How will you vote in the EU referendum?

I think that we should leave. America wants us in because they want us as their ally in the EU.

I was in Derbyshire this weekend. A retired teacher said she had had to back out of a barn conversion that she was joining with a family as each party would have been changed £35,000 by the council as a contribution to social housing on top of all the costs of the conversion. She is now buying a small house in a village whilst the family can go ahead as there will be no additional tax for the barn conversion if they do not at the same time convert some smaller out house to be a garage.

Today I found out why they would be charged for social housing. Read this article:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sports-direct-town-houses-carved-up-police-fire-warning-a6888261.html

We do not want the social problems and the costs that go with the creation of these jobs.

This is where these workers come from:

Police community support officer Steve Cathcart said: “There’s been an influx of eastern Europeans and the landlords that own the houses are carving these houses up into flats.” Speaking to the BBC, he added: “Our concern is the fire risk, the safety to these people that are moving in.”

No British unemployed person would try to live in these conditions and work.

This is not the kind of economics I would wish the UK to be involved in.

Definitely stay.... Businesses and communities will suffer if we don't. This is the age where we have to work with other countries, not isolate ourselves. If IDS feels terrorism will be quashed by our exit he is mistaken. The terrorists will come here anyway and indeed may already be here. If those who advocate exit think we'll return to some kind of golden age they are sadly mistaken. Staying in the EU is an opportunity to stay safer and more prosperous.....not forgetting 'united'..... because if we leave Europe then Scotland may well want to leave us!

BTW Did anyone watch the documentary about Greece with Simon Reeve? This clearly showed the amount of corruption going on and their absolute disregard to health and safety legislation. For goodness sake they refuse to wear crash helmets on motorbikes and buy little metal gizmos to shove into the seatbelt anchor to stop the car from bleeping as "they will not be told what to do" by Europe ! Idiots. Greece should have never been allowed to join the EU.

Wow! So much interesting discussion. Posts have included many good points for staying and going. Just makes me think how important it will be for the BBC and ITV news presenters to give us as much information as possible and to be as unbiased as possible. Not sure newspapers can manage the latter. I have been erring towards staying. Just odd little things make me unsure. E.g. Apparently other European heads of state are nervous about our referendum in case their countries feel they ought to be given one. If a majority of people in the EU are dissatisfied perhaps there is something wrong with the EU. And bet your life if we do leave those staying will make life as difficult as possible for us. On the other hand is the EU a meal ticket for bureaucrats????

Many people mock EU legislation like Health and Safety, Working time directives and so on but they do protect workers at a time when Union representation is being made more difficult by the Tory government. When I see that the likes of IDS are keen for us to leave the EU I really worry about what they have up their sleeves. Hunt is already trying to impose new contracts on Junior doctors. A taste of what's to come?

Some very interesting comments and links. Thank you. I have considered myself a European since my teenage years and see no reason to change. Yes, the EU is flawed and corruption is rife in some countries but things would be much worse without the steadying hand of some of the more stable countries. I live in a country which has lurched from left to right over the centuries, including a 40 year dictatorship, and the present leaning is towards Podemos. I asked a Spanish friend if she thought we were heading for another leap to the right as a result and she said no, because of the EU. Should we perhaps look outward and think of other countries as well as our own?
I'm unsure of my position and that of my son, who has a business here should the decision be to leave. Maybe I'll have to take Spanish citizenship. One thing I do know is that I will do everything possible to avoid living in a country which does not want to be a part of Europe.

Oh the Hamiltons what a pair!

I agree Gillybob, I have never believed in cut an run, stay and fight for fairness every time

I am deeply concerned with the use of fear , we have big problems in Wales, UKIP are fighting most seats in the May election, they are very active in the poverty stricken areas , we could end up with Neil Hamilton in our parliament, god I feel depressed

pamish

If Michael Gove says Leave, I say Stay.
.

Absolutely no one seems to be able to tell us what a UK outside will look like, or our relationship with the EU. With a much reduced economic clout, how will we fare with the rest of the world?

There may not be a Britain to be proud of if we leave though Crocky !

