Have The Brexiters Been Brainwashed?

[TheChair]

http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/study-shows-majority-press-coverage-eu-referendum-campaign-was-heavily-skewed-favour-brexit

[Bertrum]

I would say no more than the remainers scare tactics and attempted brainwashing on both sides seems to be the order of the day when it comes to the EU referendum

[Togo]

I don't suppose the Oxford based Reuters Institute, part of a "charitable donations" funded think tank concerning world media studies, is pro EUSSR and in favour of one world government by any chance is it? Turn the telescope around, you are peering through the wrong end. The Remainians are the brainwashed, the out lobby are thinking for themselves. We don't believe a word that comes out of Brussels, mind you Cameron's policy adviser doesn't either according to the latest.

[sp1814]

Togo

Do you think that the majority of media coverage has be pro-exit, pro-remain or pretty much neutral?

[Togo]

Well it certainly hasn't been "neutral" sp. Although I must reflect that the majority of the out coverage seems mainly a response to, and a debunking, of the Remainians scare campaign. Perhaps the outers have actually got more salient points to get across and therefore need more "air time" to do so.

[naomi24]

A bit of sneaky psychology going on in that question which suggests that on production of that report those who want 'out' might be stupid enough to believe that they could have been brainwashed.

[sp1814]

Togo

Do you think it's fair to say that there has been a fair amount of scare tactics put forward by Brexit too?

Seems to me that there's been an quite a lot of hokum on both sides.

[Togo]

//Do you think it's fair to say that there has been a fair amount of scare tactics put forward by Brexit too?//

Lots of scary questions for sure.

[youngmafbog]

So far I dont think I have seen anything from the Remain that is anything but scare tactics.

[jno]

this is about press coverage; and yes, the Express, the Mail, the Telegraph and the Murdoch stable, includng the Sunday versions of all of them, have been very heavily skewed. (I also posted a link the other day to a survey showing that BBC coverage was strongly anti-Europe last year, though it wasn't to do with the referendum.)

[youngmafbog]

The problem with the press coverage is that each organization must ore-empt its reader/viewership. Or risk loosing custom.

[ToraToraTora]

I've not been brainwashed but anyone voting to remain must be completely radio!

[New Judge]

As an ardent Brexiter I can say categorically that nothing I have read in the Press has swayed my opinion. Far from being brainwashed have been in favour of the UK leaving the EU for at least 12 years (since the former Soviet states joined) and my yearning to leave probably began much earlier than that when the likes of Greece was welcomed into the fold.

I think most people wishing to leave probably made up their minds some time ago and saw the referendum as finally bowing to the pressure that has been building in the UK for some years. I don’t know of anybody who has been swayed by the recent campaigns to switch from “Leave” to “Remain”. (In fact I know few people personally who wish to remain).

To be clear, there is absolutely nothing that anybody could say that would make me switch sides. I don’t care for the forecasts that have been pronounced on how the UK will fare over the next 10/20/30 years which have been made by people who have the greatest of difficulty forecasting what will happen next week. I don't care for the prophets of doom in organisations such as the CBI who told us we must join the euro and the Schengen Area to survive. Further, I don’t really care whether I’ll be a fiver a week better or worse off. My principle objection to the EU is its complete lack of accountability and its enormous democratic deficit. I’d far sooner be ruled by a terrible UK government than by a bunch of unelected Euromaniacs.

[agchristie]

NJ > I’d far sooner be ruled by a terrible UK government.

Let's face it, we have seen many absurd and insulting comments from both camps and senior MP's. These are the people running our country spouting their drivel. Doesn't inspire does it?

[Gromit]

It is extraordinary that a Government Minister goes on national TV and repeatedly lies about the UK not having a veto on Turkey's membership of the EU. The interviewer tried to tell her that he was sure that we did, but she continued to insist otherwise.

Which suggests that the Brexitters, no matter if they are Government Ministers, believe the twaddle they spout. Or that theArmed Forces Minister is very dim.

[New Judge]

"Which suggests that the Brexitters, no matter if they are Government Ministers, believe the twaddle they spout."

I think the same accusuation can be levelled at both sides, Gromit. And as I said yesterday, whether we have a veto is not really the point. It's whether we'd use it that matters and on past form the current Prime Minister seems unlikely to do so.

[naomi24]

Gromit, following the discussion yesterday I searched for positive confirmation that this country has a veto on other countries joining. I couldn't find it so I'm not sure who exactly is dim. Do you have a link?

[jno]

ymb, if the balance of the coverage in any of those papers, except perhaps the Express, reflects its readers views, I'd be amazed. My guess is their readers are as fairly evenly split as anyone else, but that's not true of the coverage.

In the case of the American Murdoch and the tax exiles who own the Telegraph, it seems to reflect the proprietors' views, not the readers'.

[Togo]

Any thoughts on who to appoint twaddler in chief?

[ToraToraTora]

I asked about the veto on another thread gromit, no one seemed to know if it really exists.

[Gromit]

Tora,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36355138

1. Turkey are not going to join anytime soon.
2. David Cameron supports them joining.
3. We do have a veto but Cameron will not use it, see 2 above.