SURVEY: Brexit, do you support it?

[Grouse]

Nice bit of British irony!

Nothing wrong with a "Desmond" though ?

[Jip99]

Copied from comments on sky news.

Eighty Commonwealth community and business leaders have written an open letter to the PM lobbying for Brexit as they believe membership of the EU restricts British world trade. They claim that the EU's control of British trade policy stops the UK from negotiating its own trade deals outside the EU. (the commonwealth group also complained of the EU's discriminatory migration practices which favour EU citizens over world citizens)

Barclays Bank analysts have come to the conclusion that Brexit could make Britain a "safe haven" from a disintegrating EU, and dissuade Scotland from breaking away from the relative safety of the UK.

70% of Chief Financial Officers (CFO's) say that Brexit would NOT damage global business with the UK. CFO's are the senior managers responsible for overseeing the financial activities of entire companies.

Boeing, the worlds largest aircraft maker, has picked Britain as home for its new European headquarters regardless of Brexit. Boeing shrugged off concerns about a UK exit from the EU and selected London as the base for its entire European operation. Boeing currently employs approximately 2,000 staff and has also invested £1.8billion in the country.

Multibillion dollar cosmetics giant Avon is relocating its headquarters to Britain from the US after 130-years, regardless of Brexit. Avon said the move will help the company maximise direct connections to its global operations through a UK base.

Vicky Redwood, Chief UK Economist at Capital Economics, has said that Brexit will not stop the City from prospering. She stated that the City could nonetheless "still prosper if the UK left the EU", noting that London's reputation as a global finance centre predates the Single Market.

The CBI has conceded defeat in its economic arguments to remain in the EU, following the publication of a study it commissioned from PwC, which revealed that economic growth will be higher in the long-term if we leave the EU. It's an admission that higher costs through taxes and regulatory compliance makes us less competitive than we should be.

HSBC and Toyota have declared they are staying in the UK in the event of Brexit.

Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group and former advisor to two Prime Ministers, has said that the UK-EU relationship is increasingly unsustainable. He adds that Brexit will NOT hurt the UK economy.

Norway's $830billion wealth fund, the worlds largest, has stated that Brexit is NOT a significant risk. Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, has said "we will continue to be a significant investor in the UK at about the same level as we are today and probably even increasing our investments there going forward no matter what happens."

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group, which includes BA, has dismissed the 'remain' campaigns scaremongering and argued that Brexit will have no economic impact.

John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has said Britain would be better off outside the EU. In a speech at the BCC annual conference in London, Mr. Longworth said the UK could create a "brighter economic future for itself" outside the EU. He has since resigned in order to continue his support for Brexit.

One of Britains most influential fund managers, Neil Woodford (BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and BT), has commissioned research from consultancy Capital Economics which shows no lasting negative impact on the UK. It even shows possible economic benefits from Brexit.

Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute for Economic Affairs, believes that the UK will be better off outside the EU. He explained his views in a video for the BBC's Daily Politics (10/03/16).

Sir James Dyson, inventor and vacuum cleaner tycoon, has stated he believes the UK should quit the EU.

The boss of Wetherspoons has declared that he believes the UK can thrive outside the EU.

The former HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan, and the founders of JML, Reebok and Phones4U all support Brexit, as does the CEO of Legal and General, the CEO of Numis Securities and the boss of Odey Asset Management.

Ruth Lea - economic advisor to the Arbuthnot Banking Group - says the UK should leave "an increasingly dysfunctional EU", and that Britain can thrive post-Brexit.

Jim Mellon - entrepreneur, investor and chairman of Burnbrae Group - supports Brexit, saying the UK should leave Europe before the "inevitable eurozone meltdown".

Frances Dickens - entrepreneur, co-founder and Chief Executive of Astus Group - supports Brexit, saying that Brexit could offer school-leavers a rare opportunity for better jobs, better wages and better chances to set up their own businesses.

Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of FTSE 100 stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, has said he supports Brexit. He has said that a British exit from the EU could help stimulate Britain, with a fresh start helping the nation to innovate. He said concerns about leaving the EU were overblown. He has sent a letter to two in three UK households, urging them to back Brexit. In the letter, Mr. Hargreaves urges voters to ignore "heads of big institutions whose cushy lives will be disrupted by change" and listen to entrepreneurs who back Brexit.

The RMT Union will campaign for Brexit from a "pro-austerity, anti-worker" European Union. In a statement, RMT's general secretary Mike Cash said: "EU policies are at odds with the aspirations of this union as the various treaties and directives are demanding the privatisation of our rail and ferry industries". He added that the EU was negotiating secret trade deals "which will decimate our health and education sectors, and hand huge powers to transnational corporations over nation states and their governments".

ASLEF, the train drivers union, is campaigning for Brexit. It says that workers rights offered by Brussels are "far outweighed and undermined by the benefits given to big business and banking".

The 20,000 strong Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) also supports Brexit.

Winterflood Securities founder, Brian Winterflood, is backing Brexit. His son, Guy Winterflood, is a serial tech-entrepreneur currently running data firm Letyano, and he also backs Brexit. Other son, Mark Winterflood, is a private banker at HSBC and also supports Brexit.

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

[Grouse]

Boris now equating EU aims with Hitler

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/14/boris-johnson-the-eu-wants-a-superstate-just-as-hitler-did/

Poor Boris. The man's losing it through desperation.

Do you think his Turkish genes are starting to show?

I'm sure our European friends will be delighted at his appalling comments

No chance of leading a respectable party like the Conservatives now

Shades of Trump!

[Caps]

Having read a lot of forums/links/articles it will still be a vote for Leave

[BaldPlumber]

Boris now equating EU aims with Hitler

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/14/boris-johnson-the-eu-wants-a-superstate-just-as-hitler-did/

Poor Boris. The man's losing it through desperation.

