UK to have referendum on whether or not to stay in EU.

[Bagor]

Vote to be held on 23rd June.

Britain will vote on whether to remain in the EU on Thursday 23 June, Prime Minister David Cameron has said.The prime minister made his historic announcement in Downing Street after briefing the cabinet.
He said he would be campaigning to remain in a reformed EU - and described the vote as one of the biggest decisions "in our lifetimes".

Going to be an open vote as far as campaigning goes as opposed to a tow the party line vote as individuals from the cabinet and MPs in different (leave or stay) camps.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35621079

The question will be: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?"

The UK's EU Referendum: All you need to know

[FlamesAddiction]

They have always had one foot out the door since the very beginning. Politically anyway, I don't know what the feelings are at the street level though.

[Fuzz]

Well....that should be interesting. Beginning of the end of the EU?

[VladtheImpaler]

Assuming Cameron backs "Stay", does he resign if the vote is "Leave"? If the vote is "Leave", will they find a workaround "stupid democracy", as was done with the French and Dutch referendums? I honestly think that they will stay regardless of the vote, and if it's "Leave", some sort of a fudge fill be found. Mind you, Britain has a much stronger Liberal tradition that the continent (where the bureaurats know what's best for the ignorant masses), so I may be wrong on that. Anyhow, I would we surprised if "Leave" won, and absolutely stunned if they actually left...

[Bagor]

Yeah, joined the union but fought to retain their currency.

I haven't lived there in 12 years but at the street level I'm going to guess that immigration is going to be a significant topic for discussion in the coming months for the leave camp.

And on the 12 years thing. It appears I can vote. Do I think I should have a vote? No. I think if you are gone >10 years there is a damn good chance you aren't returning and therefore are voting for something that really won't impact you.

Huge difference from the criteria for voting in the Scottish referendum where you had to be a resident to vote.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I think this is going to be very tight either way, probably no more than a 5 point margin. I think the problem for the "leave" side is even though there's a very good economic argument to leaving (UK economy pointing up, Eurozone economy well....), the most adamant supporters of leaving will be people like Nigel Farage and UKIP, who obviously have racist undertones to their campaign.

[Swift]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

They have always had one foot out the door since the very beginning. Politically anyway, I don't know what the feelings are at the street level though.

Street level, I'd guess a majority would vote to leave. The Brits have always been a very insular people who've always looked at Johnny Foreigner suspiciously.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by Cameron Swift

Street level, I'd guess a majority would vote to leave. The Brits have always been a very insular people who've always looked at Johnny Foreigner suspiciously.

We've always been idiots.

[afc wimbledon]

Scotland will leave the UK within a year or two if the UK votes to leave the EU incidently.

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by Bagor

And on the 12 years thing. It appears I can vote. Do I think I should have a vote? No. I think if you are gone >10 years there is a damn good chance you aren't returning and therefore are voting for something that really won't impact you.
.

Interesting. The limit to be able to vote of 15 years seems excessive. I'm in total agreement with you there.

I've lived in Canada for 24 years now and I knew after two years I wasn't returning to the UK to live. Tbh ten years even seems excessive to me. 5 years seems like a good standard I believe.

I do actively follow UK politics and news, and my family and friends all still live there, though and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the majority voted to leave.

Like I said, interesting.....

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Well....that should be interesting. Beginning of the end of the EU?

It would leave Germany and France as the 2 biggest players. Without a 3rd key member holding the balance of power, I can see the France/Germany historical rivalry heating up again.

I don't know if it would be the end of the EU, but it will change the dynamics quite a bit. It will probably also slow the movement of Eastern European countries joining the EU and they might start looking back towards Russia.

[GGG]

I think they are going about the question in a very positive way.

No restraints on party opinion
A clear question without ambiguity
and a clear threshold (50%+1) to leave.

Much better then Quebec's various referendums with doctoring of the questions to improve the results.

[afc wimbledon]

I haven't lived in the UK since '85 but this vote affects me even in Canada, I lose the right to live and work in Europe, specifically I lose the right to retire to my imaginary farm in Umbria living on my imaginary millions that my imaginary lotto ticket will get me.

I aught to be able to vote.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I haven't lived in the UK since '85 but this vote affects me even in Canada, I lose the right to live and work in Europe, specifically I lose the right to retire to my imaginary farm in Umbria living on my imaginary millions that my imaginary lotto ticket will get me.

I aught to be able to vote.

That's the only thing that bugs me about it. I doubt I'm able to vote because I've never lived there despite holding dual citizenship, but I've been looking at living or doing more school in Europe at some point and this would seriously mess up those plans.