I’m not a fan of plebiscites simply because often they become a referendum not on the substantive issue of the referendum but on the Government of the day and an opportunity to give the government a kicking without the risk of a change of government.
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Edit: Now pasted in above this posting.
That said (hedge, hedge!), I think this government have rapidly developed a tin ear for public sentiment, so they may surprise me. The logic there would be that disgruntled conservatives have nowhere else to go, no other vehicle to express their opposition.
I don't think it's logical to be a BOOer and not support Scottish independence. I appreciate that we have a shared history, culture and heavily intertwined economy, and that this is on a scale that far outweighs England's brief dalliance with the EEC.
However, for the Goveists amongst us, his argument about democratic accountability has to be universal; if the Scottish people wish to be independent, why shouldn't they?
I have to add that independence as a member of the EU strikes me as odd (Scotland is ~ Finland or Croatia in terms of population), but if that's their wish, then it really has little to do with me.
Always good to see you slip the blessed AV into a thread.
It could be a weird time, with the Conservatives getting a lift in the polls from all those getting a pay-check bounce from the National Living Wage, whilst at the same time those being hurt by pension changes think "sod you..."
Although in all seriousness the wailing of some Leavers puts me right off, particularly when focused on the evil of opposing politicians acting like politicians and talk of stitch ups and the like, none of which cannot be overcome by the Leave campaign and which comes across as preparing excuses for any potential defeat. Cumulative weight of dissatisfaction with the EU was what swayed me in the end, the over the top cries of betrayal from the most vocal Leavers, not so much. What? Just as I have to go? For shame.
Um, wasn't it because the deal only got agreed the night before? Unless you think Cameron cannot get the other leaders to agree to the smallest of requests, but was able to convince them to keep up the masquerade for another half day they could spend on matters more essential to their own electorates, all for the sake of an advantage that confers virtually no advantage.
Osborne could always double the pace in 2017 but he'd probably rather be a viable PM candidate
Although in all seriousness the wailing of some Leavers puts me right off, particularly when focused on the evil of opposing politicians acting like politicians and talk of stitch ups and the like, none of which cannot be overcome by the Leave campaign and which comes across as preparing excuses for any potential defeat. Cumulative weight of dissatisfaction with the EU was what swayed me in the end, the over the top cries of betrayal from the most vocal Leavers, not so much. What? Just as I have to go? For shame.
This thread should be up until 10pm
For fans of AV.
For Leavers.
For Osborne haters.
For Osborne lovers.
For Labour supporters who think the Tories are crap and Corbyn is their shield
I said on the earlier thread, Hilary Benn has given the most woeful interview of the day (so far) IMO. Labour trying to make this about the conservative party infighting won't wash because it's too important. Has Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party ever looked more irrelevant as they do at this moment?
Best interviewer today = Jo Coburn.
And in response to @RichardTyndall (fpt): I expect the answer from Mr Nabavi and others will be a combination of (1) the best thing we could do given that Brown.... Lisbon..... yadda yadda.... (2) it will be worse if we Leave so still better than that.
I think the idea that this negotiated deal is a marvel, has reformed the EU and our relationship with it etc will not be heard of again. It was the equivalent of honeyed words by a seducer before the act. Now it's just "Get your knickers off. I'm in a hurry. I need to get home to the wife."
My gut feeling says more will believe IDS on this issue than Cameron. It's all about borders, innit?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35624409
Is it an oncoming crisis like the last one? Probably not. But fair or not, we are being prepared for more disappointment. I call that gloom, even if compared to some it is not exactly blackest night.
Afternoon all.
It's an absurd argument. It takes 20 secs to demolish it by just mentioning Paris/French three month State of Emergency on security and the Brussels lockdown
I'd be insulted if I took them seriously at all.
But it also leads to higher borrowing, lower productivity and a higher current account deficit and more immigration.
Osborne is now getting hoist on his own petard - this is from his 2010 Budget speech:
"Our policy is to raise from the ruins of an economy built on debt a new, balanced economy where we save, invest and export."
But in reality the strategy was to borrow and bribe.
Now most governments do that at various times and to various amounts but Osborne has imitated Brown in doing it continually as each political event arises. With Brown it was Iraq War, 2005 election, leadership election, 2010 election. For Osborne it is 2015 election, EuroRef, leadership election ...
I won't hold you to it!
And how many of them are 'home grown' ? Which would make it harder for the EU to 'do' something.
Although in all seriousness the wailing of some Leavers puts me right off, particularly when focused on the evil of opposing politicians acting like politicians and talk of stitch ups and the like, none of which cannot be overcome by the Leave campaign and which comes across as preparing excuses for any potential defeat. Cumulative weight of dissatisfaction with the EU was what swayed me in the end, the over the top cries of betrayal from the most vocal Leavers, not so much. What? Just as I have to go? For shame.
I couldn't agree more. Nothing makes me want to switch my view more than some of the zealots on here.
