Poll: The EU Referendum: How Will You Vote? (May Poll)

Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?

  • Remain a member of the European Union

    Votes: 522 41.6%
  • Leave the European Union

    Votes: 733 58.4%

  • Total voters
    1,255
  • Poll closed .
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Man of Honour
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People are looking at this as if it was one cycle of government ie a 5 year term. There will be uncertainty guaranteed in that time frame but the pound will go up and down as always, prices similarly.

If the vote is out, that is for at least the remainder of this century IMO. Over that longer time, there will probably be little overall effect on the UK prosperity either way. The markets would get used to changed circumstances, people will still buy and sell and make money or lose money.

So the main change will largely be political. How the UK is governed and how it sees itself in the world.

There is too much 'chicken little' hysteria around at the moment.

Uncertainty doesn't last forever - but the effect of the chance short term is unlikely to be good. Not sure about the long term myself.
 
Soldato
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I appreciate he has written a biography, but in relation to the EU when has he?

Regardless, Churchill, or anyone else who can't voice their opinion shouldn't even be mentioned. That was the main point.

Boris Johnson in Sun article said:
“At the very heart of Winston Churchill’s political beliefs was what he saw as the supreme right of every voter, with his or her little pencil, to decide who governs the country.

“And today it is a tragedy that the European Union – that body long ago established with the high and noble motive of making another war impossible – is itself beginning to stifle democracy, in this country and around Europe.”
 
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If the vote is out, that is for at least the remainder of this century IMO. Over that longer time, there will probably be little overall effect on the UK prosperity either way. The markets would get used to changed circumstances, people will still buy and sell and make money or lose money.

So the main change will largely be political. How the UK is governed and how it sees itself in the world.

I disagree. Leaving the EU will permanently make the UK poorer and less influential in the world and, depending on if we re-enter the EEA, permanently make the British less free. The influence will dwindle as time masks its affects with other events and decisions but the impact will last.

We're looking at a decade of uncertainty as new deals are renegotiated, with the economy depressed by that uncertainty for the entire time. We're looking at potentially decades of weaker trade and weaker investment as a result of not being part of the EU. Perhaps worse, our sharply decreased world influence will limit our ability to shape the continent we sit in and the wider world in ways that suit us.

This isn't about losing out for five years; it's about losing out for your entire lifetime. It's about your children growing up with less rights in a country with a smaller economy and less meaning on the world stage.
 
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Soldato
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Oh for gods sake! I'm sick to death of the constant threats of doom and gloom if we leave the EU! Its getting ridiculous! Let have a proper debate not this constant scaremongering. What do they think we are, 7 year old children? Leave it out Cameron for chrissake.
 
Soldato
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I disagree. Leaving the EU will permanently make the UK poorer and less influential in the world and, depending on if we re-enter the EEA, permanently make the British less free. The influence will dwindle as time masks its affects with other events and decisions but the impact will last.

We're looking at a decade of uncertainty as new deals are renegotiated, and economy depressed by that uncertainty for the entire time. We're looking at potentially decades of weaker trade and weaker investment as a result of not being part of the EU. Perhaps worse, our sharply decreased world influence will limit our ability to shape the continent we sit in and the wider world in ways that suit us.

This isn't about losing out for five years; it's about losing out for your entire lifetime. It's about your children growing up with less rights in a country with a smaller economy and less meaning on the world stage.

You left out 'chicken little' when quoting me!

Your negativity on the capacity and the capability of the British, government, people and industry to resolve our position and trade within a decade astonishes me. That is more than ample time and IMO will take a lot less notwithstanding all the back of the queue comments.

The UK may well gain on the world stage once the dust settles, that is a possibility.

The effects are not quantifiable as once the change is made, politicians and economists will argue endlessly what if scenarios either way.

Rights are not gained from the EU, they are gained by people by consent and will not be lost through exiting the EU. Except the right by any EU citizens to reside in the UK maybe.
 
