On Saturday I had my first chance to canvass door to door just on Brexit, with the local elections and the Police Commissioner elections behind us. It was very different to canvassing in support of individual candidates for office.
Many more people wanted to answer the door and engage in conversation on the topic. Many more wished to test out their current thoughts on UK membership of the EU. More were grateful that I had troubled to call, and were very friendly toĀ us Ā volunteers delivering the leaflets and putting the case. This probably reflects the obvious point that none of us are motivated by self interest in the way a candidate and party seekingĀ office is partly motivated by the wish to take on a job. An MP or Councillor campaigning on one side of the referendum is clearly running the risk of annoying some voters when he or she need not do so, because he or she believes in the causeĀ they are Ā supporting.
The national polls seem to be right in several respects. People who want to leave feel much more strongly about it than most of those who might vote to stay. They are more determined in their vote and more determined to vote. Older voters are more likely to be for leave than younger voters, though there are plenty of young voters who want out. Few people who remain like the EU orĀ buy into the idea of political, economic and monetary union. Most who say they may vote to stay do so out of fear that the economy could be damaged, reflecting the lies and absurd fears put about by the Remain side.
Most people who want out that I spoke to majored their case on the wish to restore control over our own laws and decisions. The best reason I heard was someone who began by saying he was a businessman and took aĀ businessĀ view of the issue. He had found his own business had been damaged by an EU law, so he now saw the EU as unhelpful, leading in his case directly to a loss of jobs and activity.
Many of the Ā possible Remain voters are unsure of their position and open to persuasion. Many do not like many features of the organisation and want to stay opted out of much of it as possible. All of you who believe in leaving need to help us get out the leaflets and talk to the voters. There areĀ not many days left before the postal votes at the end of this month, and many people who would appreciate a call and a talk. If the media wont give us the airtime to explain how we will be better off out, we need to do it door by door.
(Apologies for late posting – I tried to post this under local pages as well and it seems it only appeared there. )
May 9, 2016
Too many are swayed by the rhetoric and not the facts. The facts actually are thin on the ground as most of what is being said is speculation so logic and common sense is needed to be exercised. Those two attributes are in short supply as well and David Cameron is exploiting that for all it’s worth. Much to his shame. Him and many other stayers have tainted their reputations. Not that they will ever be punished for it more likely rewarded by winning the referendum.
There are a few irrefutable statements such as loss of sovereignty and self determination if we remain in. A fact that even the dimmest cannot refute is true. Yet the one most overriding reason for leaving is not having anywhere near the impact it should have. It is after all a basic right of a society. Our democracy and all we hold dear stems from it. If we are no longer prepared to fight for that as we have always done throughout our history then we deserve every misery that will befall us if we vote to remain in the EU.
May 9, 2016
According to our prime minister Brexit will lead to war. I think he needs to seek medical help perhaps all his U turning has made him very confused. It could be that having told so many porkies about Brexit and forcing others to do the same he can no longer distinguish fact from fiction. In any case he has obviously totally lost it. Surely he will be laughed out of office over this. Or has the world gone completely mad also and will believe him.
May 9, 2016
If war was likely why is NATO not land massing in Europe, why is Putin not doing the same? How about the current conflicts between Germany and Greece, Austria and Italy, civil unrest in protests against the EU in Germany, Sweden, Finland, Scicily. How did the EU prevent or stop the war in the Balkans? Was it an EU army or NATO? The apocalyptic views of Cameron, Osborne show how unfit they are for office and what traitors they are at heart; how could they be so vile toward their own nation?
We read today that two thirds of EU immigrants would not be allowed in this country if they came from other countries around the world! What Cameron and Osborne need to explain is why do we have mass immigration from the EU? Is it the basket case Euro? Is it loss of jobs, loss of business and loss of homes in the Eurozone countries? Which Eurozone country represents their heavenly reason for staying in?
Why is the UK taxpayer subsidising EU governments to support their children who have never set a foot here, yet Cameron and Osborne stopped child benefit to UK citizens who are paying in the UK tax pot! Another manifesto and negotiation failure by Cameron. He said he would leave if he failed in his negotiations. He failed so why is he not leading leave the EU? Changing his manifesto and law for cash from the trade unions to stay in the EU! How many times has he mocked Labour for this? Civil unrest across the EU which is not allowed to be discussed or reports until after the referendum!
Greece is about to go tits up again, where is Osborne with his house market predictions for the Greeks? Let him tell us the same about Spain, Italy and Portugal.
