This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/03/eu-referendum-morning-briefing-world-war-three-gove-unlucky-tie
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| EU referendum morning briefing: what we learned from Cameron's TV grilling | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The big picture | The big picture |
| Last night’s Sky News appearance by the prime minister in support of staying in the EU will be picked apart this morning by those wondering: did he help? Did he hinder? Did he mean it? | Last night’s Sky News appearance by the prime minister in support of staying in the EU will be picked apart this morning by those wondering: did he help? Did he hinder? Did he mean it? |
| Related: EU referendum live: Cameron says Brexit would be 'economic self-harm' | Related: EU referendum live: Cameron says Brexit would be 'economic self-harm' |
| Read the excellent round-up from my Westminster colleagues here, with the verdict of Guardian columnists here and John Crace’s sketch here. And I’ve picked out the choicest nuggets below: | Read the excellent round-up from my Westminster colleagues here, with the verdict of Guardian columnists here and John Crace’s sketch here. And I’ve picked out the choicest nuggets below: |
| What we learned | What we learned |
| Cameron thinks voting for Brexit would be an act of “economic self-harm”: | Cameron thinks voting for Brexit would be an act of “economic self-harm”: |
| I think if we’ve learnt anything over the last six years, if you don’t have a strong economy you can’t have the health service that you want, you can’t have the schools that you need, you can’t have the public services you want, and this would be an act of economic self-harm of the United Kingdom doing it to ourselves. | I think if we’ve learnt anything over the last six years, if you don’t have a strong economy you can’t have the health service that you want, you can’t have the schools that you need, you can’t have the public services you want, and this would be an act of economic self-harm of the United Kingdom doing it to ourselves. |
| He still believes reducing net migration to the tens of thousands – it rose to 333,000 in 2015 – is “the right ambition”, but argued “it would be madness to try to do that by trashing our economy”: | He still believes reducing net migration to the tens of thousands – it rose to 333,000 in 2015 – is “the right ambition”, but argued “it would be madness to try to do that by trashing our economy”: |
| When I made that ambition for Britain, that we should be seeing net migration come down to under 100,000, at that time the net migration between people leaving the UK to go and live and work in Europe and people coming from Europe to live and work here was broadly in balance … But we have obviously been living in quite extraordinary times when the British economy has been growing very strongly, we have created two million jobs in our country. | When I made that ambition for Britain, that we should be seeing net migration come down to under 100,000, at that time the net migration between people leaving the UK to go and live and work in Europe and people coming from Europe to live and work here was broadly in balance … But we have obviously been living in quite extraordinary times when the British economy has been growing very strongly, we have created two million jobs in our country. |
| The EU drives Cameron “crazy” – but better the devil you know: | The EU drives Cameron “crazy” – but better the devil you know: |
| If you are saying to me, are there regulations in Europe that annoy you? Yes! Are there things about Europe that frustrate you? Yes! … Sometimes this organisation drives me crazy but do I sit there and think Britain would be better off if we left, are we quitters, do we think we quit the European Union, we quit the single market and somehow we would be better off? Absolutely not. I’ll tell you what it would be like, we would be outside the room. The European Union doesn’t stop existing just because we’ve left. | If you are saying to me, are there regulations in Europe that annoy you? Yes! Are there things about Europe that frustrate you? Yes! … Sometimes this organisation drives me crazy but do I sit there and think Britain would be better off if we left, are we quitters, do we think we quit the European Union, we quit the single market and somehow we would be better off? Absolutely not. I’ll tell you what it would be like, we would be outside the room. The European Union doesn’t stop existing just because we’ve left. |
| Calling the referendum was definitely a good idea: | Calling the referendum was definitely a good idea: |
| I’m delighted we are holding this referendum. It was a promise I made; it’s a promise I’m proud to keep. | I’m delighted we are holding this referendum. It was a promise I made; it’s a promise I’m proud to keep. |
| And so was sharing a platform with Sadiq Khan, despite previously accusing the London mayor of having links to extremists: | And so was sharing a platform with Sadiq Khan, despite previously accusing the London mayor of having links to extremists: |
| Now Sadiq and I disagree about many things … but on this issue of Europe we agree. We think London will be better off, the country will be better off if we stay in and so we buried our differences, put aside the arguments we’d been having and appeared on a platform. I don’t think that’s double standards. | Now Sadiq and I disagree about many things … but on this issue of Europe we agree. We think London will be better off, the country will be better off if we stay in and so we buried our differences, put aside the arguments we’d been having and appeared on a platform. I don’t think that’s double standards. |
