Referendum on Britain's membership of the EU

[Peripatetic Phil]

Too quiet by half on here at the moment, so let's see if we can provoke some interest and perhaps even some debate ...

[Ghoulie]

OUT

[Peripatetic Phil]

Until yesterday evening, all to whom I had spoken who were in favour of Britain leaving the EU appeared motivated by one or more of just three concerns :  better for themselves, better for the country, better for business.  None of these arguments carried any weight with me, because my reason for wishing to remain within the EU has nothing to do with any of those factors -- I simply believe in a united Europe, and (one day) a united world.  And then last night I spoke to Jean B. (full name suppressed), a very intelligent lady in her mid 80s.  Her argument was totally different.  "Do you remember all those hundreds of thousand of graves in the Somme, and all the other battlefields of WW I ?", she asked.  "Of course I do, Jean", I answered, "Why ?".  "Well, they died for our freedom, Phil", she said.

I had no answer, and I still have none.  I do not believe for one minute that by remaining in the EU we would be surrendering the sort of freedom for which these brave men (and women) fought and died, nor do I believe that those who served alongside the brave, gallant, Poles and Czechslovaks who served in the Royal Air Force in WW II would want to deny them, or their descendants, or their equally brave and gallant countrymen who formed Solidarnosc, or who braved (and were crushed to death by) the tanks in V

[Garp]

IN

[Peripatetic Phil]

Very moving, Garp; thank you for posting that.  And don't forget to vote in the poll (above).
** Phil.

[Stephen Lindsay]

I think we should have been given 3 options:

In

Out, or

Shake it all about

[Les]

Either way, what difference does it make to us peasants. It is said that this country would save

[Peripatetic Phil]

Well, one major difference, equally applicable to peasants and plutocrats alike, is that at the moment each of us is free to live and to seek work in any country of the European Union, so if the grass seems greener in Germany, or France, or the Netherlands, or any of the other 27 countries that comprise the EU in addition to ourselves, each of us is free to move there and seek gainful employment.  Were we to leave the EU, that freedom would instantly disappear.  And for a foretaste of what life would be like after that, for those who value the freedom to live and work where they choose, just try applying for a visa to live and work in the USA. 

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

So, on the basis of this entirely unrepresentative sample, I predict that we will remain in the EU by a relatively narrow margin, at best 62.5% of those voting.  As to turnout, I think probably higher than in a general election, so maybe a 70% turnout.  We shall see !

** Phil.

[Dajoca]

Out.