EU Referendum: 23.06.16

[04alsabi]

'Britain Stronger In Europe' and 'Vote Leave' were today designated the official Remain and Leave campaigns by the Electoral Commission. The formal campaign period begins this Friday. UK citizens above the age of 18 will be eligible to vote, as will Irish and Cypriot citizens resident in the UK . The latest poll of polls shows a lead for 'Remain' by the narrowest of margins (and well within the margin of error): 51-49.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Hoping that 'Remain' wins...

A lot will, I think, depend on the level of turnout.

[Bad Dog]

2. And the age of the turnout.

We need to get young people to vote.

[04alsabi]

3. An interesting breakdown of opinion across certain demographics:

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/24/eu-referendum-provincial-england-versus-london-and/

I'd be interested to meet one of the 3% of UKIP supporters who support 'Remain'!

[Ironing Man]

4. ...

they'll be the same as those who've voted for the SNP and who voted against in the Scot Indyref...

UKIP, like the SNP, have had to become a good deal more than their headline policies - you don't win council seats on questions over the EU, and electoral politics is about accepting some things you are indifferent to, and some things you really don't like if it brings enough people with you on the biggest issues.

i've voted SNP in Holyrood and council elections because while i'm a convinced unionist, the SNP not only had other policies i liked, but in the final analysis were the only party who looked remotely competant at being a government - while i don't quite beleive the idea that all politics is local, i have children who need a working education system, i have a car that needs decent roads and for them to be well gritted in winter, and i want a health system that works and is in the right place.

Labour, and Labour and the LD's, failed at that stuff - being in the UK, or not having a referendum over the issue, doesn't help me if i can't get to work, or my kids school is both a wreck and going in the wrong direction...

[Bad Dog]

6. Salmond and Sturgeon at least give the impression of competent leadership.

Farage seems touched, (by what I don't know.)

[Bad Dog]

5. They could be protest voters.

Tories who don't think Cameron is right wing enough or white working class who think they're no longer represented but can't quite bring themselves to vote BNP.

[Bad Dog]

7. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to set out EU case

About bloody time too. From the BBC.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is to set out his case for why Britain should vote to stay in the EU, in his first major intervention in the campaign.

He will emphasise the "socialist case" for remaining in, saying the EU offers workers' rights, as well as consumer and environmental protections.

While he will acknowledge he has been critical of the EU and its "shortcomings", he will argue that reform should be sought from within.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36039925

[non sociopath skin]

8. You mean he's going to be honest and look at two sides of the argument?

Well, that won't go down well!

The Skin

[Bad Dog]

9. I don't mean anything other than what I've said.

I posted the BBC report. Unfortunately the EU debate has mostly been framed by the Tories. We need Corbyn to take a leading role and hopefully motivate the younger voters.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. Guardian's coverage of it as he spoke started here:

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2016/apr/14/corbyn-speech-eu-referendum-poll-shows-corbyn-more-trusted-on-europe-than-cameron-politics-live?page=with:block-570f5ec4e4b00aa8633208c1#block-570f5ec4e4b00aa8633208c1

(I think that should always take you to the page it starts at, however much gets written on the live blog later)

And the full text of the speech: http://labourlist.org/2016/04/europe-needs-to-change-but-i-am-voting-to-stay-corbyns-full-speech-on-the-eu/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LabourListLatestPosts+%28LabourList%29

[Bad Dog]

11. Latest breaking news.

From the BBC.

Lloyds Banking Group has warned a UK vote to leave the EU would cause short term "economic uncertainty".

However, the bank said the long term impact was "unclear" because there was no certainty over how the UK's position outside the EU would evolve.

"The board is mindful that the future of the UK's relationship with the EU is a matter for the UK electorate, and that for many the debate is about more than just economics," it added.

The EU vote is on 23 June.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36048015

[Bad Dog]

12. This is more like it.

From the BBC.

Jeremy Corbyn has warned there could be a "bonfire" of workers' rights if the UK votes to leave the EU in June.

The Labour leader claimed the Conservatives would "dump" equal pay, annual leave and maternity pay rights.

And he did not think "too many people" had come to the UK from inside the EU.

