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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/may/24/eu-referendum-both-sides-treating-people-like-simpletons-says-steve-hilton-politics-live
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| EU referendum: David Cameron tells easyJet staff the 'patriotic thing is to stay in' - live | EU referendum: David Cameron tells easyJet staff the 'patriotic thing is to stay in' - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.22pm BST | |
| 13:22 | |
| Blair says it is 'not yet a proven concept' that Corbynism can win an election | |
| Patrick Wintour | |
| At the Prospect event this morning Tony Blair insisted that his brand of centre ground politics was not dead, but admitted that the centre ground was losing its traction and not providing answers to those that wanted an end to the status quo. | |
| He claimed the source of some of the insurgent support for Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn was similar claiming “these people are riding the anger they are not providing the answers”. | |
| He also challenged Corbyn, centr saying: | |
| Let us say, it is not yet a proven concept that Corbynism can win an election. It is clear that they can take over a political party, what is not so clear to me yet is that they can take over a country. | |
| Where fringes of left and right meet each other is essentially as isolationists against free trade. It is true that the left want to hang the bankers and the right want to clear out the immigrants, but in the much of the psychology and attitude they have got a lot in common. | |
| He said the centre is not back into contention, saying at present centre ground politicians “look today as if we are managers of the status quo and not changers of it”. | |
| He also questioned the basis of Corbyn’s support in the Labour Party. | |
| If you break down the analysis of the people who are joining the Labour party it is not clear to me those that should feel most angry about their personal situation and those joining are the same people. The world of the Twitterati is gives you a sense of belonging and a sense of insurgency. It was about shaking the system and rattling the cage. People do feel frustrated and social media gives them the ability to feel that at scale and at speed, and the centre looks as if we are saying it is all very complicated. We are not in the right conversation with people like this. | |
| He said the centre ground should be discussing issues such as the role of technology and big data in public services, the use of monetary policy such as quantitative easing and the future of student debt. | |
| He also dismissed the binary debate over austerity saying it misunderstands the way economy works. | |
| 12.43pm BST | 12.43pm BST |
| 12:43 | 12:43 |
| Longterm expats lose court bid to be able to vote in EU referendum | Longterm expats lose court bid to be able to vote in EU referendum |
| Longterm British expats have lost their battle in the supreme court for the right to vote in the EU referendum, the Press Association reports. The highest court in the land upheld decisions of both the high court and court of appeal that they are not eligible to vote on June 23 because they have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years. | Longterm British expats have lost their battle in the supreme court for the right to vote in the EU referendum, the Press Association reports. The highest court in the land upheld decisions of both the high court and court of appeal that they are not eligible to vote on June 23 because they have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years. |
| 12.38pm BST | 12.38pm BST |
| 12:38 | 12:38 |
| Blair says large-scale immigration has been good for the UK | Blair says large-scale immigration has been good for the UK |
| Andrew Sparrow | Andrew Sparrow |
| Hello. I’m Andrew Sparrow and I’m taking over from Haroon, who has been writing the blog this morning. (I was at a meeting at school.) | Hello. I’m Andrew Sparrow and I’m taking over from Haroon, who has been writing the blog this morning. (I was at a meeting at school.) |
| Haroon has already posted some lines from Tony Blair’s Prospect event this morning (see 11.24am), but we’ve got some quotes now, so here are some of the key lines. | Haroon has already posted some lines from Tony Blair’s Prospect event this morning (see 11.24am), but we’ve got some quotes now, so here are some of the key lines. |
| Personally, I don’t. I know there is a criticism which I completely understand, which is we shouldn’t have introduced earlier than we needed to the free movement of people from eastern Europe. | Personally, I don’t. I know there is a criticism which I completely understand, which is we shouldn’t have introduced earlier than we needed to the free movement of people from eastern Europe. |
