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| EU referendum live: Jeremy Corbyn urges Labour supporters to vote remain | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.17pm BST | |
| 12:17 | |
| This is from my colleague Rowena Mason. | |
| Corbyn: It is the Labour position, trade union position to vote to remain. We urge our supporters to think carefully pic.twitter.com/1GIwP4fsdh | |
| 12.13pm BST | |
| 12:13 | |
| Corbyn says this represents a coming together of the Labour party. | |
| They are making the case for the EU all over the country, he says. They are making the strongest case they can. | |
| They want to remain so they can improve rights and help workers. | |
| He says he urges all Labour supporters to think carefully about this and to vote to remain. | |
| 12.12pm BST | |
| 12:12 | |
| Labour's In for Britain event | |
| Jeremy Corbyn is now speaking at the Labour In for Britain event. | |
| He has just been posing for a photograph with members of the shadow cabinet and union leaders. | |
| LIVE: @jeremycorbyn, entire shadow cabinet & trade union general secretaries are standing together for a Remain vote pic.twitter.com/wyjKumUEQq | |
| 12.08pm BST | |
| 12:08 | |
| Vote Leave has now released the full text of its open letter promising to maintain funding to people and institutions who currently received EU money (ie, farmers, scientists etc). Priti Patel was on the Today programme earlier talking about this. (See 8.53am.) | |
| The letter, signed by 13 ministers and senior Tories, also claimed that leaving the EU could theoretically save the UK up to £43bn because it would allow the government to pass legislation saying the UK would no longer be bound by European court of justice rulings forcing HM Revenue and Customs to pay tax refunds. It says: | |
| There are also many other costs, direct and indirect, of EU membership on top of our official contributions to the EU’s budget. | |
| For example, the UK is set to pay out between £7 billion and £43 billion by 2021 in tax refunds to big businesses which have successfully used the European Court and EU law to escape taxes lawfully imposed on them in Britain. If we stay, these bills will be paid for by British taxpayers on P.A.Y.E. instead of that money going to public services. If we Vote Leave, the Government will pass legislation to prevent these payments being made so that taxpayers are not given these huge bills. | |
| These figures are taken from government and HMRC accounts setting out HMRC’s contingent liabilities, the amount it might have to pay if it loses legal cases in the future. | |
| A separate Vote Leave briefing note gives more details. Here’s an extract. | |
| Rulings of the European court have exposed the taxpayer to massive liabilities for tax refunds to big businesses. The OBR now forecasts that HMRC will pay out £7.3bn from 2016-2017 to 2020-2021, an average of £270.43 per household (OBR, March 2016; ONS, 5 November 2015). If HMRC also loses every case currently pending (a further £35.6bn), the UK will be forced to pay out £42.9bn, the equivalent of £1,589 per household (HMRC, 16 July 2015; ONS, 5 November 2015). | |
| The UK has tried to block these payouts before but its tax legislation has been overruled by the European court (Test Claimants in the Franked Investment Income Group Litigation v Commissioners of Inland Revenue, Case C-362/12; Commission v United Kingdom, Case C-640/13). If we vote remain, the European court will continue to take control over our tax system and require multibillion payouts to the multinational businesses. | |
| 11.38am BST | 11.38am BST |
| 11:38 | 11:38 |
| Here is Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, commenting on today’s European court of justice ruling backing Britain’s right to refuse to pay family welfare benefits to unemployed EU migrants who have been in Britain for less than five years. In a statement put out by Vote Leave he said: | Here is Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, commenting on today’s European court of justice ruling backing Britain’s right to refuse to pay family welfare benefits to unemployed EU migrants who have been in Britain for less than five years. In a statement put out by Vote Leave he said: |
| It’s absurd that we have to to run every nut and bolt of domestic policy past Luxembourg, and then engage in lengthy and expensive court battles if they decide they don’t like what our democratically elected government is doing. | It’s absurd that we have to to run every nut and bolt of domestic policy past Luxembourg, and then engage in lengthy and expensive court battles if they decide they don’t like what our democratically elected government is doing. |
| As well as the cost to taxpayers of fighting these lengthy drawn out cases, it’s clearly an illegitimate challenge to our sovereignty. Although David Cameron didn’t want to admit it, this case and others like it are proof positive that the unelected European court of justice is now supreme above our elected parliament. They decide the rules and the only way to prevent this kind of intervention in future is to Vote Leave on 23 June. | As well as the cost to taxpayers of fighting these lengthy drawn out cases, it’s clearly an illegitimate challenge to our sovereignty. Although David Cameron didn’t want to admit it, this case and others like it are proof positive that the unelected European court of justice is now supreme above our elected parliament. They decide the rules and the only way to prevent this kind of intervention in future is to Vote Leave on 23 June. |