May 9, 2016
On the basis of a first quick read of Mr Cameon’s speech earlier today it seems he failed to mention the Five Presidents’ Report or its implications for the UK or indeed the rest of the EU. If they get their way, it seems to me that the big risk for the EU is a future civil war as groups or communities who perceive themselves as disadvantaged take to the streets when and if the ballot box is seen as redundant and serves no useful purpose for them. We no longer believe in or accept the divine right of kings; instead we now face the rights, embedded in treaties, of the unaccountable EUrocracy. They have already replaced governments not to their liking in Italy and in Greece. The referendum looks as though it could easily turn into a contest of the People vs the Super State Bureaucracy. That risk is there whether the UK remains a member or not. For all his assertions about UK influence within the EU the evidence is that the EUrocrats are determined to stay on their present course. There is no “reform” as he claims; but there is the Five Presidents’ Report.
No doubt JR will post his views on the PMs words in due course.
May 10, 2016
Excellent post. As IDS states Germany would not allow Cameron to have control of our borders! So true to form he dropped it from his discussions! Political coward.
May 10, 2016
The EU was conceived on the idea that democracy was bad technocracy was good and the ultimate aim of the EU project should remain obscure and be achieved incrementally. That way democracy and understanding would not get in the way of success. It has almost reached it’s goals and having been unaccountable and opaque for so long it is not going to change that when the final treaty is enacted. If peace is threatened then it will emanate from that as non representation will not be forever tolerated.
May 9, 2016
Brexiteers have more faith in our EU partners- that they will not break down into war if we leave them.
The Remainers are the true xenophobes here.
May 9, 2016
I suppose that having decided there is no real argument for Remaining, Cameron has decided to go for the ultimate in Project Fear; though even here, he seems to have thrown his knock-out blow rather early. It would have been more powerful on say June 20th.
Perhaps he has something even more terrible up his sleeve. Whatever can it be?
May 10, 2016
I am sure he is in discussion with the four horseman of the apocalypse to decide on his next move and which Armageddon he should warn us of next. The book of Moses has a few handy tips as well he can turn to that. Ultimately he can sell his soul to the devil for inspiration unless he has already done that. š
May 10, 2016
Electricity rationing on Brexit.
Look. Things are going to be pretty tough on leaving, let’s not deny ourselves that.
May 9, 2016
Hello John. An excellent summary and very similar to the conversations we were having on the doorsteps in Camberley on Saturday.
Most older voters were already definite on their views and were for OUT.
Still a lot of undecided – and as you say crucial we get out to hear them and their views.
I’m sure that after we spent some time with them they might have been won over.
Most of their concerns over the economical situation so we must still home in on this with the simple facts & figures like ” we buy more from them than they do from us so why would these countries want problems ?” Must push immigration more and future generations !
May 9, 2016
JR, Boris states Cameron should be asked to explain why he gave away the UK veto for fiscal and political union to the EU. When did he do this? Is it a question he gave away more than he got at his failed alleged negotiation? If he gave it away how could he possibly claim there will not be ever closer union? Is this another lie by Cameron?
Reply He said in future the UK would not seek to slow down or stop their moves to political union.
May 9, 2016
I note Chilcott being released after Eau referendum, in contrast Cameron abusing old men for his propaganda. He forgets there was no EU for the first or Second World War and that it wa NATO not Junker who keeps the peace- idiot! The apocalypse scare stories of one traitor Cameron who stood by foreign leaders while they made threats to the UK! You could not make it up- on the other hand Cameron could. No values, morals or ethics. A disgrace to our nation.
May 9, 2016
I read all manner of items from many different sources, and this one is of interest, again from OE:
‘New poll highlights appetite for EU referendums in other member states
An Ipsos Mori poll has shown that 45% of more than 6000 people asked in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden say that they wanted their own EU referendum. In Germany, Italy, Sweden and Hungary, more than 50% said they believed other countries would leave the EU if Britain voted for Brexit. 49% said they thought Britain would vote to leave the EU, 51% said Brexit would hurt the EUās economy, but only 36% thought it would hurt Britainās.’
I have long held the view that the EU will collapse anyway. Britain’s exit would only expedite that process. I only wish there was a way to hold to account all those who got us into the thing in the first place.
Tad Davison
Cambridge
May 9, 2016
I can vote for Brexit on economy terms; but, I will not vote for:-
“In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Gove also revealed that cabinet ministers backing Brexit have drawn up new legislation to amend the 1972 European Communities Act in the event of a Leave vote to exempt the intelligence agencies from EU law and āend the applicationā of the EUās Charter of Fundamental Rights, which sets out 50 rights and principles which can be enforced by the European Court of Justice.”
