Have you made your mind up about the referendum?

I don't have to think about it. oUT, OUT, OUT.I have akways voted conservative but David Cameron has done us no favours. We will get on o.k. without being in the EU. I was born in 1936 and remember so much. Britain is strong and we will do fine.

The EU sells a lot more to us than we sell to them. In 2014 there was a trade deficit of over £50bn, with a current account deficit of nearly £100 billion. It seems unlikely that the EU would seek to disrupt a trade which is so beneficial to itself.
I would tend to agree with that statement

We are free to trade with other countries
And I agree with that statement (didn't know about the live pigs though). How strange that we send pigs to China and Thailand & Brazil send chickens to the UK.

I will have a look at what Gisela Stuart is saying.

Not agreeing with the figures btw without checking - just that the EU sells more to us than we sell to them.

Just noticed what Noam Chomsky has said "Brexit would leave Britain even more subordinated to US power than it is today which I don't think would be good for the world, or for Britain."

I remember that, before we joined the EU, the complaint was so often about the US dictating to us and I see no reason why this should not happen again. I feel we (well I do) have more in common with Europe than the US. I was about three quarters "remain" but this thought has bumped me up a little. I do not want a country like America.

I notice a campaign has formed (or I have only just noticed it). There is a face book page here and a web page here This is very much what I wanted to hear.

Now we know that within five years we shall be forced by the EU in Brussels and Strasbourg to drive on the right hand side of our roads I am definitely a Brexit.

How do you know that, chester413?
Another Brexit myth, I presume, like the straight bananas one.

It's not only a myth, if it happened, it would not be a bad thing. Definitely even if true, it would not make me vote exit.

Honestly chester ? We aren't that daft to believe that.

I agree re Boris. I am definitely for Brexit though. I would like to see a lot more uummph from the Brexit Brigade. The polls are indicating a leaning towards staying in which I am not happy about.

I thought the problem was that the Brexiters like Boris had too much oomph. He lies.
Anyway, from tomorrow it is purdah, so they will not be able to put out any more false statements made up by various think tanks.
That's probably why someone put out the driving myth.
Come on, Chester, own up. You do not really believe it, do you?

Gracesgran, all our independent nuclear deterrent comes from the US.

"Brexit would leave Britain even more subordinated to US power than it is today which I don't think would be good for the world, or for Britain."
Gracesgran perhaps I am bit older than you, although I do not remember WW2. Many people may feel more of an allegiance with America than they do with Germany.
I am not saying that I do, just that many older people could feel like that and I do know of several young people who work in the USA and have married US citizens. Not all our young people want to work and live in Europe (although, then again, I do know some who do).

However, if it becomes Trumpton that could be a different story.
Noam Chomsky can be quite controversial too. Unless someone agrees with everything he says, of course

EnglishR You're not Nigel's missus are you?

