We are not a democracy

Jonathan Freedland is finessing the argument about sovereignty:  http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/26/brexit-campaign-wrong-uk-sovereign-nation-eu-masters-of-our-destiny-power?CMP=share_btn_tw

There is a simple test one can apply to the issue of democracy.

In every single post war survey of public opinion the majority have said they want immigration to stop.

And yet it does not stop.

It continues at an ever-accelerating rate.

Therefore we are not a democracy.

Therefore we live in a tyranny.

And it matters little that the tyranny is currently benign.

That state of affairs can flip as easily as anything.

If you care about animal welfare you should vote LEAVE in the EU referendum

Another example of how the EU is driving standards ever lower instead of raising them:  http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21693618-cheap-european-rivals-are-making-mincemeat-british-pork-industry-fearing-wurst?force=scn/tw/te/pe/ed/feelingthewurst

If you care about animal welfare you should vote LEAVE in the EU referendum.

Otherwise these cheap cruelty-max meat products will flood the United Kingdom driving out ethical producers and making extreme cruelty in meat production the norm.

If you vote LEAVE the much higher welfare standards in the United Kingdom will be maintained.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVmIoBvnHvY

David Cameron's backing band

Alan Johnson, Hilary Benn, Iain McNicol, Chuka Umunna... have reduced themselves to David Cameron's backing band.

https://twitter.com/derekrootboy 

The depth of corruption within the elite

I think when you see the Observer giving such gratuitous gubernaturnal support to David Cameron you realise the depth of corruption within the elite:  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/21/cameron-has-secured-his-eu-deal-so-what-happens-now

But is it not amusing to see the holier than thou Observer simply reprinting a press release!

God bless Boris Johnson

God bless Boris Johnson:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35626621

God bless Michael Gove.

God bless Iain Duncan Smith (who was wonderful on The World This Weekend at lunchtime):  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03k8gc6

At Holy Communion this morning I again prayed that the LEAVE side would win.

Emotional forces of which they are entirely unaware

There is a discernible sense of arrogance and entitlement among the Westminster politicians concerning the forthcoming EU referendum:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35621079

Perhaps they genuinely feel that they are in charge of the process.

That they will decide things among themselves.

And yet emotional forces of which they are entirely unaware may surprise them.

Forces that may well turn out Mr Cameron and put Mr Gove at the head of the government before the end of the year.

A tremendous fraud is being practised against the British people

Watching Newsnight about the so-called breakthrough in the EU renegotiations, one is left with the feeling that a tremendous fraud is being practised against the British people:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk25

Impartial report on The economic impact of ‘Brexit’

Produced by Capital Economics for Woodford Investment Management, this is an impartial report on
The economic impact of ‘Brexit’:  https://woodfordfunds.com/economic-impact-brexit-report/

Some quotes:  

Immigration - Immigration from the European Union is currently boosting the workforce by around 0.5% a year. This has helped support the economy’s ability to grow without pushing up wage growth and inflation ( my note - in other words, immigration is depressing wages in the United Kingdom).

Trade and manufacturing - It is highly probable that a favourable trade agreement would be reached after Brexit as there are advantages for both sides in continuing a close commercial arrangement.

Financial services and the City - The City would probably be hurt in the short term, but it would not spell disaster. The City’s competitive advantage is founded on more than just unfettered access to the single market.

Regulation, innovation and productivity - Brexit is only likely to have a limited impact on Britain’s productivity.

Foreign investment - Concerns about a drying up of foreign direct investment if Britain votes to leave the European Union are somewhat overblown.

Public sector - The British government could save about £10bn per year on its contributions to the European Union’s budget if the country left the bloc.

Consumption and property market - any negative impacts will be small, certainly at a macroeconomic level.

Overall - Although the impact of Brexit on the British economy is uncertain, we doubt that Britain’s long-term economic outlook hinges on it.

The intervention of the Duke of Cambridge into the EU Referendum debate

What is one to make of the intervention of the Duke of Cambridge into the EU Referendum debate? (for it is fairly obvious that it was an interevention):  http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/16/prince-william-appears-to-signal-support-for-remaining-in-eu

Has he thought through the impications for the monarchy if we remain in the EU?

What is the point of having a Sovereign that is not actually sovereign?

The British monarchy becomes reduced to the kind of Eurotrash celebrity princelings that besmirch the national life of Spain and Monaco.

That would never suit us.

Support would inevitably drain away.

Prince William needs to understand that if we stay in the EU the monarchy is on the way out, one way or another.

Pro-LEAVE Labour MP Graham Stringer

Strong Bruges Group meeting on 25th February.

Includes pro-LEAVE Labour MP Graham Stringer.

