The story so far:
Negotiations for Cameron’s Stay campaign ended in stalemate. The Tories started to fall apart, as ever unsure what Europe has to do with real life. Cameron shows signs of panic, faced with his own party’s schizophrenia. The Leave campaign shows clear signs of winning the battle, with so many reputations at stake.
Enter the IMF, the perennial prophet of economic doom, to announce that the UK’s referendum will coincide with a very relevant event: another Greek default! Mama mia! (Sorry, my modern Greek is shaky, like their economy.)
That should liven up the debate, nicht Wahr/n’est-ce pas?
Boadicea's Chariot 
Interesting, in the end the british are mostly in favour of the underdogs, so carry on yapping ‘Leave campaign’ and you get the result you want. You might regret it or not, only future can tell.
FoE: the British also are a very patient, but bloody-minded lot who are sick to their teeth with the EU’s incompetence and the increasingly petulant rantings of its members and many of its supporters. The Dutch are increasingly divided on the EU as well — 42pc want to leave. When recently asked, over 60pc of Czechs would have voted “no” to EU membership if they knew what it entailed.
Hi FoE
On balance, I am probably still just an ‘Inner’ even if most of my fellow cherished authors are clearly marching in the opposite direction. Many reasons, I might set them at some point after the Scottish Parliament elections which are occupying my waking hours at the moment.
Whatever! You are choosing to post in English and I applaud you for that. But there are nuances. You can not, in my opinion, combine ‘underdogs’ and ‘yapping’ without causing offence. I am sure that you did not intend such offence,
Whatever my country (UKoGB&NI) decides, I will accept it and never regret that decision.
JM, self interest prompts me to vote Stay. Too many expatriate benefits to ignore. But the sins of the eurofathers will be visited upon my children and theirs.
I think that what a lot of people do not realise is that if the referendum ends up with a Leave vote, that will be it and we in the UK will escape. If the Government propaganda cons people to vote Remain, the next bit of EU idiocy will start the Leave process all over again, until eventually the Leaves will have it. I hope so.
Janus: the Vienna Convention protects expatriates in Europe.
FEEG: the EU brought this onto itself. It kept forcing votes over and over again in order to get the “right” result. It can no longer with any credibility expect the opposition to simply play nice.
Christopher, que?
You have “acquired rights”. Because you moved to Denmark and established a life there prior to a potential British liberation, your position cannot significantly be changed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/eureferendum/11698875/Emigration-Why-British-expats-have-nothing-to-fear-from-Brexit.html
Thank you, C! I missed that. Definitely Leave then.
And today, it’s time to beware of Greeks! What us? What default? Who said that?
It will end in crocodile tears, I’m afraid.
When I see what proposals are actually being brought forth for the EU I am not sure if they’re deranged or attempting a very poorly-conceived tragicomedy. Germany will not and cannot enter a transfer union — it is incompatible with its constitution and a new constitution would have to be approved by plebiscite. It’s a non-starter. The German constitution has served the Federal Republic well and few are likely to be willing to change it in order to transfer money abroad. The Dutch and Finns are growing profoundly eurosceptic and the Austrians, like the Swedes, were never enamoured with the EU to start with. The German states were difficult enough to unite, but Germany had Bismarck and Bismarck was a figure of rare stature. Who does the EU have? Merkel with her collapsing fortunes? The forgettable Hollande, a figure so risible that the French are craving an end to his presidency so desperately that there’s a possibility that the failed Sarkozy could sneak his way back to power? Renzi who has no democratic mandate and is likely to be turfed out at the next election as unceremoniously as Monti? Spain has gone 106 days without a government. Can’t tell the difference, really. Oh, wait. Forgive me! I’ve forgotten the might and wit of Juncker and Tusk.
Unveiling the latest facet of Project Fear, Airbus Industrie (why the French spelling I know not for a supposed multinational EU consortium) has issued a letter to its employees warning them of the dangers of Brexit – job losses in the UK, loss of investment, hell and perdition, etc., etc. The conniving, cowardly, underhand bar stewards!
Heads up. On 12th April at 9 o’clock in the dark, BBC2 is broadcasting a programme hosted by their former political editor, Nick Robinson, all about the referendum. I shall be watching if only to see how impartial it will be, or not.