I don’t want to live in a western version of North Korea. Nor do I want to live in a vassal state of the US Central Intelligence Agency. I certainly don’t want to be living in a US offshore missile base, that will be one of the first pawns to be sacrificed, when the neo-cons press the button!
May 9, 2016
I have some sympathy for your second paragraph, neither do I, but I am given to believe that is unlikely to happen if we leave the EU. So often it is assumed by media commentators that if one is all for getting out of the EU, then one must automatically be an ‘Altanticist’. I’m definitely not the latter!
As for the first paragraph, the UK was highly instrumental in founding the principles of human rights, so I see no reason for them to take an axe to them in the event of a vote to leave the EU. It’s just that our own courts would hold precedence, not theirs. And that is a principle worth fighting for.
Tad
May 9, 2016
But I don’t think we should wish for a sudden, chaotic collapse; revolution may be exciting but it tends to be messy, and boring evolution is preferable.
As I’ve said before, the EU’s difficulty may be the UK’s opportunity, and these polls speak of political fragility on top of economic vulnerability.
So they will be wise to react to our vote to leave in a calm and co-operative way, not with any attempt at a “punishment beating”, Ā© Stephen Kinnock MP, but with the risk of giving themselves a possibly fatal seizure.
May 9, 2016
The EU countries had plenty of chances to do things differently Denis, it’s their choice to bring the ship of fools to the edge of oblivion. They won’t follow our advice and reform the place, and I might add, show little or no inclination to change course even if we stay, so I’d rather be out of it.
It’s a bit like the bloke who smokes eighty cigarettes a day. If he won’t heed the advice of everyone else who can see where it will probably all end up, then there’s little one can do to put him right. I just don’t want to be around him blowing smoke in my direction.
Tad
May 9, 2016
I agree that all those politicians who lied over many years on their plan to create a superstate by incremental stealthy treaty change should be prosecuted and imprisoned with renewed Treason legislation.
May 9, 2016
Dear Timeaction–Attainder is what should be renewed: instead of some long-drawn-out ultra legalistic trial involving wretched expensive lawyers exchanging their conflicting opinions, all that would be needed (Human Rights permitting!) would be a vote in Parliament
May 9, 2016
Cameron’s point that if the UK leaves the EU there could be war now we could ask the EU to pay us 20, 30, 40 billion Euros per year to stay in so to avert the possibility of war.
Let’s see what they would say about that., probably ‘war, ridiculous’ so mud in the eye for Cameron.
May 9, 2016
Dear Dennis–Cameron is losing it entirely–his tendentiously selective misquoting of Churchill was just awful–Boris put him back in his box though. Personally I shall be disappointed if the next polls (after a day or two, so they can be carried out) don’t show a quantum jump in favour of Leave, directly caused, First, by the London effect and Secondly by this latest blathering.
May 9, 2016
Postscript–If there were the slightest truth about War (there isn’t of course–or rather it’s more likely In than Out) it’s a real wonder that the other 27 weren’t positively eager to seek genuine reform; but nothing could be further from the truth. As I have said before, we need somehow to find a way to stop the likes of Cameron talking misleading utter piffle: somebody or something should be able to forbid him (especially in a referendum, which could be forever) talking about a “reformed EU” when he certainly didn’t achieve that or anything like it in his pathetic attempt at re-negotiation and the chances of reform if the remainers win are just plain nil perhaps negative.
May 9, 2016
If what he said was true he might have got somewhere with his alleged negotiations. What a bargaining chip. He did not. He dropped all the main points before discussions took place! Then he failed with the crumbs he asked for. The Tory party need to rid themselves of him and his weird side kick. Just imagine what damage he would do if the country voted to leave!
May 9, 2016
Nice one!
But far from giving us loads of money to save themselves from war they wouldn’t even give our Prime Minister any significant “reforms”, so what does that tell us about the weight they gave to this “Brexit could cause World War Three” nonsense?
May 9, 2016
I just listened to ……….. Shameron on the evening news. This man is an embarrassment to hold the office of Prime Minister. The lies just ooze from his mouth.
The remainiacs just don’t have anything positive to offer for remaining so project fear trundles on and on!
May 9, 2016
Exactly, Cameron demeans himself even further with his absurd claims about wars and genocide. Surprising he did not mention a plague of locusts or say it would make a giant meteor impact more likely.
Was he not recently saying he would advise leaving (if his joke re-negotiations failed) as they clearly did. Yet now he tells us the World will fall apart should we leave!
Mrs May is even telling us we have control of our borders even in the EU which is a clear& blatant lie.
Surely the people will not be taken in with this drivel will they. Cameron obviously thinks they will be.
