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Have you made your mind up about the referendum?

(530 Posts)
obieone Thu 19-May-16 08:36:16

Yes.

I am curious to know how many have. Personally I do not read much about it any more, nor talk about it as dont see the point.

whitewave Thu 19-May-16 19:38:05

I would be surprised if the vote was not more in favour of out than in. That is what is expected of our demography.

rosesarered Thu 19-May-16 19:40:09

A good point Irishlady would we be voting for it now? I doubt it very much.
Unfortunately I agree with others that a lot of people will vote to stay in, because they don't want change, or fear change, although of course some people will genuinely think it's in our interest to remain.
I hope it will be an OUT win, but think it won't be.
I do hope though, that everyone on here, and in RL once the voting is over, will accept it was done democratically, and that there won't be endless recriminations or calls for a re-run!
The world will still keep turning, whatever the outcome.

alisonwall123 Thu 19-May-16 19:50:43

Yes, I am convinced that OUT is the best vote for this country and future generations. Countries like Turkey will join and are even now holding us to ransom with the payments we are making to try to stabilise the migrant crisis. Greece should never have joined and Albania is soon to join. 72 UK resolutions were brought to the Commission last year and guess how many were passed? - yes you guessed NONE.
We need to be brave and stop being so cautious - we will be fine leaving. There are so many scare stories - e.g. house process will plummet etc. I have received information from a number of estate agents who all say that things wil carry on as they are doing now regardless of the vote.

The EU has become a bureaucratic dysfunctional anathema. Our security is tighter than the EU and we are protected by NATO.

Let's leave and not waver.

Alison

Ana Thu 19-May-16 20:01:05

The Jeremy Paxman programme on BBC1 now should be interesting.

Anne2108 Thu 19-May-16 20:03:25

Yes, I'm definitely out.

merlotgran Thu 19-May-16 20:10:45

Yes, Ana. We're watching it.

Nana3 Thu 19-May-16 20:11:27

Thanks for the reminder Ana, watching it now

Gracesgran Thu 19-May-16 20:48:08

Jeremy Paxman is being his usual cynical self so the programme should appeal to most Brits Ana whether in, out or undecided.

durhamjen Thu 19-May-16 20:50:18

Thatbags, you didn't answer the question.

Anyone who is undecided, and wants some factual information should look at this link.

fullfact.org/europe/

durhamjen Thu 19-May-16 20:53:11

fullfact.org/europe/eu-management/

This is particularly important.

Alice16 Thu 19-May-16 20:56:47

For all those who are still undecided, I was just about to suggest looking at fullfact.org, see 2 previous posts - Full Fact is the UK's independent, non-partisan fact checking charity. Also look at getthefacts.eu.

durhamjen Thu 19-May-16 20:56:54

I agree, gracesgran. I do not think this programme really adds anything because of his cynicism.

I noticed that Gove still gave the figure of saving £350 million a week. The leave campaign has been told it is wrong, but still insists on using the figure.

Ana Thu 19-May-16 21:09:01

Well, this was a refreshing thread up to a certain point in time - now it's back to the same old, same old...hmm

durhamjen Thu 19-May-16 21:13:54

Perhaps both sides should have separate threads.

Gracesgran Thu 19-May-16 21:14:36

Sorry Jen I actually thought it was quite good. I was really commenting on the great British characteristic of whinging which I feel has been brought greatly by the referendum.

I'm afraid which ever side Gove was on he could not appeal to me but he was particularly deceptive with his oven gloves and blow torches imo as we need safety rules making somewhere but he talks as if there would be no problem - no rules, if they were not made in the EU. What he doesn't make clear is that his strand of the Conservative party does not want any rules which care for the buyer or the worker. Awful man (in my opinion).

Gracesgran Thu 19-May-16 21:23:22

brought out

Christalbee Thu 19-May-16 21:26:20

OUT! I do not want to be part of a Federal Europe thanks!!

Luckygirl Thu 19-May-16 21:48:50

Every month the whole EU gravy train, hundreds of people and all its papers travel from Brussels to Strasbourg for a few days - why? - no-one seems to know. It costs hundreds of millions of £££ for transport, salaries, accommodation. I do not want my taxes paying for this nonsense.

It is a cumbersome institution - a blunt instrument - full of unnecessary people and buildings and paper and waffle. If there were an efficient way of having an organisation that united Europe in some way without this crazy stuff then fine - but it would seem that there is not.

I am deeply concerned about the lack of accountability of the EU to the people in Europe.

I was once part of a parish council and they could not function without lots of bureaucracy and sadly some corruption. Multiply that several thousand times!

granjura Thu 19-May-16 22:04:31

Why does the word 'Federal' scare so many? The USA is hugely diverse- and yet works well as a Federation- with each State having its own laws and systems- and yet unified by a Federal Government. And, right at the other end of the scale, so does Switzerland.

Interested in your replies - even though it is to a large extent irrelevant in reality- as it a Federal Europe is not on the cards at all presently.

cassandra264 Thu 19-May-16 22:56:12

Definitely IN! If you commit to a relationship you have to learn to negotiate. If you pull out, why should the other side bother to consider your issues at all?

Is this really the time to pull out of Europe and link with Russia, China, India, Brazil and Indonesia - all of which have economic difficulties?

AND some of these do not share our values e.g. equality of opportunity: human rights both in and out of the workplace: health and safety (example - someone's undergraduate son from North Wales who was working in China on his approved year out in industry was killed on a building site earlier this year because of grossly inadequate safety standards): and, not least, the protection of the environment.

I agree with Nandalot about the job losses which will be substantial if we exit.

I also agree with Maggiemaybe about electing a parliament to make informed decisions, and that the money could have been MUCH better spent - health, education, transport? - than on a referendum. The only reason we are being consulted at all over this is because there has been a split in the Conservative party.

And I believe that anyone who is dismissive about security issues in our unstable world has her head in the sand.

durhamjen Thu 19-May-16 22:58:03

Christalbee, if that's your only reason for wanting to be out, it's a non-reason, as that was one of the opt-outs that Cameron negotiated, we will not, ever, be part of an ever-closer union.

varian Fri 20-May-16 03:31:34

We have been a fortunate generation and have seen many benefits living in a peaceful and prosperous Europe. I shall definitely vote to REMAIN.

I worry that Out will win and our grandchildrens lives will be much worse than ours.

italiangirl Fri 20-May-16 07:23:50

Did any one see Jeremy Paxman Last night The comment that we are often outvoted made me think .

Anya Fri 20-May-16 07:34:25

I've just posted the same question on the other EU thread Italiangirl - it was a very thought provoking programme.

It certainly shone a strong light onto the federal issue and it is clear that this is no 'non-reason' (whatever that is supposed to mean confused )but one that has to be considered carefully.

Firecracker123 Fri 20-May-16 08:01:46

Out. I find it hard to believe some people have still not made their minds up.