Do you think his Turkish genes are starting to show?

I'm sure our European friends will be delighted at his appalling comments

No chance of leading a respectable party like the Conservatives now

Shades of Trump!

Boris is a poor standard bearer for brexit.

Both Michael Gove and Nigel Farage are better informed and more eloquent speakers.

[Jip99]

For me, I have been pulled toward remain by the deluge of expert opinion but pulled toward Brexit by the revelations about our useless border service that fails to track departures and arrivals

Genuine request (on the basis that I missed in the previous 30 pages):-

I haven't remotely been pulled towards 'remain' but would welcome a list reference points or expert opinion.

I repeat, this is a genuine request to see if such opinion balances my inherent instincts to exit. I accept the basic economic risks associated with exit - at least in the short-term but the likes of Carney scare-mongering about recession do nothing to make me say "best we stay in then".

[Orac]

Copied from comments on sky news.

Eighty Commonwealth community and business leaders have written an open letter to the PM lobbying for Brexit as they believe membership of the EU restricts British world trade. They claim that the EU's control of British trade policy stops the UK from negotiating its own trade deals outside the EU. (the commonwealth group also complained of the EU's discriminatory migration practices which favour EU citizens over world citizens)

Barclays Bank analysts have come to the conclusion that Brexit could make Britain a "safe haven" from a disintegrating EU, and dissuade Scotland from breaking away from the relative safety of the UK.

70% of Chief Financial Officers (CFO's) say that Brexit would NOT damage global business with the UK. CFO's are the senior managers responsible for overseeing the financial activities of entire companies.

Boeing, the worlds largest aircraft maker, has picked Britain as home for its new European headquarters regardless of Brexit. Boeing shrugged off concerns about a UK exit from the EU and selected London as the base for its entire European operation. Boeing currently employs approximately 2,000 staff and has also invested £1.8billion in the country.

Multibillion dollar cosmetics giant Avon is relocating its headquarters to Britain from the US after 130-years, regardless of Brexit. Avon said the move will help the company maximise direct connections to its global operations through a UK base.

Vicky Redwood, Chief UK Economist at Capital Economics, has said that Brexit will not stop the City from prospering. She stated that the City could nonetheless "still prosper if the UK left the EU", noting that London's reputation as a global finance centre predates the Single Market.

The CBI has conceded defeat in its economic arguments to remain in the EU, following the publication of a study it commissioned from PwC, which revealed that economic growth will be higher in the long-term if we leave the EU. It's an admission that higher costs through taxes and regulatory compliance makes us less competitive than we should be.

HSBC and Toyota have declared they are staying in the UK in the event of Brexit.

Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group and former advisor to two Prime Ministers, has said that the UK-EU relationship is increasingly unsustainable. He adds that Brexit will NOT hurt the UK economy.

Norway's $830billion wealth fund, the worlds largest, has stated that Brexit is NOT a significant risk. Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, has said "we will continue to be a significant investor in the UK at about the same level as we are today and probably even increasing our investments there going forward no matter what happens."

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group, which includes BA, has dismissed the 'remain' campaigns scaremongering and argued that Brexit will have no economic impact.

John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has said Britain would be better off outside the EU. In a speech at the BCC annual conference in London, Mr. Longworth said the UK could create a "brighter economic future for itself" outside the EU. He has since resigned in order to continue his support for Brexit.

One of Britains most influential fund managers, Neil Woodford (BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and BT), has commissioned research from consultancy Capital Economics which shows no lasting negative impact on the UK. It even shows possible economic benefits from Brexit.

Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute for Economic Affairs, believes that the UK will be better off outside the EU. He explained his views in a video for the BBC's Daily Politics (10/03/16).

Sir James Dyson, inventor and vacuum cleaner tycoon, has stated he believes the UK should quit the EU.

The boss of Wetherspoons has declared that he believes the UK can thrive outside the EU.

The former HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan, and the founders of JML, Reebok and Phones4U all support Brexit, as does the CEO of Legal and General, the CEO of Numis Securities and the boss of Odey Asset Management.

Ruth Lea - economic advisor to the Arbuthnot Banking Group - says the UK should leave "an increasingly dysfunctional EU", and that Britain can thrive post-Brexit.

Jim Mellon - entrepreneur, investor and chairman of Burnbrae Group - supports Brexit, saying the UK should leave Europe before the "inevitable eurozone meltdown".

Frances Dickens - entrepreneur, co-founder and Chief Executive of Astus Group - supports Brexit, saying that Brexit could offer school-leavers a rare opportunity for better jobs, better wages and better chances to set up their own businesses.

Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of FTSE 100 stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, has said he supports Brexit. He has said that a British exit from the EU could help stimulate Britain, with a fresh start helping the nation to innovate. He said concerns about leaving the EU were overblown. He has sent a letter to two in three UK households, urging them to back Brexit. In the letter, Mr. Hargreaves urges voters to ignore "heads of big institutions whose cushy lives will be disrupted by change" and listen to entrepreneurs who back Brexit.

The RMT Union will campaign for Brexit from a "pro-austerity, anti-worker" European Union. In a statement, RMT's general secretary Mike Cash said: "EU policies are at odds with the aspirations of this union as the various treaties and directives are demanding the privatisation of our rail and ferry industries". He added that the EU was negotiating secret trade deals "which will decimate our health and education sectors, and hand huge powers to transnational corporations over nation states and their governments".

ASLEF, the train drivers union, is campaigning for Brexit. It says that workers rights offered by Brussels are "far outweighed and undermined by the benefits given to big business and banking".

The 20,000 strong Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) also supports Brexit.