| 11.27am BST | 11.27am BST |
| 11:27 | 11:27 |
| With Labour’s shadow cabinet EU event due to start in about half an hour, here is an extract from Rachel Sylvester’s column in the Times (paywall) today on the party and the EU referendum. | With Labour’s shadow cabinet EU event due to start in about half an hour, here is an extract from Rachel Sylvester’s column in the Times (paywall) today on the party and the EU referendum. |
| It is Labour voters who will determine the outcome next week. According to a senior source at the Stronger In campaign, Tory voters are likely to account for a Remain vote of about 19 per cent, Lib Dems and Greens another 10 per cent and the SNP about 2 per cent, making a total of 31 per cent. That means that the prime minister is dependent on Labour voters to get over the required 50 per cent. Strategists have calculated that they need at least two-thirds of Labour supporters to vote Remain to be sure of victory. But — despite the vast majority of Labour MPs wanting to stay in — almost half of its voters do not know the party’s position ... | It is Labour voters who will determine the outcome next week. According to a senior source at the Stronger In campaign, Tory voters are likely to account for a Remain vote of about 19 per cent, Lib Dems and Greens another 10 per cent and the SNP about 2 per cent, making a total of 31 per cent. That means that the prime minister is dependent on Labour voters to get over the required 50 per cent. Strategists have calculated that they need at least two-thirds of Labour supporters to vote Remain to be sure of victory. But — despite the vast majority of Labour MPs wanting to stay in — almost half of its voters do not know the party’s position ... |
| Another MP says that Labour voters in his area are breaking 55-45 for Out. “It’s terrible. The proverbial metropolitan elite has not been recognising the impact that rapid population change has had on the public services. And Labour is ducking this issue.” | Another MP says that Labour voters in his area are breaking 55-45 for Out. “It’s terrible. The proverbial metropolitan elite has not been recognising the impact that rapid population change has had on the public services. And Labour is ducking this issue.” |
| The truth is that the referendum is exposing Labour’s breach with its traditional voters in a way that has profound implications for the country as well as the party. In Birmingham, campaigners were told to take all mentions of immigration out of their literature. Although the local MPs begged to be allowed to tackle local concerns head on, they were banned from doing so by party staff following instructions from the leader’s office. As one former minister says: “It gives the impression that we are completely out of touch with the way people live their lives.” | The truth is that the referendum is exposing Labour’s breach with its traditional voters in a way that has profound implications for the country as well as the party. In Birmingham, campaigners were told to take all mentions of immigration out of their literature. Although the local MPs begged to be allowed to tackle local concerns head on, they were banned from doing so by party staff following instructions from the leader’s office. As one former minister says: “It gives the impression that we are completely out of touch with the way people live their lives.” |
| 11.16am BST | 11.16am BST |
| 11:16 | 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”. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 | 10.53am BST |
| 10:53 | 10:53 |
| Clegg's wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez attacks Cameron's 'Mickey Mouse [EU] negotiation' | 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: | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 BST | 10.36am BST |
| 10:36 | 10:36 |
| 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 Toynbee | Related: Brexit supporters have unleashed furies even they can’t control | Polly Toynbee |
| 10.13am BST | 10.13am BST |
| 10:13 | 10:13 |
| 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 BST | 10.03am BST |
| 10:03 | 10:03 |
| 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 BST | 9.59am BST |
| 09:59 | 09:59 |
| 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 BST | 9.47am BST |
| 09:47 | 09:47 |
| Alan Johnson's Today interview - Verdict from the Twitter commentariat | Alan 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 Pickard | From 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 Eaton | From 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. #r4today | Alan 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 Cole | From 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 Oakeshott | From 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 chances | Desperate stuff from Alan Johnson as he claims leaving EU would somehow give us *less* control over immigration. I'll take my chances |
| 9.39am BST | 9.39am BST |
| 09:39 | 09:39 |
| Alan Johnson says Brexit would make immigration situation worse | Alan 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. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.41am BST | at 9.41am BST |
| 9.23am BST | 9.23am BST |
| 09:23 | 09:23 |
| ECJ backs UK's right to limit migrants' access to child benefits | ECJ 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 BST | 9.08am BST |
| 09:08 | 09:08 |
| 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 significance | Related: The Sun's Brexit call is unsurprising but it has a symbolic significance |