Fortunately it's only 4 months of lies and bollocks from both sides imagine if we had the full 3 years.
Anyway youve got the end of the currency markets to keep you busy :-)
Anyway youve got the end of the currency markets to keep you busy :-)
This thread was for you.
Anyway youve got the end of the currency markets to keep you busy :-)
Hello, Alan, is your other half anywhere near the latest cull at all. I saw some disturbing news on it.
Rubio 2%
Kasich 2%
Trump 1%
Carson 1%
Undecided 1%
So Rubio would have closed the gap in S.C with Trump by a net 1%.
I suspect my views on Osborne won't come as a major shock to any of the PB regulars.
Do you think there are zealots on both sides on this site?
Have they changed at all over the last 5 or 10 years ?
Shes smack in the middle of it but presumably not at risk.
Most of her folks are fuming. Quite how the management are planning to run the place when they've just crapped on the workforce who knows.
Are you anywhere near it ?
These people have been allowed to promulgate hateful views/mostly indoctrinated by others from abroad over the last decade or so, and what have the various politicians within the EU done?
Merkel's brain fart has simply added a multiplying factor aided by those who were so keen to welcome all of them too.
I'm sick of them all. And since we can't say "I wouldn't start from here" - what we can do is stop the rot getting even worse.
Most of her folks are fuming. Quite how the management are planning to run the place when they've just crapped on the workforce who knows.
Are you anywhere near it ?
We will have less than the other areas but involved for sure, personally I am safe for sure.
yes substantially
I was happy to vote Cameron in 2010 and was waiting for Osborne to tackle the economic backlog which Brown had created.
I went off Osborne in 2011 when he ducked all the issues of reform and have been watching him turn into Gordon Jnr for the last 5 years.
I think your senior management have dug a hole for themselves, they will have no goodwill going forward.
Certainly Merkel has made things worse but we can't pretend that the issue is all Merkel's or the EU's fault.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/georgeosborne/12167084/George-Osborne-will-abolish-pension-perk-in-tax-bombshell-claims-former-minister.html
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/mar/16/economy.uk
The same set of party point scoring, cherry picked comparisons to other countries, overcomplicating tax changes and smug self-congratulation.
And of course forecasts which they miss.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6418456/Labour-wanted-mass-immigration-to-make-UK-more-multicultural-says-former-adviser.html
He was doing far more than could necessarily have been expected whilst it wasn't a front page issue. Remember the UK had, prior to the Merkel intervention, given more money to the frontline Syrian aid programmes than the whole of the rest of the EU put together.
Then when the EU did decide upon its disastrous response, he stood firm and again took exactly the right action to try and help the refugees in the camps whilst not encouraging so many more to embark on often suicidal journeys by boat to Europe.
I can't see a single way in which he could be criticised over the refugee crisis to date - excepting the EU dimension of course.
Boris Johnson to campaign to leave EU
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35626621
I'm beyond irked at this line from Cameron now after all this.
What were the key points?
And I agree Cameron's policy was the correct one.
But from Rotherham to Riyadh every UK government has pandered to Islamic bigotry for decades.
I'm sure you'll remember this individual:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Honeyford
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3456880/Even-leave-EU-won-t-able-control-immigration-David-Cameron-warns-Cabinet-ministers-say-PM-s-plan-UK-population-hit-80m.html
We can't deport illegals now nevermind legals out of work.
Referendums decide outcomes but they don't resolve arguments.
I don't know which side will win but I know what will happen next either way:
On 23rd June one side will get what it wants and the other side will have to respect the decision on a practical level - but the arguments about whether the decision is wrong or right will go on in perpetuity. Those on the losing side will not suddenly change their opinions overnight. Then something will inevitably go wrong at some point (whether we're in or out) and we'll have the "I told you so" brigade out in force to play the blame games. Indeed both sides are already blaming each other for things that haven't even happened yet!
The wounds will not heal any time soon.
I understand Number 10 has still not been informed of @MayorofLondon decision on Brexit referendum
7 retweets 3 likes
https://twitter.com/bbclaurak/status/701423779923304449
Boris probably did not inform the BBC, a reporter is likely to have asked. Maybe someone at Number 10 could have done the same.
If he has chosen the Brexit side out of principle rather than ambition then good on him.
This seems a peculiar argument to me.
Also its true temporary holiday makers can do attacks, but they can't form sleeper cells.
My original point was that we're can't blame the EU or Merkel for ALL of the jihadists currently within the EU as some of them would have been home grown while others would have been able to migrate into the EU for other reasons.
Merkel's madness has caused enough problems to highlight without the need to blame it for other things.
I'd give mine to Gove - and never thought I'd say that as he's so marmite. His statement really clinched it.
https://twitter.com/camillalong/status/701430285292990465
Mind you, at least they've all got the good taste not to have Cruz as a second choice.
But I did hear on the news earlier that Boris has already set out his negotiating positions (months back) and he deems them not met, especially with regard to the city/financial sector.