Winterflood Securities founder, Brian Winterflood, is backing Brexit. His son, Guy Winterflood, is a serial tech-entrepreneur currently running data firm Letyano, and he also backs Brexit. Other son, Mark Winterflood, is a private banker at HSBC and also supports Brexit.

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

Seem to be a lot of free marketeers being quoted here who relish the idea of being unshackled from Europe. As an example here are some of Mark Littlewood's thoughts from a few years back which basically say sell everything such as NHS

http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2010/03/mark-littlewood.html

[Grouse]

It is impossible to predict whether Leaving the EU would benefit the UK over a 5-20 year period, there are too many variables to weigh and consider. What I find strange is that many people on both sides speak with absolute certainty about what the outcome would be? The truth is that no one really knows. The EU set up as it stands is a failure, and is in need of reform. Frau Merkel et al are not exactly wowing the voters with their immigration policies and the Southern Europeans are suffering within the Euro block. It looks to me that something will have to give for the EU to survive and That might be for the better for everyone.

In the short run, an exit from the EU by the UK will cause the pound sterling to fall as well as world financial markets. If you are staying in Thailand that will make life more expensive. The negotiation takes two years and within that time there will be attempts to keep the UK in the EU. So we will have more uncertainty for the next two years, again not good for pound sterling.

I don't liove the EU and believe that it needs reform. On balance I think that the UK are better in than out. The EU will reform because if it doesn't it will fracture. I believe that the benefits of an exit are negligible.

Huge emphasis has been laid on the "future unknown" factor if Britain pulls out of the EU, by the "Bremainers". But the countervailing premise is exactly the same, in that the future unknown applies equally to Britain remaining in the EU.

The huge migration of Syrians (and others), with the enormous pressures it is bringing upon mainland Europe, is something of a Black Swan. It came out of left field. And the response, led by Angela Merkel, has been woeful. Similarly the crisis in Greece. What other crises may arise in the future, which will likewise have a ineffectual response by the EU political leadership?

If, as your sensible post argues, the EU not only needs, but HAS to reform, in order to save itself, then it begs the question "what is going to be the catalyst"? On present (and past) performance, radical reform is highly unlikely. There is no "leader" worthy of mention, and, in fact, the EU is not well structured or equipped to deliver one. Love her or hate her, the EU needs a "Maggie Thatcher"; there is not one on the horizon.

If, as your post observes, the EU "as it stands is a failure", why on earth would Britain stay in, given this historic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get out. It is totally counter-intuitive?

Most "Brexiteers" understand this, in their gut, and don't need the benefits of a higher education to suss it out (despite what a few posters on this forum would like us to believe). Brexit is a vote for common sense, if nothing else!

I just wonder how many of those who wish to remain in this corrupt organisation,are aware of the countries who have applied to join the EU Let's start of with these- ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1463228080.345696.jpg

It's worth knowing, The Bureaucrats in Brussels have promised to "re-energise

Turkeys application to join the EU in thanks to Turkeys help in the recent migrants crises. This is in addition to the EU paying a large amount to Turkey for this so called help. The U.K. Portion of this black male was £640,000,000.

Now we are informed that the UK will have to pay a further 1.8 billion by 2020 to actually encourage these countries to join the EU. And When these countries do join, many of their workers who are paid a pittance compared with UK workers are sure to want to take advantage of the free movement of labour within the Union and migrates to the U.K. What effect will this have, especially on the lower levels of the economic rung,

I'm not paying 640,000,000 for any black male!

O.K. So I should't post late at night after a few bevies. [emoji12][emoji12][emoji12]

Are you happy to be Blackmailed into paying into this £640,000,000. Would you not think this money could be better spent on the NHS, or in providing good quality primary education for British children.

If it stops 649,000 people coming into Europe, it's money well spent

[Grouse]

Copied from comments on sky news.

Eighty Commonwealth community and business leaders have written an open letter to the PM lobbying for Brexit as they believe membership of the EU restricts British world trade. They claim that the EU's control of British trade policy stops the UK from negotiating its own trade deals outside the EU. (the commonwealth group also complained of the EU's discriminatory migration practices which favour EU citizens over world citizens)

Barclays Bank analysts have come to the conclusion that Brexit could make Britain a "safe haven" from a disintegrating EU, and dissuade Scotland from breaking away from the relative safety of the UK.

70% of Chief Financial Officers (CFO's) say that Brexit would NOT damage global business with the UK. CFO's are the senior managers responsible for overseeing the financial activities of entire companies.

Boeing, the worlds largest aircraft maker, has picked Britain as home for its new European headquarters regardless of Brexit. Boeing shrugged off concerns about a UK exit from the EU and selected London as the base for its entire European operation. Boeing currently employs approximately 2,000 staff and has also invested £1.8billion in the country.

Multibillion dollar cosmetics giant Avon is relocating its headquarters to Britain from the US after 130-years, regardless of Brexit. Avon said the move will help the company maximise direct connections to its global operations through a UK base.

Vicky Redwood, Chief UK Economist at Capital Economics, has said that Brexit will not stop the City from prospering. She stated that the City could nonetheless "still prosper if the UK left the EU", noting that London's reputation as a global finance centre predates the Single Market.

The CBI has conceded defeat in its economic arguments to remain in the EU, following the publication of a study it commissioned from PwC, which revealed that economic growth will be higher in the long-term if we leave the EU. It's an admission that higher costs through taxes and regulatory compliance makes us less competitive than we should be.

HSBC and Toyota have declared they are staying in the UK in the event of Brexit.

Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group and former advisor to two Prime Ministers, has said that the UK-EU relationship is increasingly unsustainable. He adds that Brexit will NOT hurt the UK economy.

