BPX002: This May Be Our Independence Day

[Neon Ignition]

So, after what feels like an age of promises on the matter and lengthy yet likely pointless discussions and negotiations in the EU we finally have a voting date for the EU Referendum.

23 June 2016

Each camp is now setting themselves up for a media push to convince the British public as to whether they can stay in or leave the EU membership as it stands. Business firms have shown a tendency to favour staying in whilst the most vocal on immigration tend to want us out. But polls suggest a huge number remain undecided and likely won't settle on a decision until the home stretch.

With weeks of media frenzy on the matter ahead the lines are being drawn. Do you think we'll stay in the EU or will the tiny British Empire Strike Back?

[nakamura]

Given the sheer number of ignorant people, I think we might leave. Not that I think all people that want to leave are ignorant, more that the ISIS, polish taking our jobs brigade will win over any Sensible decision.

Me? No idea right now.

[toythatkills]

Yeah, the problem with this is that the "we should leave the EU" narrative is a much easier sell to your average person on the street. The benefits of being in the EU are vague and invisible to most people but little Gary's mum can see all those Lithuanian blokes packing boxes at the Sports Direct warehouse while her son sits at home playing Call of Duty 18 hours a day because he "can't get a job."

[PaTaito]

ISIS brigade Ignorant??? I think irrespective of any obvious threat of being continually infiltrated by untold numbers of potential extremists(you wouldn't know from comments that paris was only very recent), the housing problem is the biggest indicator of the need to pull out on the migrant front. Lego land developments are all that seem to be built now, give it a few more decades of uncontrolled borders and the UK will be unrecognizable.

For me the bottom line is that the UK was always going to be the place to migrate to for lots of people, what with the "common second language" and that is fine until you hit a saturation point we have long since passed...running to europe for small concessions is ridiculous at this point, and in fact we probably should have had special status in the EU from day one.

Business is one aspect, but does it make views from other perspectives ignorant? No.

I was in sainsbury's the other day complaining that california red delicious apples were hard to come by now compared to when i was a child, and my old man simply turned and said "thats trading with europe for you", it just illustrated that if you don't deal with europe there will be opportunities elsewhere. Yeah we won't get the workers willing to do ****ty jobs so easily, but the british lower class need to become accustomed to doing hard work again after a 20 odd year lay off...and what with benefit types already targeted by the tories, it kind of makes sense. So for housing, wanting england to be england, and apple lovers everywhere, my vote is OUT.

Not even a single doubt.

[fishbowlhead]

I'll be voting to stay. As a business owner there's too many benefits in trading within the eu, both buying and selling that will affect me long term.

Im in.

[nakamura]

Housing problem? The ones where all the poorer people pay the richer peoples mortgages?

Unrecognisable? That's change. That's fine progression. That's history. All countries change.

No space? Blame our crappy infrastructure and inability to see the worth of the UK outside of London.

Too many of the same old, tired arguments that really are small fry in this country.

[toythatkills]

The funny thing about the "housing problem" is that if you take away all the European labour, there aren't enough people trained to build the houses the UK would need.

Still, it's difficult to argue when a guy can't buy the apples he wants. Voting out.

[EvilBoris]

I can't see how it will work out better for anybody in a normal position, any cost savings that might affect our day to day living will just be soaked up as profits by business. Any cost increases that might eat into the new year's business will be passed on to end consumers.

[teddymeow]

Boris Johnson has just come out and said he's in the "leave" camp.

[charlesr]

I have no idea which way to vote yet. But [MENTION=15793]PaTaito[/MENTION] I thought your post was tongue in cheek to start with. Actually maybe it is. I can't tell.

[Team Andromeda]

Respect to Boris #voteleave . Can't wait to get out of the joke that is the EU

[charlesr]

"Britain may lose some of its military influence ? many believe that America would consider Britain to be a less useful ally if it was detached from Europe."

The more we distance ourselves from the American obsession with bombing the **** out of everyone the better. Seems like a win.

http://www.theweek.co.uk/eu-referendum

[Team Andromeda]

many believe that America would consider Britain to be a less useful

Afghanistan did that, I think you'll find .

Not that America would ever put up with the European Court telling the USA what it could and could not do . Its all democracy and that something the EU doesn't respect and that's why I'm for out

[charlesr]

Pretty weak article actually. Anyone got any better ones? And a link to the Daily Mail doesn't count.

[Protocol Penguin]

I can't see how it will work out better for anybody in a normal position, any cost savings that might affect our day to day living will just be soaked up as profits by business. Any cost increases that might eat into the new year's business will be passed on to end consumers.

Outside the EU we would have to pay the same 'membership fee' in order to trade with the EU, and also have to follow the rules of the single market. Just as Norway and Switzerland do, who go without any say in the running of the organisation. So there's no argument for leaving on an economic basis, unless you really want out of EU social protection legislation and forgo your rights to paid holiday, paid maternity leave for your partner and so on.