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Version 6 Version 7
EU referendum live: Brexit would 'make immigration situation worse' EU referendum live: Brexit would 'make immigration situation worse'
(35 minutes later)
11.16am BST
11:16
The Labour party has deliberately chosen not to campaign alongside pro-EU Tories in the referendum campaign because of what happened to the party in Scotland after 2014. But, in an article for Newsweek, Matthew Laza, a former aide to Ed Miliband, argues this has been a “fatal mistake”.
Here’s an extract.
Yes, there was a case for Labour maintaining a separate and distinct role in the campaign. After Labour’s crushing 2015 general election defeat, it was clear that Cameron, and more specifically Osborne, were going to set the tone and direction of the “Remain” campaign, with scant regard to social democratic sensibilities.
But by completely opting out of the collective effort Labour wrote itself out of the argument. And in doing so removed itself from the main arena where that argument would be held—the TV news bulletins. As the person brought in to sort out Labour’s approach to TV before the last election, it has broken my heart to see our view so roundly frozen out. With no Labour figure centre-stage the battle of the airwaves became, as the cliché now goes, an exclusively “blue on blue” war as clips of Conservative in-fighting dominated the broadcasts.
10.53am BST
10:53
Clegg's wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez attacks Cameron's 'Mickey Mouse [EU] negotiation'
Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, Nick Clegg’s wife, has launched a caustic attack on David Cameron’s EU renegotiation. Speaking at the annual Fortune Most Powerful Woman International Summit in London this morning, Gonzalez Durantez, a lawyer, said:
This is a club where everybody gets a say. You cannot be there and expect that others are going to reform it for you. I am all in favour of reform. The European Union is crying for reform. Proper reform. Not that Mickey Mouse negotiation that the prime minister did. The biggest reform that the EU needs is growth. We need growth in Europe.
She also said that she though the UK was “sleepwalking towards disaster” because it might vote for Brexit.
I believe that this country is sleep walking towards disaster. It will not only be a disaster in this country it will be a disaster for Europe and across the whole world. In my life I have never gone through another moment when I have thought we are in the history books.
10.36am BST10.36am BST
10:3610:36
For more on what voters in Labour areas are saying about the EU referendum, Polly Toynbee’s column in the Guardian today is also a must read. Here’s an excerpt.For more on what voters in Labour areas are saying about the EU referendum, Polly Toynbee’s column in the Guardian today is also a must read. Here’s an excerpt.
Inside Labour’s London HQ, I joined young volunteers manning the “Labour In” phones with every fact at the ready. We had sheets of Labour-supporting names to call in Nottinghamshire – and the results were grim. “Out”, “Out” and “Out” in call after call, only a couple for remain. “I’ve been Labour all my life, but I’m for leave,” they said. Why? Always the same – immigrants first; that mythical £350m saving on money sent to Brussels second; “I want my country back” third. And then there is, “I don’t know ANYONE voting in.”Inside Labour’s London HQ, I joined young volunteers manning the “Labour In” phones with every fact at the ready. We had sheets of Labour-supporting names to call in Nottinghamshire – and the results were grim. “Out”, “Out” and “Out” in call after call, only a couple for remain. “I’ve been Labour all my life, but I’m for leave,” they said. Why? Always the same – immigrants first; that mythical £350m saving on money sent to Brussels second; “I want my country back” third. And then there is, “I don’t know ANYONE voting in.”