Norway's $830billion wealth fund, the worlds largest, has stated that Brexit is NOT a significant risk. Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, has said "we will continue to be a significant investor in the UK at about the same level as we are today and probably even increasing our investments there going forward no matter what happens."

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group, which includes BA, has dismissed the 'remain' campaigns scaremongering and argued that Brexit will have no economic impact.

John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has said Britain would be better off outside the EU. In a speech at the BCC annual conference in London, Mr. Longworth said the UK could create a "brighter economic future for itself" outside the EU. He has since resigned in order to continue his support for Brexit.

One of Britains most influential fund managers, Neil Woodford (BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and BT), has commissioned research from consultancy Capital Economics which shows no lasting negative impact on the UK. It even shows possible economic benefits from Brexit.

Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute for Economic Affairs, believes that the UK will be better off outside the EU. He explained his views in a video for the BBC's Daily Politics (10/03/16).

Sir James Dyson, inventor and vacuum cleaner tycoon, has stated he believes the UK should quit the EU.

The boss of Wetherspoons has declared that he believes the UK can thrive outside the EU.

The former HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan, and the founders of JML, Reebok and Phones4U all support Brexit, as does the CEO of Legal and General, the CEO of Numis Securities and the boss of Odey Asset Management.

Ruth Lea - economic advisor to the Arbuthnot Banking Group - says the UK should leave "an increasingly dysfunctional EU", and that Britain can thrive post-Brexit.

Jim Mellon - entrepreneur, investor and chairman of Burnbrae Group - supports Brexit, saying the UK should leave Europe before the "inevitable eurozone meltdown".

Frances Dickens - entrepreneur, co-founder and Chief Executive of Astus Group - supports Brexit, saying that Brexit could offer school-leavers a rare opportunity for better jobs, better wages and better chances to set up their own businesses.

Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of FTSE 100 stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, has said he supports Brexit. He has said that a British exit from the EU could help stimulate Britain, with a fresh start helping the nation to innovate. He said concerns about leaving the EU were overblown. He has sent a letter to two in three UK households, urging them to back Brexit. In the letter, Mr. Hargreaves urges voters to ignore "heads of big institutions whose cushy lives will be disrupted by change" and listen to entrepreneurs who back Brexit.

The RMT Union will campaign for Brexit from a "pro-austerity, anti-worker" European Union. In a statement, RMT's general secretary Mike Cash said: "EU policies are at odds with the aspirations of this union as the various treaties and directives are demanding the privatisation of our rail and ferry industries". He added that the EU was negotiating secret trade deals "which will decimate our health and education sectors, and hand huge powers to transnational corporations over nation states and their governments".

ASLEF, the train drivers union, is campaigning for Brexit. It says that workers rights offered by Brussels are "far outweighed and undermined by the benefits given to big business and banking".

The 20,000 strong Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) also supports Brexit.

Winterflood Securities founder, Brian Winterflood, is backing Brexit. His son, Guy Winterflood, is a serial tech-entrepreneur currently running data firm Letyano, and he also backs Brexit. Other son, Mark Winterflood, is a private banker at HSBC and also supports Brexit.

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

Why would you conclude that?

However, is the comment a standard deviation or a sick sigma?

[Grouse]

Having read a lot of forums/links/articles it will still be a vote for Leave

Good for you! At least you researched the issue and reached a conclusion. No argument with that!

[Jip99]

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

Why would you conclude that?

However, is the comment a standard deviation or a sick sigma?

Probably your own statement in post #729:-

"I mentioned at the start that there was a correlation between being pro-EU and education level."

[Grouse]

Boris now equating EU aims with Hitler

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/14/boris-johnson-the-eu-wants-a-superstate-just-as-hitler-did/

Poor Boris. The man's losing it through desperation.

Do you think his Turkish genes are starting to show?

I'm sure our European friends will be delighted at his appalling comments

No chance of leading a respectable party like the Conservatives now

Shades of Trump!

Boris is a poor standard bearer for brexit.

Both Michael Gove and Nigel Farage are better informed and more eloquent speakers.

Michael Gove is a bit odd but Brexit can certainly do better than the Boris buffoon.

[BaldPlumber]

Looks a bit odd, but sharp as a knife and a good public speaker.

Edited May 15, 2016 by BaldPlumber

[chiang mai]

Boris now equating EU aims with Hitler

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/14/boris-johnson-the-eu-wants-a-superstate-just-as-hitler-did/

Poor Boris. The man's losing it through desperation.

Do you think his Turkish genes are starting to show?

I'm sure our European friends will be delighted at his appalling comments

No chance of leading a respectable party like the Conservatives now

Shades of Trump!

Boris is a poor standard bearer for brexit.

Both Michael Gove and Nigel Farage are better informed and more eloquent speakers.

I think Boris appeals more to the man in the street, despite his background being not dissimilar to the PM. Nigel is a bit too blokeish for broad appeal and Gove seems to appeal to nobody in particular. Yes, I think Boris is a decent choice, reminds me somewhat of Bill Clinton in the 1992 campaign, the comeback kid.

[Grouse]

For me, I have been pulled toward remain by the deluge of expert opinion but pulled toward Brexit by the revelations about our useless border service that fails to track departures and arrivals

Genuine request (on the basis that I missed in the previous 30 pages):-

I haven't remotely been pulled towards 'remain' but would welcome a list reference points or expert opinion.

I repeat, this is a genuine request to see if such opinion balances my inherent instincts to exit. I accept the basic economic risks associated with exit - at least in the short-term but the likes of Carney scare-mongering about recession do nothing to make me say "best we stay in then".

I suggest you read The Economist's extensive coverage. I have heard nobody suggesting they are biased

[BaldPlumber]

Boris now equating EU aims with Hitler

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/14/boris-johnson-the-eu-wants-a-superstate-just-as-hitler-did/

Poor Boris. The man's losing it through desperation.

