EU Referendum: Webchat with four experts on Monday 20 June, at 12 noon

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re pleased to announce a webchat on the EU referendum with four guests with a wide range of expertise at 12 noon on Monday 20 June.

Angus Armstrong is Director of Macroeconomics at the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) and a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London. Prior to joining NIESR, Angus was Head of Macroeconomic Analysis at HM Treasury, closely involved with stability measures throughout the financial crisis.

Catherine Barnard is Professor in European Union Law and Employment Law at the University of Cambridge. She specialises in EU law and employment law. She has advised the government over the Balance of Competences Review.

Anand Menon is Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at Kings College London. He also directs The UK in a Changing Europe initiative. He has written on many aspects of contemporary Europe including the EU politics and institutions and European security.

Will Moy is the director of Full Fact, a non-partisan fact-checking charity. Full Fact is often asked to assist the media with factual and statistical issues and Will has given evidence to the Public Administration Select Committee on the communication of official statistics and the Leveson Inquiry on accuracy and press standards.

The EU referendum will be held on 23 June.

Please do join the chat on Monday, or if you can’t make it, please leave a question here in advance. And do bear in mind the webchat guidelines - one question each only (follow-ups allowed if there’s time) and please do be polite.

Thanks
MNHQ

This is for any or all of you: what role do you think 'expert' opinion properly has? Not in a ridiculous way (obviously smoking causes cancer etc) but in a massive complex decision of this kind.

Essentially, do you think it's valid for people to lay as much weight on their emotional feelings as rational fact-based information?

I think there's been quite a lot of discussion recently about how the (broadly speaking) right wing does a lot better at addressing people's deep values and emotions than the left wing does - and that that's why it keeps winning when it matters. Is fact-checking a useful approach if you're looking to change people's minds?

I am at odds with my DF over Brexit - he's a military man and so for him, the idea of a European military, rather than Nato, is abhorrent.
I'm a similar demographic to Kitty and it just seems natural to me, to vote remain.

I'd be interested to see any info you have grendelsmum about how it all affects women.

To the panel - what facts do you have for my dad about how the military will work in a remain situation?

TIA

@shitchef

And a question to MNHQ, was the staging of the Amber Rudd webchat at 8.30 am (when most parents will be doing the school run) deliberate?

No, it wasn't (honest guv) - obviously we're into the final stretch of campaigning now, and everything stopped for a few days last week (understandably) - which meant Amber was left with a very restricted schedule and this was the only slot she could do. We know it was far from ideal but at the moment we're taking what we can get!

Many people I've spoken to in the last week are still not 100% sure on their decision. With so much contradictory information and opinions flying around, is there any one issue or question which you think could be clarified which would help those people decide?

How do you feel about Eurovision?

Here's my actual serious question - I think immigration makes the UK what it is and I am technically the daughter of an immigrant, I've also heard that there's more immigration from outside of the EU, so why is immigration being touted as such a threat and one of the main arguments in this EU ref? Or is it really a threat and I'm just living in la la land?

Most of the debate has focused on what leaving the EU would mean for Britain - what's your opinion on what it would mean for the other countries in the EU? Would it be the 'beginning of the end' of the whole Union, with other countries trying to jump ship too?

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Dear all

I am very glad to be online with you all. I look forward to chatting with you

Best wishes

Catherine

Thanks MN, not surprised to hear it was her decision!

In an absolute nutshell, could you tell me the most important pro and con for both Remain and Leave?

test

Hi everyone. Arrived and read to start trying to answer your questions.

Hi everyone,

It is a great pleasure to be online 'speaking' with you.

Angus

Hello everyone

Will from Full Fact here. We're the UK's independent factchecking charity, and you can see all our work on the referendum at fullfact.org/europe/

Thanks for having us on!

Will

@oscariswild

Most of the debate has focused on what leaving the EU would mean for Britain - what's your opinion on what it would mean for the other countries in the EU? Would it be the 'beginning of the end' of the whole Union, with other countries trying to jump ship too?

It will seriously irritate them and dealing with the fallout will consume a lot of their time. Personally however I don't think the EU will fall apart as other countries are far more attached to their membership than we are

Leaving out the question of immigration which I think is a complete smokescreen and unworthy of either side:

If you were to make a Remain case what would you focus on?