Caporegime
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Your negativity on the capacity and the capability of the British, government, people and industry to resolve our position and trade within a decade astonishes me. That is more than ample time and IMO will take a lot less notwithstanding all the back of the queue comments.

Go and look at how long various trade deals around the world have taken to settle and you'll see that a decade is a perfectly reasonable estimate.

The UK may well gain on the world stage once the dust settles, that is a possibility.

By reducing our political influence over the largest economic block on earth and removing ourselves to shouting from the corners of Europe at the rest of the world? Nonsense.

The effects are not quantifiable as once the change is made, politicians and economists will argue endlessly what if scenarios either way.

They will. But the vast majority of economic researchers and commentators agree that leaving the EU will hurt the EU economy. We will suffer an acute short term harm to the UK economy - that alone will have knock on effects for decades - but we will also suffer a continuous long-term reduction in growth from not being in the EU. This won't be large but it will be compounded year-on-year.

Rights are not gained from the EU, they are gained by people by consent and will not be lost through exiting the EU. Except the right by any EU citizens to reside in the UK maybe.

You forgot the huge right we currently enjoy: the right for UK citizens to live and work anywhere in the EU (and a couple of bonus extra countries too). That is severely threatened by Brexit - especially now leading Tory figures like Gove are calling for no return to the single market. While other beneficial rights we enjoy as part of the EU - e.g. the working time directive - are already targeted by the Tories and I don't see much reason to believe they'll survive post-Brexit.
 
Soldato
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I suppose neither intervention has pleased the anxious types wanting us to bail from the EU AND NATO! :D Oh well, gotta buzz about somethin', right?

Go and look at how long various trade deals around the world have taken to settle and you'll see that a decade is a perfectly reasonable estimate.

Need I also remind the Brexit crowd here that even the Flexcit sketch conceived of a timetable that would take us the best part of two decades to carry out? And even its dreamy, risk-free future wasn't particularly keen on jumping out under WTO rules, IIRC, and shredding through a lot of legislation in short order. The more sensible Lords committee discussion on the topic had been linked already.

"Cut loose, let freedom reign [at any cost... probably to the poorest]" -- what a plan! I dare Boris to slap that on the next Tory manifesto in Comic Sans and watch hilarity unfold. :p

Cheerio.
 
Soldato
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Go and look at how long various trade deals around the world have taken to settle and you'll see that a decade is a perfectly reasonable estimate.

Trade deals are not essential to trade. While they are nice to have and provide legal basis to tariffs, if there is a demand for products, trade will continue.

By reducing our political influence over the largest economic block on earth and removing ourselves to shouting from the corners of Europe at the rest of the world? Nonsense.

The UK is a large enough entity in terms of political influence and maintaining a stable currency in relation to Europe and the US will continue to provide service to the world markets.

You forgot the huge right we currently enjoy: the right for UK citizens to live and work anywhere in the EU (and a couple of bonus extra countries too). That is severely threatened by Brexit - especially now leading Tory figures like Gove are calling for no return to the single market. While other beneficial rights we enjoy as part of the EU - e.g. the working time directive - are already targeted by the Tories and I don't see much reason to believe they'll survive post-Brexit.

Anyone with enough saleable talent or services would be able to live anywhere in the world. Automatic rights are surely what is the problem here.

Rights like the working time directive are extremely unlikely to be repealed. The trend overall is for reduced hours and more workers. I have not seen anywhere in industry where the 48 hour average working week is likely to be increased.
 
Soldato
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I love the way people believe polls when they say what they want to hear, but if not then it's all "Polls are useless, just look at the General Election"
 
Soldato
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I have read some good information online and heard some good debate from both sides on YouTube but still see very little on the TV.

That which I have seen has been biased towards staying in so I am amazed at these poll results to be honest. If the Brexit camp actually got their act together and started pushing a clear and concise agenda I think the lead could be much greater.

The stay camp really need to start pushing the positives of what the EU does and totally reject the scare tactics because people just don't seem to believe it. They played the Obama card far too early too.
 
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