Do you think his Turkish genes are starting to show?

I'm sure our European friends will be delighted at his appalling comments

No chance of leading a respectable party like the Conservatives now

Shades of Trump!

Boris is a poor standard bearer for brexit.

Both Michael Gove and Nigel Farage are better informed and more eloquent speakers.

I think Boris appeals more to the man in the street, despite his background being not dissimilar to the PM. Nigel is a bit too blokeish for broad appeal and Gove seems to appeal to nobody in particular. Yes, I think Boris is a decent choice, reminds me somewhat of Bill Clinton in the 1992 campaign, the comeback kid.

Boris undoubtedly appeals to the man in the street, despite being the poshest of the posh.

I worry though that his fake buffoonery is wrong for a subject of such enormous and lasting importance and he risks trivialising it.

Edited May 15, 2016 by BaldPlumber

[Grouse]

Copied from comments on sky news.

Eighty Commonwealth community and business leaders have written an open letter to the PM lobbying for Brexit as they believe membership of the EU restricts British world trade. They claim that the EU's control of British trade policy stops the UK from negotiating its own trade deals outside the EU. (the commonwealth group also complained of the EU's discriminatory migration practices which favour EU citizens over world citizens)

Barclays Bank analysts have come to the conclusion that Brexit could make Britain a "safe haven" from a disintegrating EU, and dissuade Scotland from breaking away from the relative safety of the UK.

70% of Chief Financial Officers (CFO's) say that Brexit would NOT damage global business with the UK. CFO's are the senior managers responsible for overseeing the financial activities of entire companies.

Boeing, the worlds largest aircraft maker, has picked Britain as home for its new European headquarters regardless of Brexit. Boeing shrugged off concerns about a UK exit from the EU and selected London as the base for its entire European operation. Boeing currently employs approximately 2,000 staff and has also invested £1.8billion in the country.

Multibillion dollar cosmetics giant Avon is relocating its headquarters to Britain from the US after 130-years, regardless of Brexit. Avon said the move will help the company maximise direct connections to its global operations through a UK base.

Vicky Redwood, Chief UK Economist at Capital Economics, has said that Brexit will not stop the City from prospering. She stated that the City could nonetheless "still prosper if the UK left the EU", noting that London's reputation as a global finance centre predates the Single Market.

The CBI has conceded defeat in its economic arguments to remain in the EU, following the publication of a study it commissioned from PwC, which revealed that economic growth will be higher in the long-term if we leave the EU. It's an admission that higher costs through taxes and regulatory compliance makes us less competitive than we should be.

HSBC and Toyota have declared they are staying in the UK in the event of Brexit.

Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group and former advisor to two Prime Ministers, has said that the UK-EU relationship is increasingly unsustainable. He adds that Brexit will NOT hurt the UK economy.

Norway's $830billion wealth fund, the worlds largest, has stated that Brexit is NOT a significant risk. Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, has said "we will continue to be a significant investor in the UK at about the same level as we are today and probably even increasing our investments there going forward no matter what happens."

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group, which includes BA, has dismissed the 'remain' campaigns scaremongering and argued that Brexit will have no economic impact.

John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has said Britain would be better off outside the EU. In a speech at the BCC annual conference in London, Mr. Longworth said the UK could create a "brighter economic future for itself" outside the EU. He has since resigned in order to continue his support for Brexit.

One of Britains most influential fund managers, Neil Woodford (BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and BT), has commissioned research from consultancy Capital Economics which shows no lasting negative impact on the UK. It even shows possible economic benefits from Brexit.

Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute for Economic Affairs, believes that the UK will be better off outside the EU. He explained his views in a video for the BBC's Daily Politics (10/03/16).

Sir James Dyson, inventor and vacuum cleaner tycoon, has stated he believes the UK should quit the EU.

The boss of Wetherspoons has declared that he believes the UK can thrive outside the EU.

The former HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan, and the founders of JML, Reebok and Phones4U all support Brexit, as does the CEO of Legal and General, the CEO of Numis Securities and the boss of Odey Asset Management.

Ruth Lea - economic advisor to the Arbuthnot Banking Group - says the UK should leave "an increasingly dysfunctional EU", and that Britain can thrive post-Brexit.

Jim Mellon - entrepreneur, investor and chairman of Burnbrae Group - supports Brexit, saying the UK should leave Europe before the "inevitable eurozone meltdown".

Frances Dickens - entrepreneur, co-founder and Chief Executive of Astus Group - supports Brexit, saying that Brexit could offer school-leavers a rare opportunity for better jobs, better wages and better chances to set up their own businesses.

Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of FTSE 100 stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, has said he supports Brexit. He has said that a British exit from the EU could help stimulate Britain, with a fresh start helping the nation to innovate. He said concerns about leaving the EU were overblown. He has sent a letter to two in three UK households, urging them to back Brexit. In the letter, Mr. Hargreaves urges voters to ignore "heads of big institutions whose cushy lives will be disrupted by change" and listen to entrepreneurs who back Brexit.

The RMT Union will campaign for Brexit from a "pro-austerity, anti-worker" European Union. In a statement, RMT's general secretary Mike Cash said: "EU policies are at odds with the aspirations of this union as the various treaties and directives are demanding the privatisation of our rail and ferry industries". He added that the EU was negotiating secret trade deals "which will decimate our health and education sectors, and hand huge powers to transnational corporations over nation states and their governments".

ASLEF, the train drivers union, is campaigning for Brexit. It says that workers rights offered by Brussels are "far outweighed and undermined by the benefits given to big business and banking".

The 20,000 strong Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) also supports Brexit.

