Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms EU Referendum quiz; find out how much you know

This long Guardian article from last year focuses on labours failure to control immigration.

They were expecting a few thousand migrants from the new eastern countries and decided not to place restrictions on numbers and ended up with hundreds of thousands.

Most labour politicians in interview now admit this policy was a mistake and the ongoing repercussions of this will probably be the biggest single factor influencing a brexit vote, if it occurs.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/mar/24/how-immigration-came-to-haunt-labour-inside-story

I fully agree with you about the costs in the London area,
and the unscrupulous landlord situation.

That could be the reason for the increasing numbers
in the rest of the country.

Having decided to retire early and being financially
comfortable, leaving or remaining will not affect me.
I am still buying a retreat in the sun for winter use.
( Probably in the EU, if they still want my cash )

Politicians in all parties have made it quite clear to the
public that they'll lie their back teeth off, to get what
they want.

My concern is that my grand kids will have to face
the conditions you described above.
At least they would get the choice every four years
as to whether they change the people controlling the
country.

I watched it - a damming indictment on the EU inner workings.

Everyone knows the maths dont add up - it was the consequence of an official default, Grexit and possible contagion requiring the finance ministers and other officials to perpetuate the ongoing euro monkey business.

Don't forget that Greece cooked their books with the help of a multinational accounting firm to hide their real level of debt and prop up their exchange rate in order to enter the Euro.

That is at the base of all their troubles not the Euro per se. Blaming the Euro and wanting to return to the Drachma would resolve nothing for Greece. Well it might help tourism because the value of the Drachma would be peanuts but then the Greek government would simply declare bankruptcy because they would never be able to repay the public debt. Goodness knows what impact that would have on the banking sector. It would probably be worse than the Lehman Brothers crash, and nobody wants that.

I am afraid I still don't understand all this business about the EU not being democratic. As far as I can see the UK has a reasonable proportion of elected and politically appointed representation and the EU generally makes decisions that are in accord with the wishes of the majority of the British population. In fact the UK comes out quite well in this respect. The following item is worth a read:
Are UK citizens losing out in Brussels? Not really

Thanks a very good read

I will refrain from any opinion now since the board is now pretty much set and any outside intervention is only adding noise to the many important issues UK nationals must ponder before they decide which way to vote.

As things stand now and with all the fracturing already made to the UK's political class and to the divide between them and the people they're supposed to represent, my only prediction is that, whatever the result, big wake up call will follow.

I agree Mario and I was also considering making no further comment. I know I have been somewhat provocative in some of my posts and I think I have enough.

Further comment at this point is not constructive so I too will refrain.

Still, looking on the positive side, whatever the result we will all be able to blame everyone else for whatever happens next ( whilst sub blaming what went before) so that's a result for everyone isn't it?
Nick

I've become very despondent about the potential outcome of this referendum. We seem to be rushing headlong into a really rather unpleasant future - not so much from an economic point of view (although I think it will, for most people, see a significant downturn in their quality of life) but more about Britain's place in the world and the future for all of Europe.

If the EU collapses as a result of our withdrawal, will it destabilise Europe to the point where Putin feels confident enough to re-establish Russian hegemony in eastern Europe?
Given that Trump and Putin seems to rather like each other, I can't see a Trump presidency rushing to get involved if Putin does do something.

If Scotland votes remain, will we see a renewed impulse for independence? With a hard border in Ireland, will nationalist separatism there flare up into civil war again?

I've said it before and I'll say it again - there's an awful lot wrong with the EU, but it's fixable, and Britain should do the right thing and stand alongside our neighbours.

Not thought about how the votes would be counted.

http://reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0Z2137