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| EU referendum live: remain and leave make final push in last day of campaign | EU referendum live: remain and leave make final push in last day of campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.38am BST | |
| 07:38 | |
| Whatever happens tomorrow, I think it’s fair to say that the Sun and David Cameron are never, ever getting back together: | |
| "Don't put your trust in Cameron" --- @TheSun gets very personal against the PM pic.twitter.com/xiot8SPVPu | |
| 7.27am BST | |
| 07:27 | |
| The rhetoric about Turkey in this campaign has not gone unnoticed in that country, an adviser to the Turkish president has said. | |
| Ilnur Cevik told BBC’s Newsnight on Wednesday that Turkish citizens would not “flood” to Britain if the country joined the EU, Press Association reports: | |
| Cevik, who is close to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, criticised both David Cameron for “taking us for a ride” by indicating he supported the country joining the EU, and the Leave campaign for using the prospect as “an alibi” for Brexit. | |
| He said Turkey is “deeply hurting” now that the prime minister has indicated he is unlikely to support its EU membership after Brexit campaigners used the potential accession to warn that it could open Britain’s borders to millions of Turks. | |
| But responding to the leave campaign’s claims that could mean more Turkish criminals in the UK, Cevik told Newsnight: | |
| Firstly, the crime rate is not high. | |
| Secondly, there’s no extraordinary situation in this country that we would export anything to Britain. | |
| But besides that, who’s going to come to Britain? Why should we be flooding Britain? There’s no reason. Whatever exists in Britain also exists in Turkey. | |
| We are not going to go over there just because you produce Cadbury chocolates and Maltesers, for God’s sake. | |
| They should not use us as an alibi, they should not use us as a pretext, they should really deal with the nitty-gritty of why they should be leaving. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.29am BST | |
| 7.20am BST | |
| 07:20 | |
| Tory MEP and prominent leave campaigner Daniel Hannan has been speaking on the Today programme, where he was asked about that £350m figure, curiously absent from the Brexit arguments in last night’s BBC debate. | |
| Hannan insisted the claim hadn’t been shelved: | |
| No, I’m very comfortable to defend that figure: it’s the difference between gross and net … It’s not one that I’ve plucked out of the air. | |
| It is true, he conceded: | |
| We don’t literally, in a digitised age, put gold in the back of a van and drive it across the Channel. | |
| But he argued that nobody would argue that the 20p income tax rate was | |
| actually zero because we get it all back in schools and roads and hospitals. | |
| 6.57am BST | 6.57am BST |
| 06:57 | 06:57 |
| Morning briefing | Morning briefing |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| Good morning and welcome back to the live blog for the final day of campaigning ahead of tomorrow’s referendum. | Good morning and welcome back to the live blog for the final day of campaigning ahead of tomorrow’s referendum. |
| I’ve rounded up the key moments of last night’s not-quite-final TV debate below, along with the rest of the news you need. Andrew Sparrow will be along later. Do come and chat in the comments below or find me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps. | I’ve rounded up the key moments of last night’s not-quite-final TV debate below, along with the rest of the news you need. Andrew Sparrow will be along later. Do come and chat in the comments below or find me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps. |
| The big picture | The big picture |
| David Cameron, in an interview with the Guardian after his earlier appeal to older voters, says the leave campaign has “become very narrowly focused” on immigration, stoking “an issue that needs careful handling”. | David Cameron, in an interview with the Guardian after his earlier appeal to older voters, says the leave campaign has “become very narrowly focused” on immigration, stoking “an issue that needs careful handling”. |
| The UK is, he says, “arguably the most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith, opportunity democracy anywhere on earth”, and a vote to remain would send “a very clear message that we’ve rejected this idea that Britain is narrow and insular and inward-looking”. | The UK is, he says, “arguably the most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith, opportunity democracy anywhere on earth”, and a vote to remain would send “a very clear message that we’ve rejected this idea that Britain is narrow and insular and inward-looking”. |
| Cameron gets a helping hand this morning from the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, who has written – via the Guardian – to British voters asking them not to make “the wrong choice”: | Cameron gets a helping hand this morning from the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, who has written – via the Guardian – to British voters asking them not to make “the wrong choice”: |