May 10, 2016
She cannot claim this when Germany would not tolerate the UK controlling its own borders as part of Cameron’s negotiation. In true form he dropped it.
May 9, 2016
Just been watching the eu bias BBC and they had another eu loving politician Dominic Grieve on agreeing with Cameron about if we leave the dreaded eu we are looking at WW3, but as usual the eu bias BBC didn’t have anybody on at the same time to challenge Grieve, something needs to be done about it and the outers to up there game
May 9, 2016
A big draw for “remainers” is the freedom of movement and the ability to easily work in any EU nation.
Younger members of my wider family have many criticisms of the EU but like the ability to travel and the opportunity to work in member States.
I have tried to tell them that pre EU I travelled, when I was their age, all around Europe with little restrictions and could have worked in European countries had I wanted to, with only a little bit of hassle, but I feel they are still unconvinced.
Some focus on this issue by Brexit would be productive I believe.
May 9, 2016
Vote Leave is still not fit for purpose; the range of merchandise they offer suggests that members would wish to set up souvenir stalls to sell concessionary merchandise rather than get out of the EU. More better leaflets are required which are both explanatory over the various issues and attractive to the eye. GO did some good ones.
Furthermore, there appear to be some with executive roles who believe that they can descriminate based on the underlying party attachment of individuals and groups in terms of whether they are supported or ignored; these need to be ordered to co-operate with all Brexit groups or get out immediately.
May 9, 2016
Really enjoyed the Spectator debate recently.
Great speeches by Dan Hannon and Nigel Farage which powerfully set out the arguments in favour of leaving.
Available on You Tube etc
May 9, 2016
If the media wont give us the airtime to explain how we will be better off out, we need to do it door by door.
Too true. I was amazed on the Marr show for editors on the papers review mention how powerful the BBC web site is.
(words left out ed)
Cameron on the wars. His studies on history are totally different to mine. France Belgium Poland Holland all got overrun and the only country fighting Hitler was Great Britain, The Commonwealth and the brave exiles that came over here to continue the fight. The man is losing any credibility he ever had on a daily basis.
Funny he never mentions all these reforms that he fought for anymore. He couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag. This is the man that will sign over our forces to a central European armed forces. What a joke.
Just received my EU leaflet, another bleeding wind up, on course to be posted back to CMD tomorrow, what a huge waste of money.
May 10, 2016
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/7903434/David-Cameron-describes-Britains-role-in-WWII-as-junior-partner.html
CMD’s grasp of history, both past and recent past is both unique and legendary. Not a scooby doo……
zorro
May 9, 2016
Again this weekend we had UKIP and LeaveEU canvassing in our local town centre.
Leaflets , bumper stickers and badges were being distributed by the hundreds.
Still VoteLeave which has Ā£7 million of taxpayers money haven’t entered the fray.
There seems to be some unwritten rules on what they can discuss so as not too offend the establishment.
Together with Daves idiotic ramblings and the Remainiacs negative pronouncements, it should be an open goal for the official Leave organisation.
Where are they John???
Reply We are out regularly in Wokingham. Ask your local organisers.
May 10, 2016
We’re out in BANES every week and leafleting two/three times a week!
May 9, 2016
Part of Cameron’s line appears to imply that the EU, however incompetent financially, undemocratic and incompetent in its attempts at Foreign Policy is too big to allow to fail and that we (largely England) must pay any price in order to allow it to continue.
Who agreed that Germany would take the lead in EU matters? If we will have so much influence if we stay in, as the “Remainians” assert, can we expect the UK to take over as the lead power in the EU and France and Germany to quietly knuckle their forelock?
Both Cameron’s and Osborne’s speeches today show them to be unworthy of the offices they hold and should immediately result in demands for their resignation by Conservative MPs. Even if unsuccessful such a demand would fatally damage their careers.
May 9, 2016
Pro EU Statements by “Former Security Chiefs”
It has been well-known by linguists for centuries and by almost any migrant or UK worker temporarily living in one area of the UK and then returning home:-
Unbeknownst to the individual concerned, he picks up the tone, or, sentence construction, or syntax or even as little as a single phoneme said in what may be a rare sentence construction. A haircut, to a professional hairdresser living in an area, can be identified as being produced by a particular hairdresser or a hairdresser trained at a particular college.
Are we to believe that MI5 or MI6 former bosses are blitheringly irresponsible,- negligent (utterly ) in their theoretical and primary skill ( that is, Communication )?
They, on TV, have just given away their location, probably their specific home and holiday addresses and the manner, tone, grammar, and technical profession ( if any ) of their friends and associates to all but the most amateur and teenage FSB operatives.