Try arguing with facts and you get nowhere. Warn these Labour people what a Johnson/Gove government would do and they don’t care. Warn about the loss of workers’ rights and they don’t listen – maybe that’s already irrelevant to millions in crap jobs such as at Uber or Sports Direct. “We’re full up. Sorry, there’s no room for more. Can’t get GP appointments, can’t get into our schools, no housing.” If you tell these Labour voters that’s because of Tory austerity cuts, still they blame “immigrants getting everything first”. Warn about a Brexit recession leading to far worse cuts and they just say, “Stop them coming, make room for our own first.”Try arguing with facts and you get nowhere. Warn these Labour people what a Johnson/Gove government would do and they don’t care. Warn about the loss of workers’ rights and they don’t listen – maybe that’s already irrelevant to millions in crap jobs such as at Uber or Sports Direct. “We’re full up. Sorry, there’s no room for more. Can’t get GP appointments, can’t get into our schools, no housing.” If you tell these Labour voters that’s because of Tory austerity cuts, still they blame “immigrants getting everything first”. Warn about a Brexit recession leading to far worse cuts and they just say, “Stop them coming, make room for our own first.”
And here’s her column in full.And here’s her column in full.
Related: Brexit supporters have unleashed furies even they can’t control | Polly ToynbeeRelated: Brexit supporters have unleashed furies even they can’t control | Polly Toynbee
10.13am BST10.13am BST
10:1310:13
Here’s Alistair Darling, the former Labour chancellor, responding to the Vote Leave spending pledge today.Here’s Alistair Darling, the former Labour chancellor, responding to the Vote Leave spending pledge today.
This is fantasy economics from the leave campaign as quitting Europe would wreck Britain’s economy and mean cuts to spending on vital public services, as just about every economic expert has said.This is fantasy economics from the leave campaign as quitting Europe would wreck Britain’s economy and mean cuts to spending on vital public services, as just about every economic expert has said.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said leaving would lead to a £40bn blackhole in the public finances and nine out of ten economists say leaving would damage the economy.The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said leaving would lead to a £40bn blackhole in the public finances and nine out of ten economists say leaving would damage the economy.
10.03am BST10.03am BST
10:0310:03
My colleague John Harris has been to Stoke-on-Trent, a Labour stronghold, to ask what people think about the EU referendum for his latest Anywhere but Westminster video. He has found huge support there for Leave.My colleague John Harris has been to Stoke-on-Trent, a Labour stronghold, to ask what people think about the EU referendum for his latest Anywhere but Westminster video. He has found huge support there for Leave.
Do watch it; it’s very, very good.Do watch it; it’s very, very good.
9.59am BST9.59am BST
09:5909:59
Here is Marley Morris, a research fellow at the IPPR thinktank, commenting on the ECJ’s ruling this morning. (See 9.23am.)Here is Marley Morris, a research fellow at the IPPR thinktank, commenting on the ECJ’s ruling this morning. (See 9.23am.)
This decision by the European Court of Justice is another sign – on top of other recent judgments – that it is becoming more sympathetic to the UK’s interpretation of free movement rules.This decision by the European Court of Justice is another sign – on top of other recent judgments – that it is becoming more sympathetic to the UK’s interpretation of free movement rules.
And here is the IPPR’s assessment of what this decision means for the EU referendum.And here is the IPPR’s assessment of what this decision means for the EU referendum.
Nine days ahead of the referendum, this judgment is likely to be picked up by both campaigns. On the one hand, the judgment shows that the EU’s free movement rules do not prevent member states from taking action to block access to benefits for migrants who have been in the UK for less than five years and are not economically active and cannot support themselves. It also strengthens the argument that the future reforms to free movement and welfare rules – as agreed in the EU renegotiation – will not be rolled back by the EU court.Nine days ahead of the referendum, this judgment is likely to be picked up by both campaigns. On the one hand, the judgment shows that the EU’s free movement rules do not prevent member states from taking action to block access to benefits for migrants who have been in the UK for less than five years and are not economically active and cannot support themselves. It also strengthens the argument that the future reforms to free movement and welfare rules – as agreed in the EU renegotiation – will not be rolled back by the EU court.
But, despite the judgment going in the UK’s favour, it is likely to also remind voters that aspects of the UK’s welfare system are subject to EU law.But, despite the judgment going in the UK’s favour, it is likely to also remind voters that aspects of the UK’s welfare system are subject to EU law.