If you were to make a Leave case, what would you focus on?

@Peanutbutterjellytime123

How do you feel about Eurovision?

Here's my actual serious question - I think immigration makes the UK what it is and I am technically the daughter of an immigrant, I've also heard that there's more immigration from outside of the EU, so why is immigration being touted as such a threat and one of the main arguments in this EU ref? Or is it really a threat and I'm just living in la la land?

All the evidence suggests that overall migration is good for the economy. But it is also true that some areas struggle under the weight of high levels of migration and then there is pressure there on services such as hospitals and school. The question is whether you think the best way to deal with this is to try to stop the migration or invest more in services. And you're right. Over half the migration is from outside the EU and we could control that now

Personally however I don't think the EU will fall apart as other countries are far more attached to their membership than we are

And ^ they have the Euro, they are in deeper^ than we are.

@TresDesolee

This is for any or all of you: what role do you think 'expert' opinion properly has? Not in a ridiculous way (obviously smoking causes cancer etc) but in a massive complex decision of this kind.

Essentially, do you think it's valid for people to lay as much weight on their emotional feelings as rational fact-based information?

I think there's been quite a lot of discussion recently about how the (broadly speaking) right wing does a lot better at addressing people's deep values and emotions than the left wing does - and that that's why it keeps winning when it matters. Is fact-checking a useful approach if you're looking to change people's minds?

Well, I think politics is almost as much about feelings as it is about evidence. But when weighing the two, surely it's worth having the best available evidence? And experts tend to have studies the issues for a long time, and to have lots of evidence and good methods for analysing it. I wouldn't say for a moment that they are always right, but surely it's worth considering what they say?

Over half the migration is from outside the EU and we could control that now

But isn't it true that migration from outside is regulated, people who can support themselves and have job offers and who have to jump through hoops to come here, as oppose to literally anyone from the EU with skills we arguably don't need as Steve Hilton said " un limited Hungarian waiters who don't add value to our economy?"
Isn't it true that due to the un limited immigration our hands are tied on the migration from outside, where we could be stopping people with skills needed from coming here?

@AnandMenon

[quote Peanutbutterjellytime123] How do you feel about Eurovision?

Here's my actual serious question - I think immigration makes the UK what it is and I am technically the daughter of an immigrant, I've also heard that there's more immigration from outside of the EU, so why is immigration being touted as such a threat and one of the main arguments in this EU ref? Or is it really a threat and I'm just living in la la land?

All the evidence suggests that overall migration is good for the economy. But it is also true that some areas struggle under the weight of high levels of migration and then there is pressure there on services such as hospitals and school. The question is whether you think the best way to deal with this is to try to stop the migration or invest more in services. And you're right. Over half the migration is from outside the EU and we could control that now[/quote]

And I love eurovision!

@shinytorch2

Please can you discuss how you see the EU developing over the next 2-10 years, eg. can the Euro survive the accession of more poor countries and is ever closer political and economic union therefore inevitable?

Thank you, that is a tough question! Given the problems in the Eurozone it is unlikely that any countries not already in the EU will have joined in this time period. Some existing EU countries are on course to join the Euro, but they are relatively small in terms of population and economic power and so I don't think they will greatly change the calculus.

The bigger challenge comes from the existing members and the 'straight jacket' of having no currency to depreciate, no own interest rates and the fiscal rules means that there will probably need to be closer economic and political union between the Eurozone countries. Can all members survive? That is a very tough call and the political commitment from the economically weaker countries cannot be underestimated. But reform is certainly required.

As a non-Eurozone country, this has no direct impact on us. There would be negative consequences for us, but that is true whether we are in our out!

@Tate15

Do we know which political party they support?

I get the feeling that Mumsnet are biased towards the (Looney) left!

Hi Tate15

Full Fact isn't legally allowed to support any political party, and I and the rest of the staff aren't allowed to give any political opinions either. We have a cross-party board of trustees who also include people on both sides of the referendum.

The academics here have the similar rules. They're part of the UK in a Changing Europe. ukandeu.ac.uk/ which means they're committed to informing people about the research and not taking sides. We've been working with them on some of our factchecking. Leave/Remain: the facts behind the claims

Best wishes

Will

If we remain, is it likely we'd ever get another referendum?