| But I do think with this debate we’ve got to take a step back and look at the big picture here. First of all, the advent into the European Union of the eastern European countries is of huge strategic importance to Europe and to the world and we should be proud of the fact we championed it. | But I do think with this debate we’ve got to take a step back and look at the big picture here. First of all, the advent into the European Union of the eastern European countries is of huge strategic importance to Europe and to the world and we should be proud of the fact we championed it. |
| Imagine the situation today if those eastern European countries weren’t in the EU. Imagine the pressure they would be under. So this is for me, the fact of enlargement in my view is a great British achievement. | Imagine the situation today if those eastern European countries weren’t in the EU. Imagine the pressure they would be under. So this is for me, the fact of enlargement in my view is a great British achievement. |
| I believe the people who have come into this country have contributed far more by way of taxes and by way of commitment and energy to this country than they have taken by way of benefits and the truth of the matter is the answer to Britain’s problems today is not to be anti-immigrant. | I believe the people who have come into this country have contributed far more by way of taxes and by way of commitment and energy to this country than they have taken by way of benefits and the truth of the matter is the answer to Britain’s problems today is not to be anti-immigrant. |
| There is no way of defeating these people without defeating them on the ground. Air strikes are not going to defeat Isis, they have got to be tackled on the ground. | There is no way of defeating these people without defeating them on the ground. Air strikes are not going to defeat Isis, they have got to be tackled on the ground. |
| He said that did not necessarily mean British troops doing the fighting - “our forces could be in support “ - but to defeat IS “you are going to have to go and wage a proper ground war against them”. | He said that did not necessarily mean British troops doing the fighting - “our forces could be in support “ - but to defeat IS “you are going to have to go and wage a proper ground war against them”. |
| Is our objective to defeat this enemy? My answer to that is yes. That’s why, when I look at what’s happening in Libya today and I see the power of Isis in Libya today, we cannot afford as Europe to have Isis govern a large space of Libya. | Is our objective to defeat this enemy? My answer to that is yes. That’s why, when I look at what’s happening in Libya today and I see the power of Isis in Libya today, we cannot afford as Europe to have Isis govern a large space of Libya. |
| We can support local forces in taking them on, but we shouldn’t be in any doubt at all that they need to be taken on and defeated on the ground, which is the place where they are fighting. | We can support local forces in taking them on, but we shouldn’t be in any doubt at all that they need to be taken on and defeated on the ground, which is the place where they are fighting. |
| We underestimated profoundly the forces that were at work in the region and that would take advantage of the change once you topple the regime. | We underestimated profoundly the forces that were at work in the region and that would take advantage of the change once you topple the regime. |
| That’s the lesson. The lesson is not actually complicated, the lesson is simple - it’s that. | That’s the lesson. The lesson is not actually complicated, the lesson is simple - it’s that. |
| It’s that when you remove a dictator, out come these forces of destabilisation - whether al Qaida on the Sunni side or Iran and its militia on the other side. | It’s that when you remove a dictator, out come these forces of destabilisation - whether al Qaida on the Sunni side or Iran and its militia on the other side. |
| 12.03pm BST | 12.03pm BST |
| 12:03 | 12:03 |
| My colleague Heather Stewart is tweeting from a Labour event on women in the EU, where several of the party’s prominent female figures are speaking: | My colleague Heather Stewart is tweeting from a Labour event on women in the EU, where several of the party’s prominent female figures are speaking: |
| At Labour women's EU event. @angelaeagle says debate so far has been an "unmistakably masculine and noisy playground spat" among top Tories. | At Labour women's EU event. @angelaeagle says debate so far has been an "unmistakably masculine and noisy playground spat" among top Tories. |
| Brexit campaigners should "come clean" about which workers' rights they would cut if we left the EU, says @angelaeagle. | Brexit campaigners should "come clean" about which workers' rights they would cut if we left the EU, says @angelaeagle. |
| .@SeemaMalhotra1 up now. Referendum result will affect "women's jobs, their children's jobs, their granchildren's jobs". | .@SeemaMalhotra1 up now. Referendum result will affect "women's jobs, their children's jobs, their granchildren's jobs". |