9.47am BST9.47am BST
09:4709:47
Alan Johnson's Today interview - Verdict from the Twitter commentariatAlan Johnson's Today interview - Verdict from the Twitter commentariat
And this is what political journalists are saying about Alan Johnson’s Today interview.And this is what political journalists are saying about Alan Johnson’s Today interview.
From the Financial Times’s Jim PickardFrom the Financial Times’s Jim Pickard
Alan Johnson hits nail on head that it only takes 0.6% fall in GDP to wipe out £8bn we would no longer pay to EU: but are voters listening?Alan Johnson hits nail on head that it only takes 0.6% fall in GDP to wipe out £8bn we would no longer pay to EU: but are voters listening?
From the New Statesman’s George EatonFrom the New Statesman’s George Eaton
Alan Johnson tells Labour outers that the LSE and Oxford Economics think they're wrong. Doesn't seem a wise strategy to me. #r4todayAlan Johnson tells Labour outers that the LSE and Oxford Economics think they're wrong. Doesn't seem a wise strategy to me. #r4today
From the Sun’s Harry ColeFrom the Sun’s Harry Cole
Alan Johnson says the voters are not sceptical of what they are being told about Brexit by the Remain campaign....Alan Johnson says the voters are not sceptical of what they are being told about Brexit by the Remain campaign....
From the Daily Mail’s Isabel OakeshottFrom the Daily Mail’s Isabel Oakeshott
Desperate stuff from Alan Johnson as he claims leaving EU would somehow give us *less* control over immigration. I'll take my chancesDesperate stuff from Alan Johnson as he claims leaving EU would somehow give us *less* control over immigration. I'll take my chances
9.39am BST9.39am BST
09:3909:39
Alan Johnson says Brexit would make immigration situation worseAlan Johnson says Brexit would make immigration situation worse
Alan Johnson, chair of Labour In for Britain, was also on the Today programme this morning. Here are the key points from his interview.Alan Johnson, chair of Labour In for Britain, was also on the Today programme this morning. Here are the key points from his interview.
We’ve talked about immigration all the way through this by the way. Sometimes people haven’t been listening to us ...We’ve talked about immigration all the way through this by the way. Sometimes people haven’t been listening to us ...
The argument we’re making is, look, there’s three types of immigration: there’s immigration from outside the EU, there’s illegal immigration, and there’s free movement. Of those, free movement gives us the benefit of the single market.The argument we’re making is, look, there’s three types of immigration: there’s immigration from outside the EU, there’s illegal immigration, and there’s free movement. Of those, free movement gives us the benefit of the single market.
Our argument is remaining part of the single market helps us to control the other two forms of immigration. If we leave, the situation is going to be worse. We won’t be protected by the Dublin Accord. If anyone believes that our UK border in Calais is going to survive us leaving the EU then once again they’re in the realms of fantasy. Of course it won’t, that will make the issue much worse.Our argument is remaining part of the single market helps us to control the other two forms of immigration. If we leave, the situation is going to be worse. We won’t be protected by the Dublin Accord. If anyone believes that our UK border in Calais is going to survive us leaving the EU then once again they’re in the realms of fantasy. Of course it won’t, that will make the issue much worse.
Now, Vote Leave say in their latest fantasy economics, ‘we’re going to give all this money back’. That money won’t exist; it only takes a 0.6% movement in our wealth, GDP only has to be hit by just over half a percent, to eradicate the £8bn – not £19bn that they were claiming – the £8bn that is sent to Europe and distributed through farming subsidies et cetera. And losing our access to the biggest commercial market in the world, turning our back on something we created is going to damage our economy, that’s going to damage public finances, that is going to hit our public services.Now, Vote Leave say in their latest fantasy economics, ‘we’re going to give all this money back’. That money won’t exist; it only takes a 0.6% movement in our wealth, GDP only has to be hit by just over half a percent, to eradicate the £8bn – not £19bn that they were claiming – the £8bn that is sent to Europe and distributed through farming subsidies et cetera. And losing our access to the biggest commercial market in the world, turning our back on something we created is going to damage our economy, that’s going to damage public finances, that is going to hit our public services.
