thinking along the lines of those members of the UK conservative party, whose brilliant post-Brexit plan is to turn the country into a tax haven.

Globalisation is happening whether people like it or not, as a result of technological development, and the only way to stop it turning into a massive handover of power to the private sector is to stop clinging on to the idea that democracy stops at your border.

[parochial boy]

I was thinking along the lines of those members of the UK conservative party, whose brilliant post-Brexit plan is to turn the country into a tax haven.

Pro-business Tories were remainers; Brexiteers in the Conservative Party didn't care. But in general I don't think the Conservatives are comparable to the ENF parties on this conference at all.

The libertarian wing of the Tories were very much pro-Brexit.

And it still remains the fact that any weakening of the EU would result in a major handover of power to big businesses.

[parochial boy]

And it still remains the fact that any weakening of the EU would result in a major handover of power to big businesses.

Regardless of whether that is a fact of not, that is not what you said earlier ("the driving factor behind the right's hatred of the EU is so that they can "take back control", and then give it to corporations"). That statement implies parties like FN, PVV and AfD primarily hate the EU because it impedes the power of corporations, which is just very far-fetched.

It was hyperbole.

But there very definitely a current with in the Eurosceptic movement that dislikes the EU because it both has the ability and has in practice, impeded ultra-liberal economic policies.

The pre-Marine FN was very economically liberal; as is UKIP; as are the main anti-EU politicians in Switzerland; and the Dan Hannan/Douglas Carswell wing of the British right was opposed to the EU very much as a result of the fact it willing to intervene in the markets.