| Labour equalities spox @KateGreenSU up now: "equality is actually one of the founding principles of the EU," enshrined in Lisbon treaty. | Labour equalities spox @KateGreenSU up now: "equality is actually one of the founding principles of the EU," enshrined in Lisbon treaty. |
| 11.47am BST | 11.47am BST |
| 11:47 | 11:47 |
| Vote Leave has responded to the prime minster’s claims about family holidays increasing in price in the event of Brexit. | Vote Leave has responded to the prime minster’s claims about family holidays increasing in price in the event of Brexit. |
| Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, said: | Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, said: |
| It’s remarkable to see the prime minister talking down our country and our economy day after day. | It’s remarkable to see the prime minister talking down our country and our economy day after day. |
| Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon pleaded with the government to stop the negative campaigning, and urged them to stop making exaggerated claims that insult the public’s intelligence. Clearly they’re not listening. | Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon pleaded with the government to stop the negative campaigning, and urged them to stop making exaggerated claims that insult the public’s intelligence. Clearly they’re not listening. |
| These threats lack credibility - the pound has actually been stable in recent months as the possibility of Brexit has increased. The truth is that leaving the EU will liberate the UK and allow us to do trade deals with countries like India and China - helping our economy to grow. | These threats lack credibility - the pound has actually been stable in recent months as the possibility of Brexit has increased. The truth is that leaving the EU will liberate the UK and allow us to do trade deals with countries like India and China - helping our economy to grow. |
| The only way to take back control of our economy - as well as the £350 million we send to Brussels every week - is to Vote Leave on 23 June. | The only way to take back control of our economy - as well as the £350 million we send to Brussels every week - is to Vote Leave on 23 June. |
| 11.44am BST | 11.44am BST |
| 11:44 | 11:44 |
| 'No Russia sanctions without UK in EU' | 'No Russia sanctions without UK in EU' |
| Richard Norton-Taylor | Richard Norton-Taylor |
| The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has told the Commons defence committee that leaving the EU would be an “extraordinarily irresponsible thing to do at a very dangerous moment”. | The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has told the Commons defence committee that leaving the EU would be an “extraordinarily irresponsible thing to do at a very dangerous moment”. |
| “A huge amount is hanging on the vote” (not just for the UK) but “for the collective security of Europe and the west”, he said. | “A huge amount is hanging on the vote” (not just for the UK) but “for the collective security of Europe and the west”, he said. |
| Fallon claimed that there would not have been sanctions against Russia post-Crimea and Ukraine had it not been for the UK being in the EU. Russia would not have paid a price without the UK in the EU, he said. | Fallon claimed that there would not have been sanctions against Russia post-Crimea and Ukraine had it not been for the UK being in the EU. Russia would not have paid a price without the UK in the EU, he said. |
| Fallon said UK companies would have lost out to EU competitors if the UK was alone in imposing sanctions. | Fallon said UK companies would have lost out to EU competitors if the UK was alone in imposing sanctions. |
| His exchanges were with Julian Lewis, the Tory chair of the committee and a Brexiteer, who clearly did not want the evidence session (on the Russian military threat) to veer onto the EU. | His exchanges were with Julian Lewis, the Tory chair of the committee and a Brexiteer, who clearly did not want the evidence session (on the Russian military threat) to veer onto the EU. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.45am BST | at 11.45am BST |
| 11.24am BST | 11.24am BST |
| 11:24 | 11:24 |
| Tony Blair has been speaking about the EU referendum and other subjects at a Prospect event in London. Here is a selection of some of the most interesting things on Europe and the current state of the Labour party: | Tony Blair has been speaking about the EU referendum and other subjects at a Prospect event in London. Here is a selection of some of the most interesting things on Europe and the current state of the Labour party: |
| Tony Blair tells an audience in central London that the Remain campaign is doing 'reasonably well' | Tony Blair tells an audience in central London that the Remain campaign is doing 'reasonably well' |
| Tony Blair tells @prospect_uk event when UK leads in Europe "it usually gets its way" | Tony Blair tells @prospect_uk event when UK leads in Europe "it usually gets its way" |
