How will you vote in the EU referendum?

But if you happen to live in the 'wrong' constituency, your vote just ends up in the bin. But that is another discussion to be had (about whether the unique FPP system (first past the post) is democratic or not)- But we digress...

Direct Democracy, as where I live, is very hard work and has its disadvantages and pitfalls too (again, for another discussion)... but since it was mentioned.

RealGrandad. Really? I read the red tops, and broadsheets. I also watch RT, CNN, Sky, et al sat tv. I, too, have lived and worked around the globe and have viewed other cultures first hand. It doesn't make me an expert on world or foreign or business affairs. I do know that I feel safer on this island set in the silver sea. No. It is not perfect - nor is any other country in this world. But at least, in this country, we can vote how we choose.

I drift in and out of Gransnet forums to see what differing views are posted. Perhaps we should start a Great Gransnet because of what I remember of my long-deceased parents, grandparents and their parents in whose shadow I was fortunate to grow up in. They gave up their families, their youth, and their humanity to put on the uniform in the interests of a once Great Britain - and not just in two World Wars. Whilst France and Belgium once stated that they would not allow another world war in their countries (although France is the world's main arms dealer and coining it in) BREXIT is on everyone's mind, not just on Gransnet. I struggle to see how the UK is better off under a Brussels government. The health services in France, Spain and Germany are far superior to the British NHS - unless you are an asylum seeker from the Arab or African countries where any pill is better than none at all. Compare the "bennies" system in England, NI, Scotland and Wales, to that of other EU countries. No contest. Just what do we owe America for that government to tell us that we should vote to stay in the EU? And if you want to argue the point of defense - if Russia can fire missiles from its borders in the middle of the Caspian Sea to travel over (what was it - 6 other countries?) and hit a precise target - what defense do we need? We should stop meddling in the affairs of the oil countries - let them fight it out as this great country of ours once had to.

It is those unfounded negative statements about the EU made in these and other columns, presumably from brain washed Mail readers that appall me.

Having for years spent a great deal of my working life marketing British Industrial products across all corners of the Globe. I can truely state that the EU is the most stable and sound developing market to boost our economy and create more jobs. We have only to see the recent downturns in China and India to realise how such markets look inwardly when times get tough. We just cannot afford to gamble their future and jobs with such uncertain markets for our children .

The EU has its faults like any other forms of Union, there can also be area's of dissent, after all we know that even in our own family circle life does not go on without any disagreements. Yet, the majority of us recognise the strength of good family ties and it is the same with the EU, it is only by mutual recognition and compromising that problems get resolved

Lets look further, there are not many UK Universities who do not considerably
benefit from EU sponorship for their research. Many would be in financial difficulties without that sponsorship and students would also suffer. We only have to look at the myths, if not lies around EU laws, the recent safeguards announced in the last month around consumer law and support for older people and the disabled were needed. Yet, many of those greedy global high profit companies that pay millions in accountancy fee's to avoid tax tend to scream at the EU. We might ask why ? Then quickly learn it is mainly because they are forced to adhere to EU consumer laws, that protect our workers and small businesess and the public at large.

Having lived through WW2 and served in the forces fighting for my Country, I know first hand the benefit of a strong Europe resolving issues around the table rather on the blood battle fields. I never again want to see the unnecessary bloodshed because of dogma, prejudices, political greed and an unwillingness to accept others views.

I also want my grandchildren and their children to grow up in a society that is open and fair to all and not a privileged few, the ethos of the EU provides that opportunity.

Staying in the EU is by far the most safe and better way of developing a better and fairer society for future generations to grow up in.

Please, do make your own mind up, don't leave it to those RW rich mogels dictating the headlines in our RW papers. They have their own agenda's to influence the masses, which is why headlines are so often deliberately misleading, it is their attempts to brainwash those who rarely look below the surface and believe everything they read in the headlines.

Watching the European Council Summit Debate ' Live ' on free view 131.

They are debating the preparations for the forthcoming February meeting and discussing the Schengen agreement, immigration and possible Brexit.

A mixed bag of responces to be honest. Interesting to hear their views.

"... if I could get these terms for British membership, I sure would opt in to be a member of the EU, because they are good terms and they are different to what other countries have.”

Is it British to say "I sure would..." or do you think Cameron is trying to keep the US on board?

Why, Cher?

I will be voting to leave.

A spokesperson from the Migration Observatory said that it would not make much difference as not many EU migrants in work claim benefits. Those not in work cannot claim anyway.

IDS hasn't managed to sort out universal credit yet. Should have been millions by now, but it's only thousands. That's possibly why he wants the UK to be out of the EU. He probably wants the referendum to be as late as possible, too.