I am surprised that people on this site would vote to stay in given the age scenario? I am guessing most know what this great country was like BEFORE?
I am also surprised that Boris isn’t parading on a white charger proclaiming to save Britain. Is it Britain or the Uk or England…………….. I want my BRITISH passport back!
Why you may ask? Well I will explain. My Mum bless her (and my Dad) got into ancestry. It gave them something to keep their brains ticking over and an interest and in fact lead them to using the internet. They are no longer here and I am talking about around 10 years ago when they took up the challenge to use the internet in their late 70’s. Now, I might not quite get the great, great bit right but….
My great, great grandmother saw her husband and 4 sons go off to the war (youngest was too young but lied about his age) None came back, she ended up in a work house….. that’s all fact. They died for this country, for our freedom, out right to free speech, be who we are and accept others. Yes there are lots of things we could hold our hands up as a country and say well now we would do things differently but everything has to be put in to the context of the time.
Now about 25 years ago, I took in students. I had one German girl, obviously “don’t mention the war” was my approach but she was brazen and trying to provoke conversations about it and realising I wasn’t going to take the bait she looked me in the eye and said “we (Germany) didn’t do anything different to what you British did in the past….. we might not have won the war but we will rule Europe through the money markets! It made me go cold.
So I am totally an out person….. remember butter mountain? Wasn’t it given to Russian? I am left with a sort of feeling that we were supposed to accept that we had to pay more for things because all is fair in love and war????
On to the EU. So if we leave, we will have a year of shit…. A year? A YEAR…..thats what the Government/PM/Chancellor are saying, that’s if we exit……They are stating that we will have a YEAR of shit, but no mentioning after…
Cameron went to the EU to renegotiate terms and came back empty handed. No agreements of any standing so….. Cameron failed to gain things from the EU that the British/UK people wanted and in fact needed. He has already stated he is standing down so what who why and when will take up the baton if we leave? The government are throwing around figures and reasons to stay but they have NOT said what they propose to do once we have had this election. They have not addressed the issue that roughly speaking 50% want to leave and 50% stay……………….that is a HUGE split and probably only because youngsters have lost their identity, been brain washed into thinking we live in one big happy world and the only important thing is being able to get a job in “another” European country or to do their “gap” year with freedom…. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!
My views are simple, exit the EU, the Government lied to those who voted in. It was ONLY about being able to trade freely within Europe. NOTHING about having people we have NOT elected to make LIFE CHANGING DECISIONS about how we live and what we say… and what we pay! I HATE WHEELIE BINS AND HUMAN RIGHTS that are an excuse for people who have done wrong and use OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AT OUR TAXPAYERS EXPENSE to continue to live here on benefits.
I AM NOT EUROPEAN…. WHY? THERE IS NO COUNTRY THAT I HAVE AN ANFINITY WITH.
WE ARE A MULTI CULTURAL COUNTRY and have been for years– HEY LOOK AT OUR LONDON MAYOR?
My leaving question to anyone who wants to stay is tell me from your own personal experience, not business.. you tell me when you have been on holiday with your family the countries you visited had gained from being in the EU?
I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT THE COUNTRY I WAS BORN AND GREW UP IN, AND ALL MY FAMILY BACK OVER 100’s OF YEARS. I AM NOT STUPID BUT LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THIS THOUGHT…WHEN BT AND OTHER COMPANIES DECIDED TO MAKE FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURES DID THEY GO TO EUROPE?

Oh and finally… went to my local Costcutters and the Snickers bar was ALL in polish!
Oh Oh, just turned on the TV and Alex Salmond is stating WE should remain in? But he wants independence from “England”.

Nigel is accumulating a harem?????????
They certainly know how to yak!

i will definitely be voting OUT and not giving in to the bully boys trying their scaremongering tactics . they come out with statistics they couldnt possibly prove as to what will happen to us if we leave, to listen to them there`s absolutely nothing to be gained by leaving. have they forgotten that it costs us 13 million just to be a member and its the only way to control migration which MUST be done,

earn love the fact that you are rubbishing remains statistics.

Now let's consider your 13million??????
Where did that come from?

It sounds as if we may be much of an age *Jalima8. I was born in Hamburg in 1949. A few years later Angela Merkel was born in the same city. Because my father was posted to Luneburg straight after the surrender of Germany and then to Hamburg they saw much of what had happened to the country and, more importantly, got to know many ordinary Germans so I have no problems in seeing myself as European - I lived there on and off until a more interesting posting to Cyprus (well it was for a 12 year old!) but I do appreciate that some may see the American lifestyle as more their cup of tea but I wonder if they realise just how different their views on life are to ours. Far better in my opinion to be in a democratic alliance with Europe, even if that could be improved, than an autocratic one with the USA. I do see that some might not see it like that but I find that particularly with those a little older but not old enough to have fought in the war after all you would have to be in your 90s to have done so.

As for Trump (I like Trumpton ) we will have voted before we find out - and then what [cringe]

There is no doubt though that we each have a vote of equal value so it will be to each his own however much people try to convince others to vote differently

I don't know how old you are Geminite or how good your memory is but I do know you are shouting at us so I for one have not read past your first few lines.

Geminite not bad as comic send up of a crusty Exiter. The wheelie bins line was your best. I suggest that next time you type it out in Word, edit a bit more cut and paste when it is finely honed and then you will have us rolling in the aisles.

Geminite. I read every word of your post and agree with all you say.

The best bit was where the wee German girl declared that Germany would one day rule the world, through the money markets.

Mwa Ha Ha...

Yes, I had a vision of her stroking a white cat while she did so

See, I had this in my mind but the whole look could work with a cat. Obviously an Evil White Cet.

Has anyone mentioned how much our loan rates, as a nation, go up if we leave the EU?