EU Referendum

[#1]

I haven't a clue.
The arguments for and against leaving the EU to me, both seem watertight.
I have insufficient knowledge of the validity of financial numbers being quoted by various sources.
Looks to me like a 'flip of a coin' situation and live with the consequences.

[#2]

That just about sums up most elections.
As Gibbs would say you're left with going with your gut.

[#3]

Quote from: Strat

I haven't a clue. The arguments for and against leaving the EU to me, both seem watertight. very leaky

[#4]

Quote from: billnotben

As Gibbs would say you're left with going with your gut.

My gut says "Emergency evacuation!!!", but that could be the pizza I had last night...

[#5]

The great thing about a referendum is, if we make the right choice and everything is good as a result then the politicians will take the credit, if we make the wrong choice and things go bad then the politicians can blame the voters.
I, like many others don't have a clue which way to vote yet.

[#6]

In the last referendum to I voted to enter the "Common Market" but was obviously misled.  But being that old I have experience of living outside the EU and as I recollect we were rather successful at the time.  I remember being involved in exporting to Africa, the middle East, Thailand, China and Singapore. the younger folk seem to have given up on Britain's inventiveness and trading ability.  

[#7]

Quote from: PeterLoftus

the younger folk seem to have given up on Britain's inventiveness and trading ability.

No, the older folk sold it off to "foreign investors" who took it all out of the country, leaving the young folk up a brown creek without a paddle...

[#8]

What's that got to do with the EU? 

[#9]

@PL, well said
I have listened to both sides of the argument and it isn't a cut and dry decision. I have to say that at present I am in favour of staying in.
The EU is the biggest trading block in the world and it's on our doorstep. We shouldn't take this for granted.
I'm with @PL, when we voted in 1975 we were misled and instead of voting purely for a trading union we got one that was a non elected political union. I hope David Cameron is able to secure some changes to the rules that will prevent so much interference from Brussels.

[#10]

I'm content with staying in a Common Market, but I do not wish to live in a Federal Europe.

[#11]

In an age of global economy - I thiunk we are far better to be inside one of the big blocks - i.e the EU -
Many overseas companies have set up in the UK because we are part of the Eu - and if we leave they will move their factories / investments.
All the distractions about imaigration are just that - distractions on the real issue.
The days of our empire are long gone, Australia looks to be going to a Republic and New Zealand may follow.
The alternative of doing what Norway, Switzerland and I think Icekand have done - is to get access to the markets they still pay vast sums into the EU coffers - but get no money back in grants like we do as a member.
The people in power that want us out are doing it for their own selfish reasons - and unfortunately an element of the right wing press is backing them and distorting the picture.

[#12]

It seems to me that the way many people have gone is to decide which way to vote and then convince themselves that the appropriate set of arguments are the truth.
The only problem for me is that we end up with two sets of arguments and two sets of truths.
This doesn't help.

[#13]

There will be a full debate in the country prior to any vote so hopefully we will see both sides presenting their arguments for us to consider. Maybe this will only confuse us further

[#14]

What did we do prior to being in the EU? We could still Import / Export, we didn't have all of the Bureaucracy or make weekly payments that comes with being an EM Member State. We don't use the Euro and that doesn't cause issues. OK, there are subsidies given to the UK from the EU but these are way less that what is paid in so I'm asking myself what are the real benefits of actually staying in, and for the life of me I can't see any. Can you?

[#15]

The biggest plus is the European court of Human Rights, after that it's all downhill...