| The Remain campaign is not Project Fear: | The Remain campaign is not Project Fear: |
| I think there is a very positive case for staying in a reformed European Union – it’s about jobs, it’s about Britain’s strength and place in the world, it’s about keeping us safe – but I do think there are real risks from leaving and … I don’t accept it is scaremongering. | I think there is a very positive case for staying in a reformed European Union – it’s about jobs, it’s about Britain’s strength and place in the world, it’s about keeping us safe – but I do think there are real risks from leaving and … I don’t accept it is scaremongering. |
| What we didn’t | What we didn’t |
| Cameron resisted efforts by Sky News political editor Faisal Islam to say when he would meet his pledge to cut net migration to under 100,000: | Cameron resisted efforts by Sky News political editor Faisal Islam to say when he would meet his pledge to cut net migration to under 100,000: |
| Islam: You seriously think it can be fulfilled whilst we stay in the European Union? How can it be fulfilled? | Islam: You seriously think it can be fulfilled whilst we stay in the European Union? How can it be fulfilled? |
| Cameron: Because there have been years and there will be again where people from Britain choose to go and work overseas and … | Cameron: Because there have been years and there will be again where people from Britain choose to go and work overseas and … |
| Islam: Can you see it happening in any period whilst you are still prime minister, in the next four years? | Islam: Can you see it happening in any period whilst you are still prime minister, in the next four years? |
| Cameron: I’m not going to put a date on it. | Cameron: I’m not going to put a date on it. |
| And he didn’t commit to withdrawing the Treasury claim that each household would be £4,300 worse off out of the EU, which MPs on the Treasury committee called “misleading” and “deeply problematic”. | And he didn’t commit to withdrawing the Treasury claim that each household would be £4,300 worse off out of the EU, which MPs on the Treasury committee called “misleading” and “deeply problematic”. |
| The key exchange | The key exchange |
| Quizzed by the studio audience, Cameron was criticised by recent graduate Soraya Bouazzaoui, who said she was a Remain voter but thought the “in” campaign had been “nothing but scaremongering”. | Quizzed by the studio audience, Cameron was criticised by recent graduate Soraya Bouazzaoui, who said she was a Remain voter but thought the “in” campaign had been “nothing but scaremongering”. |
| The prime minister began his “positive case for staying” but was interrupted by Bouazzaoui: | The prime minister began his “positive case for staying” but was interrupted by Bouazzaoui: |
| I know waffling when I see it, OK? I’m sorry, but you have not answered my question. | I know waffling when I see it, OK? I’m sorry, but you have not answered my question. |
| The zinger | The zinger |
| Courtesy of Sky News’ Faisal Islam, on the subject of scaremongering: | Courtesy of Sky News’ Faisal Islam, on the subject of scaremongering: |
| But it doesn’t stop at the economy does it? What comes first, world war three or the global Brexit recession? | But it doesn’t stop at the economy does it? What comes first, world war three or the global Brexit recession? |
| The Leave campaign verdict | The Leave campaign verdict |
| Iain Duncan Smith didn’t think much of his party leader’s performance: | Iain Duncan Smith didn’t think much of his party leader’s performance: |
| They’ve thrown the kitchen sink at it, probably the kitchen, and it was probably made in Germany. They would be 20 points ahead if this was working, but instead they hear tonight that the public think they are scaremongering. | They’ve thrown the kitchen sink at it, probably the kitchen, and it was probably made in Germany. They would be 20 points ahead if this was working, but instead they hear tonight that the public think they are scaremongering. |
| You should also know: | You should also know: |
| There are still over 13,000 foreign-national offenders in the country, who could fill towns the size of Louth in Lincolnshire, Beccles in Suffolk or Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, and almost 6,000 of these are living within communities. | There are still over 13,000 foreign-national offenders in the country, who could fill towns the size of Louth in Lincolnshire, Beccles in Suffolk or Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, and almost 6,000 of these are living within communities. |
| Poll position | Poll position |
| A happy day for those who love to hear what pollsters and journalists – rather than the people they’re surveying – think. Who doesn’t love an expert view from a member of the media, right? | A happy day for those who love to hear what pollsters and journalists – rather than the people they’re surveying – think. Who doesn’t love an expert view from a member of the media, right? |
| The Political Studies Association has rather wittily faced this head-on in its new study, released today, including among a “selection of comments from our experts” the expectation-dampening verdict that: “This study is going to be comprised of completely arbitrary figures, and is probably worthless.” | The Political Studies Association has rather wittily faced this head-on in its new study, released today, including among a “selection of comments from our experts” the expectation-dampening verdict that: “This study is going to be comprised of completely arbitrary figures, and is probably worthless.” |
| Anyway, here’s what it says – with only a fraction of journalists and academics, and zero pollsters predicting a win for Leave: | Anyway, here’s what it says – with only a fraction of journalists and academics, and zero pollsters predicting a win for Leave: |