What good is a pretty countryside if there are no jobs for our grandchildren to do?

Yes Anniebach and it is the unknown that worries me. Surely we are better negotiating a fairer EU than leaving and taking our ball home !

Staying in we know what we get, leaving is a massive step into the unknown

Last year we celebrated two World War anniversaries. Millions of men, women and children were killed. Why did we fight? To maintain our independence.
Now we have given that away. Where are our industries? For example look what has been done to our fishing industry. We have to abide by EU regulations. Laws that have been voted on by MEPs who have no real interest in our well being. EU courts over rule our own courts.
Do you like it when Germany and France have a get together to agree ways forward for the EU before it gets presented to the Rest of us?
The British character does not sit well alongside that of the Europeans.
At this very important crossroads all they can offer us are 'perhaps and maybes'.
We are better out of the EU. Our children and grandchildren should be proud to be British.

I totally agree Elegran I am a member of one or two small business groups and one thing that comes across is the uncertainty of a life outside of the EU. As a micro company we do not export directly but most of our work is as a 1st, 2nd or 3rd tier supplier to the big (household name) manufacturers. We are just a tiny cog in the giant wheel but there are thousands of others like us.

adnil That is ONE company. What we need to know is what all the other companies would do, how all the other businesses in the UK would fare, whether the people working for those businesses would be better or worse off.

Also, no-one should assume that ALL businesses are enormous multinationals with global interests. Most of the businesses in this country are small to medium sized. Individually they don't employ as many people as a well-known name, but taken together they make up the bulk of employers. How will they fare? Would they be able to sell as much in Europe as they can when we are in the EU, without penalties in pricing and red tape? Europe is a very big market for British products, and the UK is an important financial centre, with invisible income from that. Would that be the same?

These are the things that will make this country either prosperous as part of the EU or prosperous on its own account. Sovereignty without income is a bit of a Pyrrhic victory. Starving in splendid isolation may be patriotic and romantic but as my grandmother would have said, it won't buy the baby a new bonnet.

We need to know from a neutral source which is more likely to be good for the whole country, and we won't find that out from the partisan newspapers.

I have to disagree with you adnil1949 (assuming you are talking about Nissan). Nissan directly and indirectly support over 30,000 jobs (through 1st, 2nd and 3rd tier suppliers).

No-one actually knows what will happen if we leave the EU but I do worry about the automotive industry if we suddenly found ourselves on the outside. Toyota, Honda, BMW Mini, Land Rover and Nissan .

What a lot of interesting opinions! I think it's very valid point that it is our children and grandchildren who will have to live with this decision. What a responsibility it is to vote! Several people interviewed on the news appeared to have no information behind their responses - worrying!
I do suspect Boris' motives. It is generally thought that he has an eye
on No 10! It is rumoured that Brexit would bring down Cameron - am I
being cynical?!

Cikada are you saying if we leave there will be world war 3 because that`s what it sounds like you are saying.

I`m sorry but why should we stay just because of one company. If as is said it is the most productive , why would they move it. I vote to leave.

Will we stay or not, are we paying too much money, well, perhaps. One thing however, has not been mentioned and that is that we had peace within Europe for the last 70 years, Is that not something to be taken into consideration?

Would an independent Scotland be hoping to rejoin the EU if it leaves the UK? It sounds as though that would be very difficult, if not impossible.

If the vote is to leave, then not only will we be leaving a large influential economic block, we will also be in serious danger of breaking up the UK. As I think Scotland will almost certainly insist on another referendum and as a result leave the UK. Our GDP will take an immediate hit of 8%.

Will we stay or not, are we paying too much money, well, perhaps. One thing however, has not been mentioned and that is that we had peace within Europe for the last 70 years, Is that not something to be taken into consideration?

I have to disagree with you there Craftycat. If we do leave the EU I believe Nissans days will be numbered up here in the NE. The French will do everything they can to get it for themselves. I don't think may people quite appreciate how much we need Nissan to stay here. I also don't think people appreciate the numbers of people they employ both directly and indirectly.