How'd you vote in an E.U. referendum?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

Graham, you're a local lad so I'm amazed at this post. Surely, you must realise that this sort of puerile bull doesn't fool the canny folk of Accrington & district for one minute!

Was wondering who these pro europeans are here in Hyndburn

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Was wondering who these pro europeans are here in Hyndburn

Who knows?...there might be thousands of 'em. There might be millions of pro-EUers across the UK. The point is, though, that there's been a fundamental change in the way this country is governed with large swathes of decision-making and power being transferred to Brussels and the British people were not consulted on this. The basic principles of democracy demand that they should be consulted via a referendum. If the result is that the majority of the British public want our membership of the EU to stay as it is, I'll accept that, because that's what democracy is all about. Unfortunately the political establishement from David Cameron to Ed Milliband to Graham Jones don't seem to have a similar belief in democracy.

[Taggy]

I'd love Graham to tell us how many people he has had contacting him to ask him to vote against a referendum!!!....errr i'll hazard a guess at ONE!!

Best Regards - Taggy

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Taggy

I'd love Graham to tell us how many people he has had contacting him to ask him to vote against a referendum!!!....errr i'll hazard a guess at ONE!!

Best Regards - Taggy

Didn't know you were pro europe taggy

[g jones]

Interestingly the youGov poll this week has confirmed the intricacies of a 3 part question as opposed to an in/out. I would have thought those who represent the 28% who want Britain out regardless would oppose Mondays motion based on the likelihood that it will keep Britain in Europe for the foreseeable future.

The survey supports my view that the 47% (how I would vote) see the case both ways but on balance would stay in with a renegotiation. The last IPSOS MORi had 60% of people's concerns being jobs and employment and just 5% the EU. These two seem consistent polling wise and would indicate on a triple question there is little chance of a referendum resulting in Britains withdrawal.

Express misleads on EU poll results

The front page of Saturday's Daily Express claims:



'75% say: 'Quit the EU now''. That's the way the Express has summarised a poll conducted by YouGov.

But the article by Alison Little makes clear this isn't what the poll really shows. Indeed, her first sentence says:

An overwhelming 75 per cent of Britons would vote in a referendum to quit the EU or renegotiate the terms.

The 'or renegotiate the terms' bit is important because, as the Express reveals five paragraphs from the end, if a referendum included three options about the UK's relationship with Europe:

15 per cent would vote for the status quo, 28 per cent would vote to leave the EU and 47 per cent would vote to renegotiate membership terms.*

So the '75%' saying 'quit now' actually includes 47% who don't actually want to quit if renegotiation is an option.**

The poll was conducted by YouGov for the campaign group Vote UK out of EU and their press release on these results makes clear that:

75% of those surveyed would vote to change the current relationship between the UK and the EU.

'Change the current relationship'. Not 'quit now'.

What if the referendum gave a more straightforward 'in or out' choice? The Express states:

Given a choice to stay in or get out – without the option to renegotiate – 52 per cent would quit, 31 per cent would stay in, while the rest are “don’t knows”.

According to this poll, if it's in or out, 52% say quit. If it's in, out or renegotiate, 28% say quit.

So why has the Express claimed '75% say quit now' in the headline?

[g jones]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Didn't know you were pro europe taggy

It was one actually! 28 have written to leave for the record (the angriest letters on any issue) which is down the league table of issues by comparison. We checked on Friday and (without local prompting) the highest is 75 for the fish fight campaign with quite a few campaigns in the 60's and 50's including on Murdock, who the EU have just knocked back over tv football.

Most people are like my other half, not bothered. Be interesting to see at Rovers this afternoon how many people talk about it? She's going, I'll ask her after. If she had to vote she would go with the strongest argument on jobs primarily and as a Labour voter before we met, take into consideration/ points Labour make (which is easier than reading all the arguments both ways as a hard working mum).

On that final point removing working rights to holidays and maternity leave woud be a big factor for her. She wouldn't consider straight bananas, Eccles cakes or votes for prisoner as important enough.