| Blair: I don't think my gov let in too many people. "Ppl who have come have contributed more than they have taken" #EUref @LBC | Blair: I don't think my gov let in too many people. "Ppl who have come have contributed more than they have taken" #EUref @LBC |
| Tony Blair says Turkey's accession to the EU is a "long, long way away" | Tony Blair says Turkey's accession to the EU is a "long, long way away" |
| Blair: "I thought I was pretty good at politics. But I look at politics today and I'm not sure I understand it." | Blair: "I thought I was pretty good at politics. But I look at politics today and I'm not sure I understand it." |
| Blair "not yet a proven concept that Corbynism can win an election". | Blair "not yet a proven concept that Corbynism can win an election". |
| 11.06am BST | 11.06am BST |
| 11:06 | 11:06 |
| Cameron’s former policy guru told Radio 4’s Today programme earlier that Cameron’s warning about the price of holidays in the event of Brexit, was another example of the sort of “pathetic, patronising EU scares” being deployed by both sides. Hilton, who supports Brexit, told the Press Association: | Cameron’s former policy guru told Radio 4’s Today programme earlier that Cameron’s warning about the price of holidays in the event of Brexit, was another example of the sort of “pathetic, patronising EU scares” being deployed by both sides. Hilton, who supports Brexit, told the Press Association: |
| You’ve got to be kidding. It’s almost like a parody. I just wish we could have a serious debate about the long-term future of how we want to be governed rather than this kind of nonsense. It just does not do anyone any favours. It just puts people off the whole political class. | You’ve got to be kidding. It’s almost like a parody. I just wish we could have a serious debate about the long-term future of how we want to be governed rather than this kind of nonsense. It just does not do anyone any favours. It just puts people off the whole political class. |
| 11.02am BST | 11.02am BST |
| 11:02 | 11:02 |
| Harriet Sherwood | Harriet Sherwood |
| The Church of Scotland is expected to back continued membership of the European Union later today during a debate at its general assembly. | The Church of Scotland is expected to back continued membership of the European Union later today during a debate at its general assembly. |
| The assembly has supported ongoing membership of the EU four times in the past 20 years. | The assembly has supported ongoing membership of the EU four times in the past 20 years. |
| The church’s 723 commissioners will be asked to give thanks for the work of the EU in promoting peace, security and reconciliation among European nations, note that the UK has been part of the EU since 1973 and believe that the UK should remain in the EU. | The church’s 723 commissioners will be asked to give thanks for the work of the EU in promoting peace, security and reconciliation among European nations, note that the UK has been part of the EU since 1973 and believe that the UK should remain in the EU. |
| 11.00am BST | 11.00am BST |
| 11:00 | 11:00 |
| The last question to Cameron was about the top three reasons to stay in the EU and the impact they would have on an easyJet employee and her family. | The last question to Cameron was about the top three reasons to stay in the EU and the impact they would have on an easyJet employee and her family. |
| I’m not sure the prime minister gave three reasons but one was cooperation on combatting crime and terrorism. He said it’s not enough in itself to have a border. | I’m not sure the prime minister gave three reasons but one was cooperation on combatting crime and terrorism. He said it’s not enough in itself to have a border. |
| You have got to have information about who’s trying to cross that border ...That information you get increasingly through the EU. | You have got to have information about who’s trying to cross that border ...That information you get increasingly through the EU. |
| His other point was a broader one about Britain retaining influence and being “great” by staying in the EU. | His other point was a broader one about Britain retaining influence and being “great” by staying in the EU. |
| If we left the EU there’s still going to be a single market, there’s still going to be a bunch of people working out the regulations for airlines ...the only difficulty is we won’t be there...That is not the act of a great bold country that wants to have influence in the world. You become a rule taker, not a rule maker. | If we left the EU there’s still going to be a single market, there’s still going to be a bunch of people working out the regulations for airlines ...the only difficulty is we won’t be there...That is not the act of a great bold country that wants to have influence in the world. You become a rule taker, not a rule maker. |
| 10.43am BST | 10.43am BST |
| 10:43 | 10:43 |
| Meanwhile, in Dudley.... | Meanwhile, in Dudley.... |
| Crazy scenes in Dudley as @Nigel_Farage arrives on the #BrexitBusTour pic.twitter.com/YiL4OFguMI | Crazy scenes in Dudley as @Nigel_Farage arrives on the #BrexitBusTour pic.twitter.com/YiL4OFguMI |