| Diary | Diary |
| Read these | Read these |
| Christopher Hope in the Telegraph has been hanging out with Farage at Headingley cricket ground: | Christopher Hope in the Telegraph has been hanging out with Farage at Headingley cricket ground: |
| He produces his EU British passport, and waves it. A few Yorkshire cricket club members crane their necks to see what the fuss is about. | He produces his EU British passport, and waves it. A few Yorkshire cricket club members crane their necks to see what the fuss is about. |
| ‘We are going to have a mass bonfire of these things – flames licking high into the air,’ he says. ‘We will all stand around, drinking beer, playing music – it will be wonderful.’ | ‘We are going to have a mass bonfire of these things – flames licking high into the air,’ he says. ‘We will all stand around, drinking beer, playing music – it will be wonderful.’ |
| Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, writing in the Times with former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer and former Greek PM George Papandreou, says the US needs to weigh in on the EU’s most pressing issue – refugees: | Former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, writing in the Times with former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer and former Greek PM George Papandreou, says the US needs to weigh in on the EU’s most pressing issue – refugees: |
| For the past year, Europe has been divided and paralysed by the humanitarian crisis on its shores. Confidence in the EU has fallen, while the appeal of populism has grown. | For the past year, Europe has been divided and paralysed by the humanitarian crisis on its shores. Confidence in the EU has fallen, while the appeal of populism has grown. |
| At a time when the continent faces a host of serious challenges — including Russia’s aggressive policies in the east, a debt crisis and the prospect of Brexit — Europe cannot continue on this path without jeopardising its future. It is time for the EU to show the world it can act, compassionately but decisively, to bring this crisis under control. And it is time for the United States to step up and assist. | At a time when the continent faces a host of serious challenges — including Russia’s aggressive policies in the east, a debt crisis and the prospect of Brexit — Europe cannot continue on this path without jeopardising its future. It is time for the EU to show the world it can act, compassionately but decisively, to bring this crisis under control. And it is time for the United States to step up and assist. |
| And John Harris in the Guardian says we are “witnessing the tragic decline of David Cameron”: | And John Harris in the Guardian says we are “witnessing the tragic decline of David Cameron”: |
| If the UK votes to leave the EU, Cameron is obviously toast; if remain wins, for the remainder of his time he’ll be serially tormented by many of his MPs yelling about betrayal, and making the most of the Tories’ small majority. | If the UK votes to leave the EU, Cameron is obviously toast; if remain wins, for the remainder of his time he’ll be serially tormented by many of his MPs yelling about betrayal, and making the most of the Tories’ small majority. |
| Baffling claim of the day | Baffling claim of the day |
| Michael Gove has told Sky News ahead of his appearance this evening that he will be wearing a tie, although he doesn’t expect it to be of much help to him: | Michael Gove has told Sky News ahead of his appearance this evening that he will be wearing a tie, although he doesn’t expect it to be of much help to him: |
| Most of my ties are very unlucky. | Most of my ties are very unlucky. |
| Celebrity endorsement of the day | Celebrity endorsement of the day |
| More of a non-endorsement, really, from the Dalai Lama, who has distanced himself from a Leave.EU poster that suggested he backed Brexit. | More of a non-endorsement, really, from the Dalai Lama, who has distanced himself from a Leave.EU poster that suggested he backed Brexit. |
| The Dalai Lama favours a more balanced approach to migration. Let's reclaim democratic control on June 23rd! pic.twitter.com/S7Ws8bnoJa | The Dalai Lama favours a more balanced approach to migration. Let's reclaim democratic control on June 23rd! pic.twitter.com/S7Ws8bnoJa |
| Tenzin Taklha, secretary to the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, said: | Tenzin Taklha, secretary to the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, said: |
| We are not aware of any campaign using His Holiness’ image in regard to the issue of the UK leaving the European Union and would certainly not have given permission. | We are not aware of any campaign using His Holiness’ image in regard to the issue of the UK leaving the European Union and would certainly not have given permission. |
| The day in a tweet | The day in a tweet |
| As good a way as any to decide this thing: | As good a way as any to decide this thing: |
| Let's try a totally unscientific Twitter poll... Did David Cameron have a good night or a bad night? #InOrOut #EUref | Let's try a totally unscientific Twitter poll... Did David Cameron have a good night or a bad night? #InOrOut #EUref |
| If today were a European delicacy ... | If today were a European delicacy ... |
| It would be a (Belgian) waffle. Or for Brexiteers, a Birds Eye potato waffle, made from British spuds. | It would be a (Belgian) waffle. Or for Brexiteers, a Birds Eye potato waffle, made from British spuds. |
| And another thing | And another thing |
| Would you like to wake up to this briefing in your inbox every weekday? Sign up here! | Would you like to wake up to this briefing in your inbox every weekday? Sign up here! |