[gynn]

Originally Posted by g jones

So why has the Express claimed '75% say quit now' in the headline?

Because, as I've said before, Express readers live in a parallel universe where Britain has long since left the EU, is full of pensioners enjoying bumper private sector pensions, basks in 90 degrees of heat every day of the year, and where Madeline McCann plays happily with Princess Diana.

The best thing to do is humour them, and ultimately ignore them.

[Taggy]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Didn't know you were pro europe taggy

Just a figure that came into my Ed Jaysay!! Lol!

Best Regards - Taggy

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by gynn

Because, as I've said before, Express readers live in a parallel universe where Britain has long since left the EU, is full of pensioners enjoying bumper private sector pensions, basks in 90 degrees of heat every day of the year, and where Madeline McCann plays happily with Princess Diana.

The best thing to do is humour them, and ultimately ignore them.

Sometimes I have to shake my head at some of the content in your posts

[Tealeaf]

Excellent post, Graham. The poll shows that almost twice as many people want to get out as want to stay in. It’s a bit like being pregnant – you either are or you ain’t.The ‘Renegotiation’ stuff is nonsense; what exactly are we to renegotiate? Are we to renegotiate the rebate which Blair refunded? Are we to negotiate the return of our ancient fishing grounds? Are we to negotiate what opt-outs we can take on EU directives? The simple truth is its bollocks and you know it.

On Monday night you meet your nemesis. You have three choices – vote for the motion, against or abstain. If you take one of the latter two then you will be in contempt of your constituents; take the first one and your stock will rise. It’s that simple

[Taggy]

I would agree that not too many will be discussing a referendum vote at Ewood this afternoon Graham! They will be discussing the much more realistic claims of Steve Kean, stating Rovers are not far off course for a top ten finish!

Best Regards - Taggy

PS....If the vote hadn't been brought forward a bit & the public been allowed more time to express an opinion, i think you would have been aware of more interest!

[garinda]

Originally Posted by garinda

I'd like to ask our M.P., Graham Jones, just one, very simple question.

Since there seems to be many people, both nationwide, and locally, who think the way we are governed as fundamentally changed, and who'd like the chance to give their opinion on the matter, and their thoughts taken into consideration.

Other than to toe the party line, can you give us one good reason why not to vote that we should have a referendum on this issue?

Just one.

Are you going to give a straightforward answer to this question Graham?

I'm sure your constituents would find it much more interesting than a whole load of lifted statistics.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Taggy

I would agree that not too many will be discussing a referendum vote at Ewood this afternoon Graham! They will be discussing the much more realistic claims of Steve Kean, stating Rovers are not far off course for a top ten finish!

Best Regards - Taggy

PS....If the vote hadn't been brought forward a bit & the public been allowed more time to express an opinion, i think you would have been aware of more interest!

Ya Taggy I nearly choked when I read that in the LT too

[garinda]

Originally Posted by g jones

It was one actually! 28 have written to leave for the record (the angriest letters on any issue) which is down the league table of issues by comparison. We checked on Friday and (without local prompting) the highest is 75 for the fish fight campaign with quite a few campaigns in the 60's and 50's including on Murdock, who the EU have just knocked back over tv football.

Most people are like my other half, not bothered. Be interesting to see at Rovers this afternoon how many people talk about it? She's going, I'll ask her after. If she had to vote she would go with the strongest argument on jobs primarily and as a Labour voter before we met, take into consideration/ points Labour make (which is easier than reading all the arguments both ways as a hard working mum).

On that final point removing working rights to holidays and maternity leave woud be a big factor for her. She wouldn't consider straight bananas, Eccles cakes or votes for prisoner as important enough.

Are the majority who voted on here to be ignored, and our opinions discounted, because we didn't write in to you?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

Are you going to give a straightforward answer to this question Graham?

I'm sure your constituents would find it much more interesting than a whole load of lifted statistics.

Think he's already answered that Rindi, then given a load of crap to try and vindicate the way he will vote