I’ve taken the quotes from PoliticsHome.I’ve taken the quotes from PoliticsHome.
UpdatedUpdated
at 9.41am BSTat 9.41am BST
9.23am BST9.23am BST
09:2309:23
ECJ backs UK's right to limit migrants' access to child benefitsECJ backs UK's right to limit migrants' access to child benefits
The European court of justice has ruled in favour of the UK in the case about whether the government has the right to refuse child benefit and child tax credits to EU citizens who do not have a “right of residence”. The challenge was brought by the European commission.The European court of justice has ruled in favour of the UK in the case about whether the government has the right to refuse child benefit and child tax credits to EU citizens who do not have a “right of residence”. The challenge was brought by the European commission.
#ECJ rules that the UK can require recipients of child benefits to have a right to reside in the UK. Link: https://t.co/B0sMPtNgss#ECJ rules that the UK can require recipients of child benefits to have a right to reside in the UK. Link: https://t.co/B0sMPtNgss
9.08am BST9.08am BST
09:0809:08
My colleague Roy Greenslade has written about the Sun’s decision to come out for Brexit this morning.My colleague Roy Greenslade has written about the Sun’s decision to come out for Brexit this morning.
Here’s his conclusion.Here’s his conclusion.
What difference will it make? Precious little. The overwhelming majority of the Sun’s readers who have decided to vote on 23 June have already made up their minds where to play their cross.What difference will it make? Precious little. The overwhelming majority of the Sun’s readers who have decided to vote on 23 June have already made up their minds where to play their cross.
But the Sun’s statement certainly has a symbolic importance and it is likely to give the jitters to the already nervous Cameron and his Remain campaigners.But the Sun’s statement certainly has a symbolic importance and it is likely to give the jitters to the already nervous Cameron and his Remain campaigners.
And here’s his article in full.And here’s his article in full.
Related: The Sun's Brexit call is unsurprising but it has a symbolic significanceRelated: The Sun's Brexit call is unsurprising but it has a symbolic significance
9.00am BST
09:00
Priti Patel's Today interview - Verdict from the Twitter commentariat
And this is what political journalists are saying about Priti Patel’s Today interview. (See 8.53am.)
From the Guardian’s Michael White
Leave's Priti Patel characteristically incoherent on R4 Today when Misha Hussein asks about Brexit's spending pledges. Pure bullshit, a joy
From ITV’s Chris Ship
So has @patel4witham just confirmed there would only be enough #Brexit money for NHS & VAT on fuel. And all the other promises were fake?
From the BBC’s Sima Kotecha
How many times has Priti Patel said 'let me clear about this'. If only what she was saying was clear... #r4today
From the Guardian columnist Giles Fraser (a Leave campaigner)
Priti Patel from the really annoying "I have been clear ..." Cameron school of answering Today prog questions.
From the former Independent reporter Andy McSmith
Priti Patel getting roasted on @BBCr4today on Leave's dodgy spending promises.
From ITV’s Libby Wiener
Priti Patel clearly struggling to be 'very clear' in radio 4 interview #EUref
8.53am BST
08:53
Britain Stronger in Europe have accused Priti Patel of peddling “fantasy economics”.
Priti Patel on #r4today can't answer key questions on Vote Leave spending pledges. More fantasy economics #StrongerIn #r4today
8.53am BST
08:53
Patel seeks to clarify Vote Leave spending plans
Priti Patel, the pro-Brexit employment minister, was on the Today programme earlier talking about the Vote Leave promise that people and organisations that currently receive EU funding would not lose out if Britain votes to leave. (See 8.25am.) Mishal Husain was interviewing her, and Patel was on the defensive throughout.
Here are the key points.
We are clearly saying that if we take back control of that money, we can spend it on a range of our priorities, the ones that I’ve listed today.
MH: Out of that £60m a week, how much would you spend on the sorts of things your campaign has talked about, which include school places, new roads, VAT on fuel, John Redwood has talked about tax cuts?