Winterflood Securities founder, Brian Winterflood, is backing Brexit. His son, Guy Winterflood, is a serial tech-entrepreneur currently running data firm Letyano, and he also backs Brexit. Other son, Mark Winterflood, is a private banker at HSBC and also supports Brexit.

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

Seem to be a lot of free marketeers being quoted here who relish the idea of being unshackled from Europe. As an example here are some of Mark Littlewood's thoughts from a few years back which basically say sell everything such as NHS

http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2010/03/mark-littlewood.html

The list, though long and broad is hardly a full list of the great and good!

Would you like me to post a list of pro remain?

Many entries are from people who are ambivalent

Others say Brexit would not have a negative effect

Others, such as the head of Weatherspoon's can hardly string two words together let alone form a convincing argument!

Where are the MAJOR players? The experts? The world leaders?

[Grouse]

Copied from comments on sky news.

Eighty Commonwealth community and business leaders have written an open letter to the PM lobbying for Brexit as they believe membership of the EU restricts British world trade. They claim that the EU's control of British trade policy stops the UK from negotiating its own trade deals outside the EU. (the commonwealth group also complained of the EU's discriminatory migration practices which favour EU citizens over world citizens)

Barclays Bank analysts have come to the conclusion that Brexit could make Britain a "safe haven" from a disintegrating EU, and dissuade Scotland from breaking away from the relative safety of the UK.

70% of Chief Financial Officers (CFO's) say that Brexit would NOT damage global business with the UK. CFO's are the senior managers responsible for overseeing the financial activities of entire companies.

Boeing, the worlds largest aircraft maker, has picked Britain as home for its new European headquarters regardless of Brexit. Boeing shrugged off concerns about a UK exit from the EU and selected London as the base for its entire European operation. Boeing currently employs approximately 2,000 staff and has also invested £1.8billion in the country.

Multibillion dollar cosmetics giant Avon is relocating its headquarters to Britain from the US after 130-years, regardless of Brexit. Avon said the move will help the company maximise direct connections to its global operations through a UK base.

Vicky Redwood, Chief UK Economist at Capital Economics, has said that Brexit will not stop the City from prospering. She stated that the City could nonetheless "still prosper if the UK left the EU", noting that London's reputation as a global finance centre predates the Single Market.

The CBI has conceded defeat in its economic arguments to remain in the EU, following the publication of a study it commissioned from PwC, which revealed that economic growth will be higher in the long-term if we leave the EU. It's an admission that higher costs through taxes and regulatory compliance makes us less competitive than we should be.

HSBC and Toyota have declared they are staying in the UK in the event of Brexit.

Lord Blackwell, chairman of Lloyds Banking Group and former advisor to two Prime Ministers, has said that the UK-EU relationship is increasingly unsustainable. He adds that Brexit will NOT hurt the UK economy.

Norway's $830billion wealth fund, the worlds largest, has stated that Brexit is NOT a significant risk. Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, has said "we will continue to be a significant investor in the UK at about the same level as we are today and probably even increasing our investments there going forward no matter what happens."

Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group, which includes BA, has dismissed the 'remain' campaigns scaremongering and argued that Brexit will have no economic impact.

John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has said Britain would be better off outside the EU. In a speech at the BCC annual conference in London, Mr. Longworth said the UK could create a "brighter economic future for itself" outside the EU. He has since resigned in order to continue his support for Brexit.

One of Britains most influential fund managers, Neil Woodford (BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and BT), has commissioned research from consultancy Capital Economics which shows no lasting negative impact on the UK. It even shows possible economic benefits from Brexit.

Mark Littlewood, director-general of the Institute for Economic Affairs, believes that the UK will be better off outside the EU. He explained his views in a video for the BBC's Daily Politics (10/03/16).

Sir James Dyson, inventor and vacuum cleaner tycoon, has stated he believes the UK should quit the EU.

The boss of Wetherspoons has declared that he believes the UK can thrive outside the EU.

The former HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan, and the founders of JML, Reebok and Phones4U all support Brexit, as does the CEO of Legal and General, the CEO of Numis Securities and the boss of Odey Asset Management.

Ruth Lea - economic advisor to the Arbuthnot Banking Group - says the UK should leave "an increasingly dysfunctional EU", and that Britain can thrive post-Brexit.

Jim Mellon - entrepreneur, investor and chairman of Burnbrae Group - supports Brexit, saying the UK should leave Europe before the "inevitable eurozone meltdown".

Frances Dickens - entrepreneur, co-founder and Chief Executive of Astus Group - supports Brexit, saying that Brexit could offer school-leavers a rare opportunity for better jobs, better wages and better chances to set up their own businesses.

Peter Hargreaves, co-founder of FTSE 100 stockbroker Hargreaves Lansdown, has said he supports Brexit. He has said that a British exit from the EU could help stimulate Britain, with a fresh start helping the nation to innovate. He said concerns about leaving the EU were overblown. He has sent a letter to two in three UK households, urging them to back Brexit. In the letter, Mr. Hargreaves urges voters to ignore "heads of big institutions whose cushy lives will be disrupted by change" and listen to entrepreneurs who back Brexit.

The RMT Union will campaign for Brexit from a "pro-austerity, anti-worker" European Union. In a statement, RMT's general secretary Mike Cash said: "EU policies are at odds with the aspirations of this union as the various treaties and directives are demanding the privatisation of our rail and ferry industries". He added that the EU was negotiating secret trade deals "which will decimate our health and education sectors, and hand huge powers to transnational corporations over nation states and their governments".

ASLEF, the train drivers union, is campaigning for Brexit. It says that workers rights offered by Brussels are "far outweighed and undermined by the benefits given to big business and banking".

The 20,000 strong Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) also supports Brexit.

