EU Vote

[Graham]

We weren't asked in 1975 about joining - we were already in. We were asked if we wanted to be in or out.

Hi Robert,

there was a vote in 1973, and it was 66% for 'in' and 34% for 'out'. I was out of the country anyway in 1975.

Hmm...can't agree with you about Cameron. I think during his first term he got things about right, and as a pensioner he certainly did me a favour. My own feeling is that he didn't expect to win the last general election, and it threw him when the Tories got in with a majority. I like his missus, too!

Worst PM's for me: Heath, Callaghan, Douglas-Home, Brown, Blair. Not in any particular order of de-merit.

Graham

[Robert]

Graham, no, there was no vote in 1973. The 2 to 1 majority that you're remembering was in 1975.

[Errata]

I have no idea if it's true or not, all I know is that it made me laugh pretty hard.

[John Wheat]

Well we're out now. Wether that's a good thing or a bad thing only time will tell. I suspect it will be a bad thing. Wonder why Boris and Rupert Murdoch both mega rich by the way wanted Britain out the EU?

[Robert]

Well, Alexander Lebedev who owns the pro-EU Independent isn't short of a bob or two.

Murdoch rode two horses - the Sun was for leave and the Times was for remain.

[John Wheat]

Well, Alexander Lebedev who owns the pro-EU Independent isn't short of a bob or two.

Murdoch rode two horses - the Sun was for leave and the Times was for remain.

Don't forget Sky who were obviously pushing Brexit.

[Robert]

Were they? I don't watch TV very much at all.

No one forces anyone to watch Sky. People pay for it if they want it - unlike the BBC which people have to pay for even if they don't want it.

[John Wheat]

Were they? I don't watch TV very much at all.

No one forces anyone to watch Sky. People pay for it if they want it - unlike the BBC which people have to pay for even if they don't want it.

Yes. Many people get Sky News on Freeview who should be independent but were pushing for Brexit.

[Robert]

Well, the BBC should be independent but they still take EU money.

[Limehouse]

I voted Remain, and until about an hour ago thought that the UK electorate had made a big mistake. However, on reflection, I'm not so sure. I remember very well Edward Heath when Prime Minister pushing for all he was worth to get us into the EEC, as it then was. I voted against joining (the vote at the time was 2 to 1 in favour of joining). I always felt, as did zillions of others, that joining the EEC was Ted Heath's personal crusade - after all, he did precious little else for the UK, apart from screwing us up with his disastrous Industrial Relations Act and his god-damned Three Day Week. I voted against him at the 1974 General Election, which as expected was won by Harold Wilson's Labour party. Heath in my humble opinion was the worst PM this country ever had, with the possible exception of Callaghan. Anyway, I had an e-mail a short time ago from my friend in Holland, who said that the general feeling on the streets there is 'three cheers and good luck' to the UK! There is, he said, a big undercurrent of anti-EU feeling in Holland, and it's getting stronger, as it is in other EU countries including France and Italy.

I've been thinking what has being in the EU for 43 years done for me as (a) an individual; (b) as a member of my local community; (c) as an employee of a British company until my retirement. Answer: not a lot. At least, nothing tangible other than to swamp my former employer with red tape. Another thing: earlier today the City Slickers were lining up on window ledges ready to jump because the FTSE100 had fallen 8% or so; yet it's back up almost to what it was this time last week. Plus, the Japanese Nikkei Index has fallen 8% over the last day or so. Has Japan left the EU as well, then?

So far, the only country to have left the EEC/EU is Greenland, and they seem to have done all right, all 75 of them. And Robert - re: your post, I was no fan of Gordon Brown but you are absolutely correct in what you say about his refusal to join the Euro.

I thank you.

Graham

Hi Graham,

I found it terribly difficult to make a decision about whether to vote 'leave' or 'remain'. There were lies and scaremongering on both sides of the debate and political parties normally united on these types of issue were firmly divided.

I really wish Cameron had never offered us a referendum. We are a Representative Democracy, not a Direct Democracy and as such we are poorly equipped to make this sort of decision. A referendum is not even legally binding in the country and Cameron could well have ignored the outcome and carried on regardless.

Nigel and Boris are claiming to have put the 'great' back into Great Britain, but now it looks as though Scotland and possibly Northern Ireland will leave the union because they want to stay in the EU. Even if they don't leave the union, the nation is divided, anxious and fretful and all I can hear is the nauseating braying of those who backed 'leave' because they were listening to Boris and Nigel, and the guilty regretful gulps of those who voted 'leave' because of completely different reasons. The majority of the 'remain' camp are sad and dejected and a few, like yourself, are pragmatic and reflective.

Is it inappropriate to wish people a good weekend?

Julie

[John Wheat]

Well, the BBC should be independent but they still take EU money.

The BBC were not pushing for the leave position though.

[Robert]

The BBC were not pushing for the leave position though.

You can say that again, John.

[Robert]

No Julie, it's not inappropriate and I hope you have a nice weekend.

I don't know whether Osborne is still going to implement his 'wailing and gnashing of teeth' budget, which he assured us would be vital for the national interest if we voted to leave. Presumably he will, since he is an honest man.

[Pcdunn]

Any word yet from the Royals on this decision?

[Robert]

Not as far as I'm aware. They're not supposed to comment. And let's face it, they'd be crazy to do so, as they'd end up being hated by one side or the other.