PP: Let me be very clear about this. We have not said that we would spent money on those items that you have listed. We have said that we would spend British taxpayers’ money on a range of priorities, including the NHS and in particular as well on [cutting] VAT on fuel. Those are the two areas, let me be clear about this, that we have said we would spend that money on.
When pressed again about whether the new roads or extra school places might materialise, Patel replied:
Well, of course those would be options and choices for the government of the day to make.
8.25am BST
08:25
Vote Leave says recipients of EU grants would not lose money after Brexit
Andrew Sparrow
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Claire.
This morning Vote Leave is saying that people and organisations in the UK that receive EU grants would continue to receive funding if Britain leaves the EU until 2020. An open letter signed by Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and Priti Patel says:
There is more than enough money to ensure that those who now get funding from the EU - including universities, scientists, family farmers, regional funds, cultural organisations and others - will continue to do so while also ensuring that we save money that can be spent on our priorities.
If the public votes to leave on 23 June, we will continue to fund EU programmes in the UK until 2020, or up to the date when the EU is due to conclude individual programmes if that is earlier than 2020.
The letter also says there would be extra money for the NHS.
After protecting those now in receipt of EU funding, we will still have billions more to spend on our priorities.
We propose that at least £5.5bn of that be spent on the NHS by 2020, giving it a much-needed 100m per week cash transfusion, and to use £1.7bn to abolish VAT on household energy bills.
This is another example of Vote Leave starting to make pledges as if they were an alternative government.
8.04am BST
08:04
On a related theme, the Guardian’s economics editor, Larry Elliott, has carried out a reality check on claims that Brexit would weaken sterling.
His conclusion?
Everything hangs on how the Bank of England reacts in a post-Brexit world. If the Bank is worried about the risk of recession, it might see a fall in the value of sterling as helpful, because it would boost growth.
But prolonged panic-selling of the pound might force Threadneedle Street to raise interest rates to dampen inflationary pressure and to discourage capital flight.
Read the full workings here:
Related: Would the pound be weakened by Brexit?
7.55am BST
07:55
Over on the business live blog, with my colleague Graeme Wearden, Brexit-related ripples are making themselves felt:
The City is getting increasingly agitated about the prospect of Brexit.
The pound is taking the brunt of this, being buffeted by the latest opinion polls which have shown a steady move towards leaving the EU.
Analysts expect a lot more volatility over the next few weeks. And that’s why the Bank of England is offering the City fresh liquidity today, to help them handle any turmoil.
Related: Brexit fears hit pound ahead of UK inflation data – business live
7.48am BST
07:48
This morning, in a delicate bit of scheduling, the European court of justice will rule on whether Britain is entitled to refuse child benefit and child tax credits to some EU migrants.
It’s expected that the court will come down on the side of the UK and against the European commission, which has challenged the policy, my colleague Alan Travis reports:
The ruling from the European court of justice is expected to confirm that Britain can insist that only EU citizens with a lawful ‘right of residence’ in the UK can claim social security benefits.
The European commission claimed that the decision by Britain to impose a right of residence test to access certain family benefits amounted to direct discrimination against citizens of other EU member states.
The ruling is expected to the first of several legal challenges to Britain’s attempt to curb what David Cameron has called ‘benefit tourism’ and restrict the impact of the EU’s freedom of movement rules on the UK.
The Polish government and others are expected to challenge Cameron’s emergency brake mechanism, under which new EU migrants will be denied access to in-work welfare benefits and tax credits during their first four years in the UK.
Related: EU court to back UK limits on migrants' access to child benefits
7.34am BST
07:34
As David Cameron continues to keep his distance from efforts to whip up the remain vote, it’s another Labour day today, with Jeremy Corbyn in the forefront.
He’ll speak in central London this lunchtime and will urge Labour voters to stay in:
Today I am issuing a call to the whole Labour movement to persuade people to back remain to protect jobs and rights at work.