No. These actors have been instructed what to say by those of the Remain Campaign. The Leave Campaign should demand a fair and equal share of “former MI5 and MI6 bosses.”
Of course the worst scenario could be true which would go to prove absolutely that our Security is under severe threat by gross incompetence. If this be the case the Leave Campaign may very well, and might as well, employ a FSB operatives to offer advice on how to frame our Leave Campaign publicity to achieve maximum linguistic/psychological impact.
May 9, 2016
I responded today on yesterday’s blog because I thought John was “inconvenienced” for some reason or other . I’m very pleased to know that he has been out and about sifting views and coming to some conclusion about the drift of the voters . As the polls suggest it is still a 50/50 split , so , everything does depend on the “undecided”.
Yesterday I googled “Brexit” and , as a consequence finished up reading the report Neil Woodford had commissioned . It covered all the relevant points in an un-biassed way and , certainly reassured me that my view that “leave” was the right way to go was not unreasonable . I commend it to other bloggers . The campaign has now hotted up and should enable the public to get a much better view on things .
May 10, 2016
Hefner put the Capital Economics report on here a while ago and it does seem to be a well argued balanced piece- largely ignored by the media. To help matters they require a subscription to read it, but as Neil Woodford ordered it they have it free on –
http://www.woodfordfunds.com/economics-impact-brexit-report/
May 10, 2016
They never miss a trick. He wants us to register too and read about investments. Just google it and it’s free.
May 9, 2016
As a floating voter on this issue I have been weighing up the balance of advantage. I must say I hadn’t until now considered the possibility of World War III breaking out because the UK leaves the EU & eg moves to the EEA or similar arrangement. I wonder what that does to the Treasury’s forecast of 6% lower income per household in 2030, calculated using complicated equations and a large computer model? If WW III goes nuclear surely this 6% figure should be revised up and we should be made aware that we risk a significant possibility of death (cost let’s say Ā£1m per person) and that if our houses are blown up they won’t be insured due the exemption for war and terrorism in most insurance policies? I think the Prime Minister should clarify this so we can make an informed choice.
May 9, 2016
Cameron is finished now doesnt matter what happens
The Conservatives had better come up with something better than Cameron and George soon
May 10, 2016
Not to hard to improve on Cameron and Osborne. But given how badly infected the party is, with so many EUphile, green crap, big government LibDems, will they find anyone the party can unite behind?
May 9, 2016
Thanks John Redwood for your efforts today demonstrating you have the best interests of your country at heart…in stark contrast to colleagues that have abandoned all principle to present Mr Cameron’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ ..black is white, ‘up is down’ case to stay in his un-reformed EU.
Cameron’s message is that other European countries are so bloodthirsty and warmongering that we need to dismantle our own democracy and hand over an increasing slice of our wealth to keep the peace. NO!!.
We don’t need to do that – NATO backed by the US keeps us safe.
Cameron needs to be sectioned immediately if he believes this is a popular message… the poor man is obviously not well. I have never witnessed a PM talk down his own country so much he is an absolute disgrace and embarrassment.
May 10, 2016
“NATO backed by the US keeps us safe”
A country of this size should be able to keep itself safe;once you accept the protection of others,you become a vassal state.
May 9, 2016
I have registered with both Vote Leave, and Leave.EU to offer my help, neither have contacted me.
May 10, 2016
Likewise!
May 9, 2016
What with his bizarre performance at PM questions last week and this speech today I wonder whether the PM is starting to panic. Is he seriously saying that the countries who share a currency and are hell bent on ever greater union will start fighting each other if the UK, which neither applies to, leaves the EU? Most people I talk to about the EU are either definate or leaning towards Brexit and the hesitant ones are not likely to be swayed by the PM’s prophecies of doom which conflict greatly with what he himself was saying a few months ago.
May 9, 2016
Now Cameron is warning us that unless we allow the EU to carry on fleecing us, we risk World war III.
If he truly believes that, do Brexit MPs really believe that Cameron would allow our future to be determined by the outcome of a public referendum?
No wonder the report into the dodgy dossier is not being released until after the EU vote: there would be way too many parallels!
If the EU commissioners truly believed this claptrap, they would ban referendums tomorrow.
May 9, 2016
The Remain Campaign should be asked if they support planned EU economic sanctions ( ONGOING )against Slavonic speaking Poland ( they have refused point blank to take even one refugee ) ..that money to be given to Greece. How will this cement British-Polish relations? What effect will this have in the Slavonic language area of Europe and Russia? How will this cement European security?
May 10, 2016
What do you say to Yanis Varoufakis argument against Brexit?