Winterflood Securities founder, Brian Winterflood, is backing Brexit. His son, Guy Winterflood, is a serial tech-entrepreneur currently running data firm Letyano, and he also backs Brexit. Other son, Mark Winterflood, is a private banker at HSBC and also supports Brexit.

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

Seem to be a lot of free marketeers being quoted here who relish the idea of being unshackled from Europe. As an example here are some of Mark Littlewood's thoughts from a few years back which basically say sell everything such as NHS

http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2010/03/mark-littlewood.html

The list, though long and broad is hardly a full list of the great and good!

Would you like me to post a list of pro remain?

Many entries are from people who are ambivalent

Others say Brexit would not have a negative effect

Others, such as the head of Weatherspoon's can hardly string two words together let alone form a convincing argument!

Where are the MAJOR players? The experts? The world leaders?

[Grouse]

I find it hard to believe that all those people mentioned above are uneducated!

They MUST be uneducated - it seems to be a prerequisite for BREXIT!

Why would you conclude that?

However, is the comment a standard deviation or a sick sigma?

Probably your own statement in post #729:-

"I mentioned at the start that there was a correlation between being pro-EU and education level."

There is!

You are making yourself at least appear foolish!

My statement says that if you have tertiary education, you are more likely to be pro EU

There will always be outliers

You obviously don't understand anything about statistics!

It does not say that if you are well educated you will not vote for Brexit - only less likely

It does not say that if you are not so well educated, you will vote for Brexit.

Jesus

Edited May 15, 2016 by Grouse

[Grouse]

To date, about 2/3 of Brits in this TV poll say they support Brexit.

What can one conclude from this?

Not much!

Maybe Brits who now live in Thailand have a more buccaneering spirit? More independent? Not reliant upon a Sterling income, do not have higher education?

None of the above. The sample is too small(but fun!)

[Johnyo]

To date, about 2/3 of Brits in this TV poll say they support Brexit.

What can one conclude from this?

Not much!

Maybe Brits who now live in Thailand have a more buccaneering spirit? More independent? Not reliant upon a Sterling income, do not have higher education?

None of the above. The sample is too small(but fun!)

I'll have a go. Retired over 55 of average means thanks to a pension not worthy of the years of work they have done that on top of that has been frozen by the simple fact they are expats. Fiercely patriotic and pissed of that so many of their city's are Muslim ghettos. Pissed of that so many immigrants have access to healthcare but they don't as they are no longer residents ( disgusting in my opinion). I could go on. The need to blame someone as their own government treats them like crap.. The EU will do

[Johnyo]

To date, about 2/3 of Brits in this TV poll say they support Brexit.

What can one conclude from this?

Not much!

Maybe Brits who now live in Thailand have a more buccaneering spirit? More independent? Not reliant upon a Sterling income, do not have higher education?

None of the above. The sample is too small(but fun!)

As an older guy I have seen my country change from UK folk to a melting pot of spongers...My friends who still work are having their lively hood taken away by those from poor EU members working for peanuts that is better than where they come from. UK natives are tired, vast % of shops, gas stations are run by foreign folk. Folk are walking into the country and are taken care of better than pensioners who have paid into the system...The point is the EU is controlling stuff, UK stuff, and ordinary folk do not want to be controlled by (in their eyes) foreigners...

I bet you said the same about corner shops!! The reality is the English youth is too bloody lazy to work. Just watch a program called benefits Street from channel four to get a picture of today's British youth in the not so prosperous areas.

[BaldPlumber]

When the ruling elite fail to act on the best interests of their citizens then they deserve to face the wrath of the population at election time.

Take away this basic democratic right and you leave yourself open to tyranny.

Short term economic gains or losses or , even more ridiculously, the promise of low cost data roaming and holiday flights are but nothing in comparison.

The saying goes you get the government you deserve when you don't vote. Well, we can consign this truism to the scrap heap if we vote to remain as part of the EU because we will never be allowed to hold the EU commission to account.

Edited May 15, 2016 by BaldPlumber

[AlexRich]

To date, about 2/3 of Brits in this TV poll say they support Brexit.

What can one conclude from this?

Not much!

Maybe Brits who now live in Thailand have a more buccaneering spirit? More independent? Not reliant upon a Sterling income, do not have higher education?

None of the above. The sample is too small(but fun!)

It might be that they no longer have a long term stake in the UK so are not forced to think what it will mean for them financially? The education argument is a bit of a red herring, as no matter how high your IQ is you will not be capable of weighing all the variables and possible outcomes of a brexit or a remain. Some politicians, like Boris Johnson, are more concerned with their own career prospects than whether the UK remains or not. He's just calculating that he won't burn too many bridges if people vote to remain.

I do think that a country should be able to determine who they allow to stay, the EU system worked reasonably well when most of the EU members were relatively prosperous ... no mass immigration of Italians to the UK or British to Germany. That breaks down when less prosperous countries join the Euro club ... Romania, Bulgaria, etc. There should be some recognition of this and some controls over movements of people given the changing demographics of membership.

The Human Rights legislation is also something that needs reform. Criminals come to the UK and can't be deported, as do migrants who lie about their circumstances, destroying their paper documents to hide their untruths. We have 24 year old immigrant men claiming to be 17 year old boys in Sweden because it's to their advantage, and the Swedes are too stupid (politically correct) to call them out as liars.

If the EU could sort out the above that would be a start.

[sandyf]

Very few seem to have considered the aftermath in the event of a Brexit vote. It is almost guaranteed there would be a change in leadership in the conservative party but the the real danger could be a general election. It would be highly unlikely that there would be any outright majority and the UK could end up with another coalition government.

A government that cannot agree among themselves is exactly what the EU would want in the exit negotiations, things could drag on for years and all this talk about new trade deals etc just evaporate like the morning mist on a summers day.