We have just nine days to go to convince Labour supporters to vote remain.
Corbyn is due to be flanked by his entire shadow cabinet and the leaders of 11 trade unions as he makes his appeal – which comes a day after shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry said the prime minister needed to step back:
There are plenty of good people now who can make the case; we really don’t need to keep hearing from David Cameron … Plenty of women!
Angela Eagle, the shadow business secretary, agreed, saying:
This whole thing is about Tory big beasts having a battle like rutting stags, but it’s far more important, this vote, than any of that.
7.20am BST
07:20
Trevor Kavanagh, the Sun’s associate editor, is on the Today programme to talk about today’s front page. He says the decision to back Brexit didn’t surprise him.
We have learned to our cost in the past that the European Union does what it wants – it says one thing and does another …
The democratic deficit is the biggest black mark against the European Union.
Despite the paper’s editorial calling the prime minister “witless”, Kavanagh did not think it contradicted the Sun’s call in 2015 for readers to vote for him:
They are two separate issues: last time we had a choice between David Cameron and Ed Miliband …
[Cameron] has made a lot of serious mistakes and been weak in his negotiations with the European Union … He has failed to get those fundamental reforms.
Had he come back with something substantive on the issue of immigration and border control and serious reform on welfare … I might have even been tempted myself [to vote remain].
Will it be the Sun wot wins it?
We can only say what we believe … A lot of our readers do believe what we say … [but] they’ve come to that conclusion themselves.
And quizzed on whether the decision to back Brexit was taken by the Sun’s proprietor, Rupert Murdoch – something Kavanagh himself (perhaps jokingly) talked about a couple of months ago – he was adamant:
The decision was made by the editor.
6.58am BST
06:58
Morning briefing
Claire Phipps
Good morning and welcome to our daily EU referendum coverage.
Once again, I’m starting your day with the morning briefing and steering the live blog until Andrew Sparrow takes his seat. Do come and chat in the comments below or find me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps.
The big picture
Leave campaigners will be starting their Tuesday with a spring in their step, in the wake of polls putting Brexit ahead and an unambiguous page one from the Sun: “BeLEAVE in Britain.”
Tomorrow's front page. We're backing Brexit - and here's why: https://t.co/3dDiHvwP1E pic.twitter.com/k0Xl55MXZf
The front-page editorial reads:
If we stay, Britain will be engulfed in a few short years by this relentlessly expanding, German-dominated federal state. For all David Cameron’s witless assurances, our powers and values WILL be further eroded …
The Remain campaign, made up of the corporate establishment, arrogant europhiles and foreign banks, have set out to terrify us all about life outside the EU. Their ‘Project Fear’ strategy predicts mass unemployment, soaring interest rates and inflation, plummeting house prices, even world war …
Nonsense! Years ago the same politicians and economists issued apocalyptic predictions about our fate if we didn’t join the euro. Thank God we stopped that.
Interested in the background to the declaration? Read what Trevor Kavanagh, the paper’s associate editor, said in March when asked who would make the decision. (Spoiler alert: it’s Rupert Murdoch.)
The bad news keeps coming for the Bremainers, with new polls putting them behind leave. Two Guardian/ICM polls on Monday gave Brexit a six-point lead in both phone and online surveys, with 47% for stay and 53% for go.
An ORB poll for the Telegraph concurs, albeit with a smaller lead for leave, on 49% to remain’s 48% among those certain to vote.
And a new YouGov poll for the Times has leave on 46%, remain on 39%, undecideds on 11%, and abstainers on 4%. Excluding those last two groups takes the result to 54%-46% in favour of leave.
That poll also found majority support for Brexit among female voters and those aged 25-49, a twist on previous surveys.
The result of all this? Panic in the remain camp – or so says Boris Johnson, Vote Leave champion, anyway. He told the Sun:
What we have seen in the last few days in particular is more and more panic by the In camp … They are panicked about people suddenly looking up, lifting their eyes to the horizon and feeling a sense of confidence and excitement about what Britain can do.
