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CLOSED:EU referendum Q&A with Labour MP Gisela Stuart and Lib Dem Baroness Sal Brinton

(70 Posts)
LaraGransnet (GNHQ) Fri 03-Jun-16 17:52:10

There are plenty of discussions on Gransnet about the upcoming referendum (and of course we have the outcome of our own survey) so we thought gransnetters might like to ask questions directly to members of the Leave and Remain campaigns.

Labour MP Gisela Stuart (Leave) and Lib Dem Party President Baroness Sal Brinton (Remain) have kindly agreed to take your questions. We're going to be running this thread till Thurs 9th 10am and then we'll send your questions on to them to be answered.

We'd prefer to give each of them the opportunity to answer the same questions so if you can make it a question that allows both to answer that would be great.
However, if this isn't possible and your question is for one specifically, please make that clear.

rosesarered Tue 07-Jun-16 12:01:29

What on earth are some posters doing.....answering other posters questions!!
Asking a question of the MP's is the idea surely, and waiting for their reply.

dayvidg Mon 06-Jun-16 23:09:29

What is the danger to the E.U. if the current growth of the far right in many countries continues; particularly in Germany?

NanKate Mon 06-Jun-16 22:17:48

I have had to wait 13 days for a blood test and getting a doctor's appointment is as likely as being hit by an asteroid. The surgery says it is in crisis and this is in an affluent part of the Thames Valley. Heaven help those in deprived areas.

Is it because we have too many people accessing too few services ? Or that we cannot get enough doctors ?

I am of an age when I need medical help.

Staying in the EU IMO will not address these problems
Leaving the EU should reduce numbers requiring the services.

David Cameron said he would reduce the numbers of migrants to tens of thousands and has not achieved his ambition

We need migrants and they have added to this country, however it is the numbers of migrants that needs to be restricted.

Granny2016 Mon 06-Jun-16 21:07:49

Will leaving the EU lead to revised fishing rights /territories for UK fishermen?

Question for Gisella Stuart and Sal Brinton only.

Gracesgran Mon 06-Jun-16 20:29:05

They haven't done anything quizqueen. Countries don't behave like children they do what is in their own interest. Your argument would apply just as much if we come out and it could be seen that they would have more opportunity to "punish" us if we come out and have to renegotiate everything.

Most of the other countries within the EU have disaffection within their population in some form or another - we live in difficult times and they would be difficult in or out - and they are well aware that governments must do what they need to do to satisfy their electorate and the referendum was what our government felt they had to do.

quizqueen Mon 06-Jun-16 20:22:30

Cameron and Osborne talk as if they will still be running the country after the referendum so no different. I think their goose is shot -see my postabove !

quizqueen Mon 06-Jun-16 20:19:15

I agree we will be punished if we stay in and all the other 27 countries will see us as very weak after all our posturing. I believe the punishment would be very harsh and costly and PERMANENT. Who would want to stay in an organisation that would do that to its 'friend'. Once we leave they can come begging us to buy their goods- I 've heard British champagne is better than French although I am teetotal so wouldn't be able to tell!!! Volkswagen has proved to be totally untrustworthy over the emissions scandal. So buy British as much as you can and buckle down and weather the storm and look to a future that is free from EU domination. Their greatest fear must be that other countries will follow our lead so they have actually have more to fear than us. We have rescued Europe from Napolean and in two world wars, let them look after themselves for a change, I say.

durhamjen Mon 06-Jun-16 19:27:00

Alison, something to read before your question is answered.

fullfact.org/europe/cost-benefits/

nannyto5 Mon 06-Jun-16 18:57:43

The Leave Campaign talk as though they will be immediately running the country. Surely we have an elected government whose job it will be to conduct future business, whether we have voted In or Out. Please can you give me some clarity on this? It's really worrying me and will probably influence the way I vote. Thank you

alisonwall123 Mon 06-Jun-16 18:26:44

Qu to both on the EU.

When politicians say that immigrants give more to us than they take in benefits, no-one is counting the costs of people like me sitting in meetings which run twice as long, because interpreters are needed. These costs are substantial when factored in over the country. Also, what about the child benefit payments that wing their way back to the countries they cam from? Please can you provide the detail of how the cost/benefit analysis is achieved for immigration?
Alison Wall

Gracesgran Mon 06-Jun-16 18:09:51

To Baroness Brinton.
How British do you like us being?

What does that mean, please? I can't see how anyone could answer it.

durhamjen Mon 06-Jun-16 17:56:54

I hope they answer gillyknits and tell her, once and for all, that the auditors have signed off the accounts. The problem is not with the accounts, it's with what the receiving countries have been spending the money on.

obieone Mon 06-Jun-16 17:53:18

To Baroness Brinton.
How British do you like us being?

bbb58 Mon 06-Jun-16 14:58:40

My concern with the leave campaign is that it is increasingly being associated (on the street as it were) with a form of racism - ie leave to stop the country flooding with people from the EU looking for a better life. Clearly this is not the intention of the campaigners, but I guess it is inevitable that the 'keep Britainn for the British' brigade would hijack/jump all over this as a primary reason to get out. I would be interested to hear what both of you have to say about this

Tegan Mon 06-Jun-16 14:40:45

'I hope they only answer one of yours, patsykelly' grin!
Good question though!One that I look forward to seeing the answer to.

Heather51 Mon 06-Jun-16 14:40:09

Why is is referendum being described as a 'once in a lifetime referendum'? If the Remain vote wins by a small margin, and the EU subsequently treats us like 'the poor relations' for daring to try to leave why can't we have another referendum in a couple of years time?

flicky Mon 06-Jun-16 14:37:11

My instinctive vote is stay, based partly on a list of public figures (eg Donald Trump) who are urging us to leave and partly because I think there is safety in numbers and we are a small island who could otherwise be cut adrift. But then I saw something on Facebook about Switzerland who are not members of the EU, listing all the reasons why it's a great place to live and now, frankly, I am confused. Can we be like Switzerland? Or would the reality be very different?

gillyknits Mon 06-Jun-16 14:29:45

Are you aware that auditors have been unable to sign off on the E.U. accounts for many years? If this was a business there would be questions as to why income and outgoings are not balancing.Why have there been no enquiries into this matter?

joan37 Mon 06-Jun-16 14:01:41

I'm another who is yet to decide. I find it confusing that MPs within the same party have such disparate views. How can this be? And how can you marry this up with party 'ideology' if there is such a split?

marbles Mon 06-Jun-16 13:59:32

I still feel I don't have enough information to persuade me either way. Could you both please sum up in one sentence why I should vote for your campaign (NB I realise that a) it might be a long sentence and b) that you can't crystalise everything in the campaign into such a short space but I would like a headline nonetheless)

durhamjen Mon 06-Jun-16 13:05:07

I hope they only answer one of yours, patsykelly.

grandMattie Mon 06-Jun-16 12:37:09

I worry that we shall be "punished" regardless if we stay or leave.
If we vote to stay, we'll be punished as an example to the other states for the gall of having even considered leaving.
If the vote is to leave, we'll be punished to show the other states that the EU has teeth and they can't follow suit...
Heads the EU wins, tails, we lose...

patsykelly Mon 06-Jun-16 10:58:29

What are your 3 most persuasive arguments for staying/leaving?These need to be supported with facts please.

patsykelly Mon 06-Jun-16 10:58:29

What are your 3 most persuasive arguments for staying/leaving?These need to be supported with facts please.

patsykelly Mon 06-Jun-16 10:58:29

What are your 3 most persuasive arguments for staying/leaving?These need to be supported with facts please.