OZ
OZ: I had the misfortune of seeing “project delusion” in person yesterday. A woman said that she’s started the process of obtaining Spanish citizenship since she couldn’t bear holding the passport of a country that wasn’t in the EU. Naturally allegations of racism, xenophobia, cat-hating and and much teeth-gnashing was involved. I took her to task and mentioned the number of times that Germany, France, etc. have undermined agreements that didn’t suit their interests or merely ignored them. I mentioned that Denmark has even more opt-outs than the UK and that Ireland plays the “good European” while hiding behind the UK. She began sputtering and making comments about “small countries, blah, blah” before scurrying off.
OZ, a pity Airbus Ind doesn’t justify its claims. Why fewer jobs, why less investment, why do we have to love the EU? I have yet to see any unemotional arguments supporting their case.
Christopher – There was an item on the BBC’s Newsnight yesterday about the Costa del Sol, home (I kid you not) of Spainsbury’s minimarket for your Heinz beans and Worcestershire sauce, El Sid’s caff for an all-day full English breakfast, Paddy’s bar for Tetley’s beer and Sky sport, all supported by the very worst type of non-integrationalist Brit resident. One of them, without a trace of irony, even complained that when he went ‘home’, the place was full of Romanian bars and Polish supermarkets. These people were all honking about what would happen if Brexit became reality. “We know of people who have had to sell up and go home (!) since they stopped the winter fuel allowance”, claimed one, “what will happen when withdrawal affects our pensions?” “If we leave the EU, how will we get health care?”, wailed another.
Now listen, you whingeing wusses, says OZ. A tonne of firewood costs €120 delivered and stacked and will last you all winter in your little apartment; pay Spanish social security for your health care or get medical insurance; cook and eat Spanish produce bought in the local mercado – it’ll be fresher and healthier than the processed muck you seem to prefer; watch Spanish football – teams like Barcelona and the two Madrids are a bit good and even (shock, horror!) drink Spanish beer. Oh, and stop thinking of the two-hour-plus living nightmare on Ryanair (other bucket shop airlines are available) as ‘going home’, FFS!
Janus – Airbus, BMW, our discredited government, et al don’t have to justify anything. They just have to raise supposed fears about ‘the unknown’ and all the youngsters who have known nothing but life under the EU will vote to stay. What they forget is those of us who are a bit greyer and longer of fang remember life pre-1975 and will never forgive being lied to and deceived back then by the ‘in’ brigade and by every little European ever since. We will neither forget nor forgive.
OZ .
Oz: I avoid la Costa del Oik for that very reason. It’s astonishing that people have the nerve to whinge about the end of the winter fuel allowance when they live in southern bloody Spain. Then again, it really isn’t — Spaniards have had to suffer the like for many years with far more grace than the lot really deserve.
However bureaucratic and corrupt it is, Spain is still somewhat functional and they’re used to having a large foreign population. There are insurance policies that are designed for foreigners. I live in Madrid’s Chinatown. The Chinese have healthcare and they’re not EU citizens. South Americans and Africans have healthcare and many are not EU citizens. They simply have to contribute and sometimes have a private, supplementary policy. Not that Spain’s public healthcare is that great — most Spaniards need to have an additional policy for vision and dental care.
How’s this for a new idea? Learn the lingo and meet Spaniards. They’re open to meeting new people and are generous hosts. Behave somewhat reasonably and respectfully and they’ll drag you to a bar and buy you a few drinks and tapas. Even better, endeavour to speak to them in Spanish — they’re extremely patient and willing to help you learn the language. They’re hardly Huns in that respect! The only thing that people need is an open mind and desire.
OZ, Christopher – So, what you are saying is, that Expats are the real problem, because they want the best of both worlds, low prizes in Spain and services from the UK as UK born citizens. I would say you are right Christopher, I do despise of these tourist ghetto’s like Mabella or Benidorm or Sitges etc. and especially the people there, but again this has nothing to do with the European Union, everybody just votes in accordance with their personal interest, this is the democracy that you all propagate and yes for Airbus it would be rather a hassle to have the UK outside, they just don’t want that. I know a bit about it as I worked there.
John – thanks for your view, you are right I do not want to offend anybody, but you English always have fun about the seriousness of the german people, yes so I allowed myself to invent a new joke by playing with the words. This should be allowed and not be offensive. Or is it the intrinsic right of the british only to play with their languange, but frowned on, when made by foreigners?? Anyway, if anybody is offended, sorry for the pun.