A remain campaign source also told the Guardian that No 10 had shifted from being “utterly convinced” of victory to “blind panic”.
It’s not all back-slapping in the leave camp either, though, as Leave.EU – the non-official, Ukip-leaning campaign group – already lambasted for a tasteless tweet linking the massacre in Orlando to EU membership, persisted with another (grammatically poor) attempt to entwine the two:
pic.twitter.com/hZvB6WjOTK
You should also know:
We need to press Europe to restore proper borders, and put new controls on economic migration.
Poll position
So where do these new polls leave us? With leave two points ahead, according to the FT’s poll of polls:
The FT's poll-of-polls on the UK's EU referendum has Leave on 45, two points ahead of Remain https://t.co/rrqTCNqqWB pic.twitter.com/QZkwNkO29E
What UK Thinks, based on the six most recent polls, has leave on a four-point lead, 52% v 48%.
Diary
Talking point
The vexed question of who exactly is the establishment has dogged this campaign. Are the elites the politicians and business figures who want the UK to stay in the EU, or the politicians and business figures who want it to go? Boris Johnson (Eton, Oxford), for one, has banged on about the “elites” backing In, presumably including the prime minister (Eton, Oxford).
George Osborne has now taken aim, too, declaring that:
Brexit is for the richest in our country – they can afford recessions.
(Osborne also suggested Brexit could lead to cuts to support for disabled people – something he’d hate to do, of course.)
Vote Leave also has the rich in its sights, querying why Brussels officials have been spending so much on private jets, luxury hotels and a chauffeur service.
A new poster from Operation Black Vote, designed to encourage turnout on 23 June, is, though, a stark reminder that many of those at the head of both campaigns literally are in the same (Bullingdon) club.
Read these
Stephanie Bodoni at Bloomberg says the timing of today’s European Court of Justice ruling on benefits for EU workers in Britain “couldn’t be more delicate”:
A defeat for the UK government on such a red-hot topic would be a shot in the arm for the Leave camp days before a referendum on the country’s European Union membership. Even a victory would remind Eurosceptic voters that judges in Luxembourg rather than London call the shots …
‘Clearly if the court were to rule against the UK on this subject, the Leave side would, to use colloquial English, try to make hay with it,’ said [Professor John Curtice at Strathclyde University]. ‘They will say that is just the kind of thing that the EU does, it goes to show we can’t make our own rules, etc. It would be rather embarrassing for the Remain side, if that were to happen.’
Henry Mance and George Parker, in the Financial Times, have this profile of Dominic Cummings, Vote Leave’s campaign director:
It was Mr Cummings who coined the catchphrase ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’. The group’s initial legal name was Vote Leave, Get Change, but Mr Cummings realised that control was a more seductive message. ‘He came to one meeting and said, we’re going to push this,’ said a colleague …
His slogan has now been swallowed almost whole by [Boris] Johnson, previously one of Britain’s least-scripted politicians. In a TV debate last week, the former mayor of London used the words ‘take control’ no fewer than seven times in his one-minute opening statement.
Baffling claim of the day
The 9% of Ukip voters who don’t back Britain leaving the EU are an … interesting demographic:
Tonight's YouGov poll claims 35% of Labour voters and 31% of Lib Dems back a Brexit .. 54% Tories and 91% UKIP (presume Arron's an Inner)
Celebrity endorsement of the day
George Osborne has nabbed David Lloyd George for the In team, claiming that – according to museum staff at Llanystumdwy – the Liberal chancellor “would definitely have been for Remain”. Only if he signed up to register before midnight on 9 June, mind …
The day in a tweet
ITV political editor Robert Peston on that Sun front page:
What will worry @David_Cameron & Remain is @rupertmurdoch does not typically back the loser - & this is his call pic.twitter.com/VRFqfmGj97
If today were a Smiths song ...
It would be Panic. Could life ever be sane again?
And another thing
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