With Europe Taking Centre Stage Tonight ....

[naomi24]

.... if a referendum on our membership of the EU took place tomorrow, how would you vote?

In or out?

[mikey4444]

Just noticed a typo in my post of 06.57 this morning...should have read
de-industrialisation.

[LazyGun]

Just been reading this on "Full Facts" website - about British attitudes toward the EU/EEC/European market, charting historical trends and current views. Makes for interesting reading;

https://fullfact.org/europe/public_opinion_europe_referendum_trust-30845

[mikey4444]

The difficulty about debating the EU in Britain is that it quickly becomes farcical. Before anything worthwhile is said, the discussion quickly deteriorates into talking about cricket, warm beer and how wonderful the Queen Mother was.

[heathfield]

Why on earth is this subject being talked about by our politicians as an in/out choice? I voted 'Yes' in the referendum on whether the UK should join the European Common Market - freedom of movement, freedom of trade within the EU. That should be retained. It's the political and law-making interference side of the EU that I object to, thrust upon us by our governments and over which we've had no say.

[boxtops]

I think I'd vote Out, but like others I'd want to know more. I voted In on the original referendum, without being at all aware how it would affect trade with non-EEC countries in those days.

I hate the red tape handed out from Brussells in the current arrangements, which we meekly accept and other countries ignore.

[TWR]

Britain survived prior to joining the EU, we can do it again, Britain has the brains ( Concorde) nothing to match it as yet, we have the workforce to do the job, that is, when we are left to do it & not dictated to by a bunch of idiots in Brussels and their stupid H.S. Laws, thousand's give their lives to free this country only to be dictated by the people who we defeted, my opinion "out"

[naomi24]

Heathfield, //I voted 'Yes' in the referendum on whether the UK should join the European Common Market//

There’s never been a referendum on whether the UK should have joined. After we did join, there was a referendum on whether or not we should stay in.

[jomifl]

In, we have already had one referendum on Europe, how many do we need? If more than one then how often?

[jim360]

Since said referendum was 14 years before I was born (and in general before a huge amount of the current electorate was able to vote) the 1975(?) referendum should hardly be thought of as the last word on the subject!

[LazyGun]

Playing devils advocate here, but why is EU membership deserving of a referendum, for instance, whereas capital punishment is not? How frequently should referenda be held, and what issues are open to a referendum anyway?

[jomifl]

At the time the said referendum was claimed to be absolutely irreversible and final....except of course it wasn't. Somebody fibbed.....again.

[naomi24]

I think the problem is we did not sign up for what we eventually got - and the people who voted in the last referendum to stay in didn't envisage what we have today. Without further consultation of the British public, the original agreement has changed beyond all recognition - and expectation.

[LazyGun]

Maastricht was probably the time we should have had a referendum.

[heathfield]

Naomi, your right of course. In my post, delete the word'join' and insert 'stay joined'!

[jomifl]

Naomi, you are correct, perhaps we need a referendum on joining the EU rather than leaving it :o)

[ToraToraTora]

I think the subjugation of most of a continent is a bigger issue that stringing up the occasional bad guy LG.

[LazyGun]

"I think the subjugation of most of a continent is a bigger issue that stringing up the occasional bad guy LG"

I can see you and Farage have a lot in common - not least of which is the use of hyperbolic and inflammatory references.

No comments on Farages seeming anti-Britishness then?

[Farriercm]

referendum to join 1975. Postal..

[ToraToraTora]

LG, I did not see the debate, so perhaps you can help me with his examples of his "anti britishness".