Making his first major speech of the EU campaign, Mr Corbyn stood by past criticisms of the EU but said Britain had to remain in to fight for social reform.

He set out an alternative, "socialist" vision for Britain in Europe to the one being promoted by Mr Cameron, who will need the support of Labour voters to win 23 June's referendum.

He called for an EU minimum wage to prevent "unscrupulous" employers from undercutting wages, and said: "Just imagine what the Tories would do to workers' rights here in Britain if we voted to leave the EU in June.

"They'd dump rights on equal pay, working time, annual leave, for agency workers, and on maternity pay as fast as they could get away with it. It would be a bonfire of rights that Labour governments secured within the EU.

"Not only that, it wouldn't be a Labour government negotiating a better settlement for working people with the EU. It would be a Tory government, quite possibly led by Boris Johnson and backed by Nigel Farage, that would negotiate the worst of all worlds: a free market free-for-all shorn of rights and protections."

Asked about concerns over high levels of immigration, he said: "There is nothing wrong with people migrating to work across the continent but there has to be a level playing field on pay and conditions. What we have is unscrupulous employers doing that."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36039925

[T_i_B]

13. You can get involved with the Campaign to Stay in the EU here

http://www.strongerin.co.uk/#LoibqdSXDGDfir52.97

Although what I have found is that it's better to try and contact somebody from the campaign directly rather than go through the website if you want to get involved. So if you do want to get involved with the campaign to keep Britain in the EU please feel free to DM me and I'll try to put you in touch with somebody.

We especially need volunteers in old mining areas and areas with a high proprtion of retirees.

[LeftishBrit]

16. I signed up - I think my area would probably go for 'Remain' anyway, but don't want to risk it

I was a Euro-sceptic till 2004, and almost indifferent to the issue till 2014; but the Leave people have truly convinced me that the UK would NOT be safe in their hands; and probably wouldn't stay United for very long, either.

[T_i_B]

17. I actually still consider myself Euro-sceptic!

There's a lot that I don't like about the EU, but by staying in we keep all the benefits of the EU single market and we also will be able to push for further reforms. I honestly don't see any benefit to leaving the EU.

As to your area, I'm sure that Stronger In will need assistance in the towns outside of Oxford such as Abingdon and Didcot.

[Bad Dog]

14. Is Boris making a bid for the Republican nomination?

I think he still is an American citizen, and if his not so secret attempt to oust Cameron fails the Republican apparatniks may think he's a better bet than Cruz or Trump.

Boris Johnson has accused US President Barack Obama of "hypocrisy" over his support for the UK remaining in the EU.

The London mayor, who backs EU exit, told the BBC the Americans "wouldn't dream of sharing [their] sovereignty" as the UK had done

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36057947

[LeftishBrit]

15. I wish they would!

(1) It would get him away from here; (2) With all his faults, he'd be better than anyone else currently running for the Republican nomination - to do him justice, he wrote in support of Obama in both of the last elections; (3) It would get him away from here!

[Bad Dog]

18. Sounds like a win/win all round.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

19. When the Okies left Oklahoma and moved to California, they raised the average intelligence level in

both states?

[04alsabi]

20. So, Ian Botham backing Brexit makes the Sunday Times front page

... and the Out campaign appears to be suggesting that Obama's support for Britain's membership of the EU stems from ignorance of its inner workings.

[Bad Dog]

22. While the march against austerity barely gets a mention.

[04alsabi]

21. Treasury analysis of the (estimated) economic consequences of Brexit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/517155/treasury_analysis_economic_impact_of_eu_membership_web.pdf

[04alsabi]

23. Theresa May wants out of the European Convention on Human Rights

So we can join Belarus as the only non-member (but don't worry, I'm sure the Conservatives' proposed British Bill of Rights will be just as comprehensive). Patrick Stewart and co. ask what it's ever done for us.

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/video/2016/apr/25/patrick-stewart-sketch-what-has-the-echr-ever-done-for-us-video?CMP=share_btn_tw

[Bad Dog]

24. Saw that yesterday.

It's brilliant. I particularly liked the actor who plays Dreamboat Charlie in Miranda, sorry, don't know his name.