The EU - we are on the home straight folks!

Yes I heard that whitewave. She has left their "battlebus", and says she can't hand out leaflets showing figures she believes are untrue. Another thing they mentioned on Today programme was that she has said that if you go to hospital you are more likely to be treated by a migrant than have one in front of you in the queue. I think, as was a GP before entering Parliament some weight can be given to her opinion. I wonder why she was Brexit in the beginning?

They need to know where voters live so that each polling station can have a definitive list of who is eligible to vote. I'm not sure how else they could ensure that people got a single vote in the right place. Unless it all went online, which would disenfranchise the elderly and those too poor to own a computer or smart phone.

Dr Wollaston has left the Brexit camp and gone to the remain camp because she is so worried about the NHS

The Conservatives were warned about the timing of the change in voter registration with the referendum coming up. Usual Tory hubris I'm afraid.

I think it was Harriet Harman who has suggested that we have an "Opt out" system rather than and an "Opt in" one so citizens are automatically registered. As someone commented, they have our NI numbers and they manage to tax us so surely they should be able to have a register of voters.

Evidently not quite enough ana. Talking to young people in the town centre, many of them didn't realise they had to register themselves. For the whole of our lifetimes one person per household has filled in a single form for everyone in the house. About 6 months ago this was changed and people have to register individually. It was changed a year sooner than originally planned. So the news has not filtered down to everyone.
The reason for changing this deadline was that there is a boundary review pending. By the next general election there will be 50 fewer constituencies. The size of these constituencies will be determined not on census information about population but number of registered voters - as of a date set a few months ago, after the rule changed. Many would argue that the deadline was moved a year earlier than previously planned to give an advantage to the Tory party. This is because more people tend to register in more affluent Tory voting areas and the time available for other parties to campaign for voter registration in more deprived areas was cut short.

A good view of Farage's television interview last night.

www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2016/06/08/brexit-debate-itv-s-audience-dismantled-nigel-farage

"The amount that the EU is allowed to spend over seven years is set by a unanimous vote of member countries. Budgets for any one year within the seven-year cycle have to stay within these limits.

Although the limits are due to be reviewed by the end of 2016, when a proposal for changing them can be tabled, this too would have to be agreed by all countries.

No country can be forced to find more money to finance unpaid spending commitments from the previous seven-year cycle; that will have to come from the 2014-2020 pot.

The UK has benefitted from a rebate on its EU budget payments since 1984. This discount can’t be changed in future without the UK’s agreement.

That’s because the rebate is contained in an EU law that has to be passed by all member countries, which again gives the UK a veto over it.

Other countries may push for the UK to give up some or all of the rebate in exchange for other favours. This happened in 2005, for example."

From Fullfact.

Of course they should. But have so many really only now realised that they have to register to vote? There's been enough publicity about it.

I am glad they did. Everyone should be able to vote that wants to.

An extension has been granted so if you know anyone who failed to register, they can do so in the next 24 hours - but don't leave it to the last minute!

On Sky - sorry

JC appearing on a Q & A at (needs checking) 6 p.m. 20th June.

Welshwife, well said, it is by being part of the EU which has made us the fifth richest country.

What ever the results of the referendum will not affect me , it will affect my grandchildren

We don't 'rule' ourselves. So the EU stopped us building social housing, stopped us controlling rents in the private sector. Made us take disability benefits away which has made people unable to leave their homes . Tried to bring in the pasty tax. Stopped us from clearing up housing estates. Ordered us to only build houses to sell. We cleared up our beaches without their knowledge. We strengthened our pathetic health and safety act on the quit too?

And they insisted we stopped the ordinary working man from taking a rogue employer to a tribunal unless we had one thousand pounds to pay costs

We voted st a general election but our votes were ignored and s government was chosen for us I suppose

Or is it the banana problem which is causing Boris such worry really true?

Thousands of people tried to register for a vote late last night and the website crashed. Predictable of course.
Anyway there is a quick petition to grant an emergency extension. The deadline for submitting this is about 3 hours from now (wednesday 8th, 6pm)
Here is the link if you would like to sign it

38d.gs/1UokWd7

Sovereignty doesn't bother me, because we still have it.

I shall vote for the status quo ie. to remain in the EU. From my perspective, there's a lot wrong with the UK and I understand that some people are really suffering from the economic situation. However, when these problems are broken down, they have been caused by the UK's own government and/or situations beyond our or the EU's control such as the world recession. The UK has the power within the EU to do something about it, but it's not on the government's agenda. I believe the EU is used as a scapegoat for hone-grown incompetence and inequality. I do not see how the situation would improve by leaving the EU and it might become worse, because people such as Gove and Grayling have already stated that they would like to rip up the red tape which is giving some level of social protection.

dj, Brendan Chilton.

Environmental factors also come in to play for me - but the economic one will be quite important for young people starting a career - after the Banking crisis in 2008 there were few jobs about for the youngsters not going to UNI and who were leaving school after A levels. If you miss the boat for the age range of jobs it is hard to start later as deemed too old. It is dicing with people's whole lives really - and many of those who lost jobs because of the downturn in the 40/50 age range found it very difficult to get another job as they were thought to be 'overqualified' or too old. That is the problem with a downturn in the economy. From the aspect of people already on a pension it is not so bad but for working age people it is a huge consideration.

Perhaps some us feel that economic wealth is not the main factor of the referendum,
It may well dip for a time ( or not ) but for me, the ability to rule ourselves, ie. sovereignty is at the core.

Annie I think that being in the EU and trading with them is what has helped us increase our level of richness - we were not so rich before we joined the EU. I worry that if we leave we will once again be the poor man of Europe. Leaving will have so many repercussions and if people cannot think laterally they do not see it at all.

We are a very small country yet the fifth richest in the world , surely a comfortable place to be or do we want to out rich America and China - yes I know out rich is incorrect

Mamie, Jess I to see a balance I have positive reasons for wishing to stay in but I also have a very negative view of our world after Brexit. I am particularly worried about those who are looking for Brixit to offer them power. I am not negative about the British people as a whole but all I have heard from the out side has only hardened my views. I too am worried about the impact on the economy. When you listen to the flight of billions of pounds I really do worry. As well as the effect on interest rates etc., where will the cuts come to cope with the downturn - we have cut all the obvious while protecting the pension - could that continue?

As you say Mamie, the personal worries may keep us awake but the future for the younger generations worries me more. I am not a 100% for in; I want changes, but, when I look at the whole I feel I cannot let my vote add to the possibility of subjecting our children to the world I believe Brexit may create for them.

Boris Johnson is there because people think he will be a laugh, he will be leader of the tories, he will be PM.

Do you read the Daily Mail?