Has anyone decided how to vote on the basis of the 'big' voices in the media?

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

There's so much coverage of Boris saying out, Cameron saying in etc. All bluster, conjecture and sound bites. This institution says in, that one says out etc etc.
Is any of this having any effect on anyone? Except to bore them to tears at the posturing.
So much money is being spent, so much news space and it all seems so futile.

[thecatfromjapan]

Well, I went to sleep last night gripped by a waking nightmare that, if people vote 'leave', we'll end up with BoZo as Prime Minister.

Horrible.

Does that count?

[LineyReborn]

No, I am not being swayed by the campaigns.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

But if we vote stay, we might get George Osborne as PM!!! It's a lose-lose scenario. Which is exactly what I mean by posturing. Boris picked the opposite side to Osborne. Expediency. Using the referendum as a stepping stone to No 10.
I shut down every time a politician speaks about the EU.

[thecatfromjapan]

In fairness, I liked the recent messages from Gordon Brown and (shck) John Major.

You've upset me now with the image of Gideon as PM.

Another night of disturbed eep looms.

[AnnaForbes]

At least we can vote out Boris or George Osborne. If we remain, we will be increasingly governed by unelected Eurocrats. If our democratically elected representatives cannot run our country, we do not live in a democracy.

[Winterbiscuit]

If we have to have a Tory Prime Minister, I reckon Liam Fox or Daniel Hannan would be good. If it were a Labour PM, I don't think Corbyn is up to the job but I'm not sure who I'd replace him with. But whoever we end up with, we can vote for a different government every few years, thanks to our democractic elections.

I don't trust Osborne and Cameron, or the string of politicians they've presented us with who tell us to remain. I agree with Boris' leave stance but would prefer a different PM. I can't remember what John Major said. Nicky Morgan seems out of touch. I'm not at all convinced that Corbyn has changed his mind to being pro-EU.

I disagreed with Michael Gove's education policies but think he's been a good contributor for the "leave" side.

Priti Patel has made some good contributions to the debate IMO. I wish there were more women prominently taking part and included by the media.

[thecatfromjapan]

Things improved dramatically on the social justice legislation side when we joined the EU. It was like Christmas if you were female, a minority worker, or your average worker: a whole slew of protection came in.

I would HATE to go back to pre-EU days.

It WAS democracy. And protection. Rather than a powerful elite being extremely resistant to protecting the civil liberties and workers' rights of the majority of the workforce.

[Fontella]

Nope. My mind was made up a long time ago.

I would vote OUT regardless of who was on which side.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

I still don't know which way I'm going to vote. And the circus actually isn't helping with the personality based stuff. I'm not going to vote stay because David Cameron says I should. And I won't vote leave because Boris says so. It's all flummery.
But my dreams last night consisted of my friend somehow marrying Trump and then explaining it was a journalism ruse to find out about his very strange sexual proclivities. And Ed Milliband asked me to ring in the results but I was so horrified that I forgot.

[MrsHathaway]

Sort of.

I was already pretty much decided, but the endorsement of respected people validates my decision.

I'm at the bullshit rhetoric on both sides though.

[thecatfromjapan]

That's a terrifying dream!

Yes, it's unpleasant how the discourse is quite fear-filled and seeps into the subconscious in quite a disturbing way.

Ds announced that he saw BoJo as our home-grown Donald Trump.

I hate the way public discourse has become quite disturbed around issues of race and religion over the last year. It's horrible. Unsettled times.

[AnnaForbes]

strange sexual proclivities of Trump - nightmare not dream.

Boris Johnson isnt at all like Trump. I think the slight physical similarities draw people to make parallels where none exist.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

That's very true. Disturbing and unsettling indeed. It's as if we're being pushed towards conflict as in the World Wars.

[Limer]

I would HATE to go back to pre-EU days.

How old are you? Pre-EU or Pre-EEC?

The UK has far better equality laws, workers' rights and maternity rights than most of the EU, and it enacted them despite the EEC/EU.

[MrsBlackthorn]

@Limer actually the UK is mid-table in the EU on maternity pay and rights.

Right to paid holiday given by EU law and so on were fought tooth and nail by the Tories here in the UK, who said they'd destroy businesses. It's simply untrue to say most were enacted despite the EU - these rights came because of the EU (and Labour at home fighting to stop the UK opting out).

UK is ahead on some equalities laws, most of which constitutionally have little relation to EU law.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

No, not really.

We've just had our polling cards in the post.

It's made me nervous . I think I'm a leave, I am a leave. But having a little reality wobble. But I think we will live to regret it if we stay. Although I'm pretty sure we'll stay. Aggghhhh. It's all doing my head in.

[SpringingIntoAction]

I am positively looking forward to voting LEAVE. No wobbles here. I will jump through hoops of fore and crawl on broken glass to get to the polling station to vote LEAVE.

I have never been more certain of anything in my life.

[Limer]

Re the "big names" - one of the most refreshing things about the referendum campaign is that it's not a direct political contest. Hence both sides trying to wheel out non-political supporters, but the British public are far too canny to do anything other than hoot with derision when told how to vote by some actor or celebrity.

[SpringingIntoAction]

You'd like to think so Limer, but the REMAIN side have published their luvvies list.

That will undoubtedly influence a few unfortunately.

I am always trying to work out what demographic it is that comprises the REMAIN voters. Every time I think I've cracked it I find I'm wrong.

I know as many teachers (admittedly public school ones) who are LEAVE as I do that are REMAIN.

I know as many NHS workers that are LEAVE as I do that are for REMAIN.

Al the social workers I know are REMAIN.

The small businessmen I know are mainly LEAVE.

The vicar I met was REMAIN, but I now another lay clergy person who is LEAVE.

The ex-Armed Forces I know are mainly LEAVE.

The ex Local Authority employees I know are al REMAIN.

The small builders I know have all been LEAVE

The charity shop workers I know are all REMAIN

The students I know are roughly equal for both sides.

It seems very evenly dispersed

[Fontella]

Anyone watched Brexit the movie on youtube?

Whatever side of the fence you are on, it's worth a watch.

[Winterbiscuit]

Yes Fontella it's worth watching

I've just seen on another thread that Lexit the Movie is on the way. The film-makers are gathering crowdfunding to make it happen. It will show the Left-wing case for Brexit.

[LineyReborn]

What on earth was all that about with Penny Mordaunt yesterday?

[Pangurban1]

I was wondering about Penny Mordaunt too. It would appear she lied on tv.

I didn't see an apology for lying or public correction issued. She is armed forces minister, still.

[Felco]

No, my mind was made up before this started (in) and so I've largely ignored the nonsense and will continue to do so. Not remotely interested in what Boris or Cameron have to say on any subject, loathe the out lot (the rewriting of recent, remembered history is quite astonishing and I am sad to see it rehashed here too ) but can't get behind the in campaigners (same shower of shitheads tbh).

[Pangurban1]

Just on the Penny Mordaunt thing and her stating the UK didn't have a veto.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/penny-mordaunt-andrew-marr-uk-veto-tory-minister-accused-of-flat-out-lying-over-turkey-joining-the-a7041956.html

It is going to get more dirty, I suspect. That lie was easily to clarify. Others may not be and people will be led to believe many falsehoods if they take things at face value.

It was interesting to see Heseltine calling Johnson out wrt Obama's 'part Kenyan ancestral dislike' and EU like Hitler remarks.