[Update] The UK votes to leave the EU

[Pierre]

The problem is I think many people would want to stay in a European Union, just not this one.

[Hom3r]

We need to get back our proper stiff British Passport and dump the limp wristed bus pass we use to travel.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

We need to get back our proper stiff British Passport and dump the limp wristed bus pass we use to travel.

Wrapped in leather, perfect for smacking johnny foreigner out of the way with when talking loudly and slowly at them didn't work

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Wrapped in leather, perfect for smacking johnny foreigner out of the way with when talking loudly and slowly at them didn't work

You like Jack Dee as well

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

You like Jack Dee as well

I could never remember where I heard that

[Hom3r]

The reason for travelling "Imperialism"

[Ignitionnet]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/e...-GE-chief.html

The head of GE, the $254bn (£167bn) industrial giant which employs 17,000 people in the UK, has said that it does not matter if the UK remains in the European Union.

Jeff Immelt, chairman and chief executive of the US behemoth, said the UK was an “export country” and that “good relationships around the world” are more important than its place in Europe.

Mr Immelt explained that Europe would never be a “perfectly homogeneous common market” in his lifetime due to the differences between the member countries.

Of the UK’s place in Europe, he said: “As a global investor, it really doesn’t matter. We have a big presence here and we’re a big exporter from here. So it’s important the UK has good relationships around the world, but I don’t really think that its place in the European Union makes that much difference.”

[Ignitionnet]

Renegotiation is going well, then.

Hollande doesn't seem optimistic.
Indeed, integrate more or leave is his message.

Of course it'd help if Dave would stop dithering, trying to avoid the issue as we are all abundantly aware that he seems to have no intention of trying to renegotiate at any substantive level and is hoping for cosmetic changes to use to blag the voters into voting to stay in.

[jonbxx]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/e...-GE-chief.html

Yeah, Jeff Immelt is not the EUs biggest fan after the EU expressed concern over GEs acquisition of Alstom, a French company which would give GE well over 50% of the global gas turbine business. GE has had to jump through many hoops to get the deal done because of pressure from Hitachi and Siemens

[heero_yuy]

Vote Leave campaign gets major funding boost:

EXCLUSIVE by TOM NEWTON DUNN, Political Editor

A Billionaire former Tory treasurer is taking a leading role in a new campaign to leave the EU because of his fears that David Cameron’s demands fall well short, he has revealed.

The major cross-party push, named Vote Leave, launches tomorrow.

In a blow for the PM, businessman and philanthropist Peter Cruddas is to be its chief fundraiser.

The new outfit hopes to win the right to become the official voice for Brexit ahead of the landmark In/Out referendum by the end of 2017.

It also emerged tonight he will be joined in the money-raising role by Labour’s biggest private donor, the TV shopping tycoon John Mills, and UKIP’s biggest bank roller Stuart Wheeler, who will be co-treasurers.

Speaking to The Sun, Mr Cruddas revealed why he has turned on the Conservative Leader, saying: “Getting EU reform was always a big issue for me when I was the Treasurer of the Conservative Party.

“I hoped that David Cameron would be able to deliver a really fundamental reform of our relationship with the EU.

“Sadly it doesn’t look like that is now going to happen”.

Mr Cruddas added: “At the end of the day this is about who we want to control our economy – politicians we can kick out at a general election or judges and bureaucrats in another country”.

The campaign has been gathering supporters for several months under the pressure group name ‘Business for Britain’.

But to mark its formal launch, it will also today unveil four more big names who are leaving the EU – former Northern Ireland First Minister and Nobel Prize winner Lord Trimble, founder of sports giant Reebok Joe Foster, Chairman of Foyles bookshops Christopher Foyle and prominent Green Party peer Baroness Jenny Jones.

Vote Leave already has some hefty financial firepower behind it with the support of two other British billionaires John Caudwell and Crispin Odey, plus the support of a senior MPs such as ex-Tory Cabinet minister Owen Paterson, former Labour minister Kate Hoey and UKIP’s Douglas Carswell.

A new poll commissioned by Vote Leave straight after the PM’s speech to the Tory conference on Wednesday found that unless he can end the supremacy of EU law in the UK, 53% of British voters would back a Brexit.

A rival anti-EU campaign backed by UKIP leader Nigel Farage, called Leave.EU, is contesting Vote Leave for the official status, which will be decided next year.

Paywall link

... and the BBC is properly rattled. Their on-the-hour bulletins this morning on R2 have featured a 10-second read about the launch, followed by a somewhat longer interview clip in the form of an ode to the EU from a pro-EU businessman (the guy who founded Innocent Smoothies), who talks in general terms about how great the EU is but doesn't address the actual news story at all. Needless to say they don't quote anyone from the Vote Leave campaign.

It's the tightly edited, news-in-brief bulletins like this that really show you which side their bread is buttered.

[heero_yuy]

When they're in reciept of £millions in grants from the EU it's not surprising who's songsheet they'll be singing from.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Chris

... and the BBC is properly rattled. Their on-the-hour bulletins this morning on R2 have featured a 10-second read about the launch, followed by a somewhat longer interview clip in the form of an ode to the EU from a pro-EU businessman (the guy who founded Innocent Smoothies), who talks in general terms about how great the EU is but doesn't address the actual news story at all. Needless to say they don't quote anyone from the Vote Leave campaign.

It's the tightly edited, news-in-brief bulletins like this that really show you which side their bread is buttered.

We what would you expect them to do with all that EU butter...

The total income of the BBC in 2014 was £5,066 million (licence fee and BBC Worldwide/other subsidiaries), and the funding from the EU was around £3 million (for work they do on behalf of EU in educating and helping other broadcasters in developing countries).

Do we really believe that a figure of less than 0.000588% of their budget would influence them that much?

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Hugh

The total income of the BBC in 2014 was £5,066 million (licence fee and BBC Worldwide/other subsidiaries), and the funding from the EU was around £3 million (for work they do on behalf of EU in educating and helping other broadcasters in developing countries).

Do we really believe that a figure of less than 0.000588% of their budget would influence them that much?

Yes, they are supposed to be independent.

I hope during the EU campaign they refuse to accept that money because if they don't then how can we trust them. What they hell am i saying we cannot trust them anyway just like i don't trust Dave.