If you see me there say hello.

http://www.brugesgroup.com/ 

Whatever "rabbit" emerges needs to be scrutinised very carefully by the media

On the Andrew Marr Show this morning Labour MP Giesela Stuart warned that the EU is heading towards deeper political integration:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03jhyl1

Andrew Marr also warned us "we know there is a rabbit in David Cameron's hat".

We must be wary of this.  The whole of the renegotiations has so far been a manipulative pantomime with stage villains, choreographed storylines, and two-dimensional principle boy heroics.  Whatever "rabbit" emerges needs to be scrutinised very carefully by the media, and it is certain to be an attempt to deceive.

Ridiculous scare-mongering by travel "chiefs"

Ridiculous scare-mongering by travel "chiefs" on the front page of the Sunday Times:  http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article1668219.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2016_02_13

What next?

Brexit will lead to a national shortage of marron glace?

Brexit will lead to British holiday makers on the continent being pelted with dead animals and called rude names a la Monty Python?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V7zbWNznbs

Brexit will lead to Germany firing vengeance-weapons at British cities? *

* this last actually happened, which makes Gunter Krichbaum's current threats all the more offensive.

John Kerry urges UK to stay in "united EU"

John Kerry urges UK to stay in "united EU".

https://twitter.com/GdnPolitics

Surely he is not going to claim to be a friend of the United Kingdom?

According to the Guardian the American President is planning to interfere in British affairs (article by Patirick Wintour):  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/12/barack-obama-plans-eu-referendum-intervention

It will be interesting to see how Barack Obama does this.

Surely he is not going to claim to be a friend of the United Kingdom?

This is Barack Obama who in his autobiographical Dreams From My Father accused the British of atrocities during counter-terrorist operations in Kenya here

This is Barack Obama who maliciously accused "British Petroleum" of polluting the Gulf of Mexico when the company he was referring to had been known as BP for years, was as much American-owned as it was British-owned, and when almost everyone involved in the pollution fiasco was American not British.

This is Barack Obama whose first action on becoming American President was to send back to London the bust of Winston Churchill that had been displayed in the White House Oval Office.  It is not clear whether he spat on it before it was sent back.  But certainly it was sent back in a symbolic act that was unmistakable.

No, Barack Obama cannot claim to be a friend of the United Kingdom.

And any attempt to interfere in our internal affairs needs to be robustly rebuffed.

Indeed, let me start the rebuffing now by saying:  fuck off Obama, you are no friend of ours.

THIRTEEN government ministers will defy David Cameron

Tomorrow's Sun:  http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/6928178/Rebellion-looming-THIRTEEN-government-ministers-will-reject-PMs-EU-renegotiation-deal.html

"THIRTEEN government ministers will defy David Cameron to campaign to leave the EU."

And presumably one of those thirteen will be the next Conservative Party leader since whatever the result of the EU referendum (and I am hoping for a LEAVE win) it is inconceivable that Cameron could stay on after his farcical Jungle-camps-in-Kent blunder.

A politician can survive many things, but not ridicule.

Cameron's fear-mongering will rebound upon him

There is a wonderful article by about the EU by Melanie Phillips in today's Times:  http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4688706.ece

I urge you to read it.

Such intellectual clarity is rare.

"...Cameron's fear-mongering will rebound upon him.  For he is displaying contempt, not just for the public's intelligence but their desire to govern themselves."

A discussion about fear-mongering in the EU referendum

On Daily Politics this lunchtime there was a discussion about fear-mongering in the EU referendum campaign.  Agreement from Kelvin MacKenzie and Anne McElvoy that for David Cameron to use the fear of Jungle Migrant Camps so early in the campaign is an indication that things are not going well.  "His private polling is probably telling him he is going to lose" Kelvin MacKenzie said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mjxb

Discussion on immigration

Nigel Farage easily won a discussion on immigration on this evening's Question Time:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t1q9

Margaret Thatcher and the EU

There are so many claims flying around about Margaret Thatcher and the EU that it is worth setting the record straight with this letter she sent to Bill Cash MP.   https://twitter.com/ConHistGrp

If you vote LEAVE you are a Russian stooge

Hereditary Labour MP Hilary Benn (in the House of Commons for no other reason than that he is his father's son) is using fear to compel voters to remain in the European Union:  https://www.politicshome.com/foreign-and-defence/articles/story/hilary-benn-vladimir-putin-would-welcome-brexit

If you vote LEAVE you are a Russian stooge Mr Benn is telling us.

This is of course a disgraceful claim to make.

But for the LEAVE campaign it is encouraging that Hilary Benn stoops so low. 

The REMAIN side have nothing to offer.  They are bankrupt of ideas.  In short, the REMAIN side is going to lose.