I can only imagine what a nightmare it will be to administer the proposed changes to in work benefits and to child benefit. Millions, maybe even billions have been spent in the last 20 years trying to simplify the benefit system and this will be a step backwards to the days of sliding scales for something other than capital (savings). The changes to the computer systems will be rushed in and will result in errors that the staff processing claims are not trained to spot. The claimants will not have English as their first language and will have difficulty sorting out problems. Nightmare.

Some of what is in the proposal is good though, but I think it's a long way from what he asked for and even now there's a lot to be sorted out before the deal is presented. I'm not at all confident the other countries will agree to sign.

ukandeu.ac.uk/

I find this website gives lots of information and answers lots of questions.
Academics writing for it.

I also find this poll rather disturbing. If we carry on reading all we can about it, we'll soon know more than our MPs.

www.theguardian.com/world/datablog/2016/feb/01/mps-ignorant-eu-institutions-poll-ipsos-mori-european-union

Agree with you about the red tape, railman.
In 2011 the government asked for ideas on getting rid of red tape. Since then they have created more than they have got rid of.

The key points proposed by Tusk as reported in the Guardian this afternoon is a reasonable compromise in my view. Although, it has already been the subject of mud slinging by the Eurosceptics.

I was not convinced that in-work benefits for EU workers was such a drain on the UK and the figures from Migration Observation, Oxford University support that:

"Both EU and non-EU migrants are underrepresented among people receiving out- of-work benefits, when compared to the share that the EU and non-EU born make-up of the whole working age population. Claimants from new EU member States have increased in recent years but remain a small share of the total, rising from 0.5% of claimants in Feb 2011 to 1.3% in Feb 2014.

I will vote to stay in the EU, the UK is far too small to stand alone these days, imo.

Why does the 'Vote Leave' camp continue to insist that the principal reason we should vote for Brexit is down to migration and benefits? Oh yes, and that oft quoted myth the "too much red tape".

The EU has provided the opportunity to regenerate parts of the North of England, through Regional Grant funding, such as Objective One, which has had a major impact on the economy of Merseyside.

Yes, in part this means we have had some of the money we tip into the pot back, but we have also had funds from other EU member states as well. A number of infrastructure projects across the UK have been part funded and supported by the EU.

I very much doubt, especially with our present government, or the more recent governments, that some of these areas and projects would ever have begun, never mind completed.

20 minutes ago - EU to unveil proposed UK reform deal

Mmm but it isn't Britain- any other term for Eng+Wales+N Ireland?

Umm - Uk minus Scotland doesn't = England. There are other bits.

Why is it timidity to vote for staying in-now that is insulting, much worse than my "Little Englander'. And will you stop claiming "Britain" rr If we vote to leave, the UK will fracture and Scotland will split. So stick to England please.
As for hearts, mine is, as I have said, internationalist. I have friends living all over the EU and know people here who come from different countries. They matter to me as much as my English friends.
Incidentally if we do leave and the builders, cleaners, carers, au pairs, nannies and other help are sent back to their countries of origin how will the middle class manage?

Sometimes things have to be from the heart, I think the Scottish referendum had to be made that way too, ie.if the Scottish people really wanted to totally rule themselves they should have gone for it.If they really wanted to stay part of the UK, then fair enough, but did some vote out of timidity?
Will people vote out of timidity on the EU ie. Afraid of change?
I think they will, which is why we will be staying in the EU.
Not suggesting Gnetters will vote that way out of timidity, but the general population who don't want to change the status quo.

" voting with the heart." Oh God. That's the kind of thinking that could lose us so much. And probably will.

#greatbritishpublic

I've just bought that book, Marmight I'll read it when I have finished what I am reading at the moment.

Actually I think it should be down to gut instinct, or at least, voting with the heart.You can make long lists, but in the end I want Britain to to be able to make and implement it's own laws, we didn't vote for people in Brussels to make up laws which we have to obey.we should be able to have laws which suit Britain and the British people, laws made by whichever government has been democratically elected by us.

No idea DJ. However, it is totally unbiased and just gives the facts - a bit of a hard read though....

dj I have read a bit about compulsory voting in Australia and I have mixed feelings about it. It's really turning up to vote that's compulsory, as there are acceptable ways to not cast a vote like making a mark of some sort on the ballot paper or being able to tick a box saying something like 'none of the above'. If I was asked to decide today I would say yes, introduce compulsory voting because I believe it's a civic duty. But that's just my opinion and if I heard valid reasons for not introducing compulsory voting, I could be persuaded to change my mind. I would prefer all children to be educated about politics and civic duty at a younger age than at present and the voting age reduced to 16.

I wasn't old enough to vote in the previous referendum.