[Margaret Pilkington]

Son you have voiced most eloquently what I have wanted to say.....in respect of the disparity of the member countries......and also in the failed experiment bit.

As you say it was brainless to expect the likes of Southern Europe to be on a par with the northern rich industrialised members. They did not have a level playing field from the outset. It was like harnessing a mule to a racehorse and expecting a good outcome.

The EU knew that Greece had financial problems for a long time. Yet they railroaded the Greeks into policies and goverment that they did not want....They even installed a government which was aligned to the EU principles when the Greeks complained.....an unelected government......this is the way the EU deals with those who dissent.
Not exactly democracy is it.

What should have happened was that Greece should have been allowed to return to the Drachma, it could then have devalued this(not great).....this would have enhanced the Greek tourist industry and allowed Greece to determine its own destiny.
This would have been painful, but at least the Greeks would know that hard work would eventually pay off and bring them back to solvency(ok, it would take a long time).

Imagine how the UK is going to treated after its effrontery to ask for (paltry) reforms.