[Grouse]

To date, about 2/3 of Brits in this TV poll say they support Brexit.

What can one conclude from this?

Not much!

Maybe Brits who now live in Thailand have a more buccaneering spirit? More independent? Not reliant upon a Sterling income, do not have higher education?

None of the above. The sample is too small(but fun!)

It might be that they no longer have a long term stake in the UK so are not forced to think what it will mean for them financially? The education argument is a bit of a red herring, as no matter how high your IQ is you will not be capable of weighing all the variables and possible outcomes of a brexit or a remain. Some politicians, like Boris Johnson, are more concerned with their own career prospects than whether the UK remains or not. He's just calculating that he won't burn too many bridges if people vote to remain.

I do think that a country should be able to determine who they allow to stay, the EU system worked reasonably well when most of the EU members were relatively prosperous ... no mass immigration of Italians to the UK or British to Germany. That breaks down when less prosperous countries join the Euro club ... Romania, Bulgaria, etc. There should be some recognition of this and some controls over movements of people given the changing demographics of membership.

The Human Rights legislation is also something that needs reform. Criminals come to the UK and can't be deported, as do migrants who lie about their circumstances, destroying their paper documents to hide their untruths. We have 24 year old immigrant men claiming to be 17 year old boys in Sweden because it's to their advantage, and the Swedes are too stupid (politically correct) to call them out as liars.

If the EU could sort out the above that would be a start.

Fair comments!

[allanos]

I do not foresee a General Election scenario, at least not in the short term. There is no obligation on the

British Government to call an election in the event of a positive exit vote in the referendum. It is possible that

there will be some musical chairs in the Cabinet, with David Cameron and some of the top Tory "remainers"

losing their posts, but not much else. This may be the event which propels BoJo to the top job.

Although the Conservative party are in something of disarray over Brexit, the Labour Party is anything but

a cohesive organisation and with a deficient policy platform, currently. It would perhaps be the biggest loser in

a general election. Whilst a coalition government is always a possibility, it is not a probability in my opinion, should

an election be called, and which I believe is even more unlikely.

[Grouse]

Just saw Boris on the box

He's becoming increasingly porcine

I'm going to start calling him der Dicke ( As in Goering). Not because he's a d**k particularly but because like Goering he's so fat.

Yes, der Dicke!

[sandyf]

I do not foresee a General Election scenario, at least not in the short term. There is no obligation on the

British Government to call an election in the event of a positive exit vote in the referendum. It is possible that

there will be some musical chairs in the Cabinet, with David Cameron and some of the top Tory "remainers"

losing their posts, but not much else. This may be the event which propels BoJo to the top job.

Although the Conservative party are in something of disarray over Brexit, the Labour Party is anything but

a cohesive organisation and with a deficient policy platform, currently. It would perhaps be the biggest loser in

a general election. Whilst a coalition government is always a possibility, it is not a probability in my opinion, should

an election be called, and which I believe is even more unlikely.

You are absolutely right, very unlikely the government would call a general election, but it is not always up to them.

"Despite their importance to the British constitution, for a long time the rules surrounding motions of no confidence were dictated by convention. However, since the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, a vote of no confidence means the government has 14 days in which to win a vote of confidence, or a general election is held.

A no confidence vote was last successfully used on 28 March 1979, when the minority government of James Callaghan was defeated in a confidence motion which read "That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty's Government".^[4] A no confidence vote can have the effect of uniting the ruling party; for this reason such motions are rarely used and successful motions are even rarer.^[5] Before 1979 the last successful motion of no confidence occurred in 1924.^[6]"

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motions_of_no_confidence_in_the_United_Kingdom}

^{https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-the-conservative-party-running-the-uk}

[allanos]

I do not foresee a General Election scenario, at least not in the short term. There is no obligation on the

British Government to call an election in the event of a positive exit vote in the referendum. It is possible that

there will be some musical chairs in the Cabinet, with David Cameron and some of the top Tory "remainers"

losing their posts, but not much else. This may be the event which propels BoJo to the top job.

Although the Conservative party are in something of disarray over Brexit, the Labour Party is anything but

a cohesive organisation and with a deficient policy platform, currently. It would perhaps be the biggest loser in

a general election. Whilst a coalition government is always a possibility, it is not a probability in my opinion, should

an election be called, and which I believe is even more unlikely.

You are absolutely right, very unlikely the government would call a general election, but it is not always up to them.

"Despite their importance to the British constitution, for a long time the rules surrounding motions of no confidence were dictated by convention. However, since the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, a vote of no confidence means the government has 14 days in which to win a vote of confidence, or a general election is held.

A no confidence vote was last successfully used on 28 March 1979, when the minority government of James Callaghan was defeated in a confidence motion which read "That this House has no confidence in Her Majesty's Government".^[4] A no confidence vote can have the effect of uniting the ruling party; for this reason such motions are rarely used and successful motions are even rarer.^[5] Before 1979 the last successful motion of no confidence occurred in 1924.^[6]"

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motions_of_no_confidence_in_the_United_Kingdom}

^{https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-vote-of-no-confidence-in-the-conservative-party-running-the-uk}

A good post, with lots of meat in it to chew on! However, it does beg the question as to which party would call a no-confidence vote. Clearly, there was political opportunism in 1979, with Callaghan trying to govern without a Commons majority. If a no-confidence vote were called following the referendum, political opportunism would be rearing its head again. The Tories could call for it, if they felt they would be returned to power - perhaps with an increased majority.

The Labour Party, and others, if they felt it would topple the present government, and bring them to power. Who ever calls for a no-confidence vote would

have to rest assured that they had the pulse of the country read correctly. The electorate, on the other hand, following the referendum, would be unlikely

to want to traipse to the polls again for an immediate general election. Interesting times!