| Seen from Italy, a vote to leave Europe would not be a disaster, a tragedy or the end of the world for you in the UK. It would be worse, because it would be the wrong choice. It would be a mistake for which you the voters primarily would pay the price. Because who really wants Britain to be small and isolated? | Seen from Italy, a vote to leave Europe would not be a disaster, a tragedy or the end of the world for you in the UK. It would be worse, because it would be the wrong choice. It would be a mistake for which you the voters primarily would pay the price. Because who really wants Britain to be small and isolated? |
| If there’s one thing the British have never done when faced with a challenge that concerns their future, their very identity, it is to make the wrong choice. A Britain less great than it is would go against the very logic of those who want an exit. It would swap autonomy for solitude, pride for weakness, and identity for self-harm. | If there’s one thing the British have never done when faced with a challenge that concerns their future, their very identity, it is to make the wrong choice. A Britain less great than it is would go against the very logic of those who want an exit. It would swap autonomy for solitude, pride for weakness, and identity for self-harm. |
| Last night’s BBC Big Referendum Come Dancing Debate (I’d love to claim that, but it’s a John Crace copyright) pitted Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, London mayor Sadiq Khan and TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady for remain, against Conservative MPs Boris Johnson and Andrea Leadsom and Labour MP Gisela Stuart for leave. | Last night’s BBC Big Referendum Come Dancing Debate (I’d love to claim that, but it’s a John Crace copyright) pitted Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, London mayor Sadiq Khan and TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady for remain, against Conservative MPs Boris Johnson and Andrea Leadsom and Labour MP Gisela Stuart for leave. |
| A snap YouGov poll for the Times found 39% thought leave had won it, over 34% for remain (and a bumper 17% who didn’t know). The same group of those polled were, however, still just a smidgen more likely to vote for remain: 41% to 40%. | A snap YouGov poll for the Times found 39% thought leave had won it, over 34% for remain (and a bumper 17% who didn’t know). The same group of those polled were, however, still just a smidgen more likely to vote for remain: 41% to 40%. |
| What we learned | What we learned |
| I’m going to assume that regular readers and anyone who’s prised open an eyelid at any point during this referendum campaign can take a guess at the key points covered: | I’m going to assume that regular readers and anyone who’s prised open an eyelid at any point during this referendum campaign can take a guess at the key points covered: |
| As my colleague Andrew Sparrow neatly summed it up: “The exchanges bear so little relation to the questions that one wonders why [David] Dimbleby bothers to ask them.” | As my colleague Andrew Sparrow neatly summed it up: “The exchanges bear so little relation to the questions that one wonders why [David] Dimbleby bothers to ask them.” |
| Still, we did glean a few new things: | Still, we did glean a few new things: |
| I think Boris maybe misjudged this panel by talking about the Balkans because what he probably doesn’t know is that I was sent to the Balkans at the end of the Kosovo war as a reporter and I have never been more proud of being British in my life than watching British troops with a union jack on their arms, believing in something, pulling their weight, and helping in the European Union. That’s what caused me to join up and serve. I think I am the only one on this panel that has ever worn the Queen’s uniform. | I think Boris maybe misjudged this panel by talking about the Balkans because what he probably doesn’t know is that I was sent to the Balkans at the end of the Kosovo war as a reporter and I have never been more proud of being British in my life than watching British troops with a union jack on their arms, believing in something, pulling their weight, and helping in the European Union. That’s what caused me to join up and serve. I think I am the only one on this panel that has ever worn the Queen’s uniform. |
| Because the EU is in charge of our trade negotiations we cannot export haggis to America. | Because the EU is in charge of our trade negotiations we cannot export haggis to America. |
| I do just have to remind people that there are mums and dads and grans and grandads on this side as well. | I do just have to remind people that there are mums and dads and grans and grandads on this side as well. |
| Enjoyed making the positive case to stay in the EU on #BBCDebate. And yes - I did break my fast on stage #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/iKXLbUGeaD | Enjoyed making the positive case to stay in the EU on #BBCDebate. And yes - I did break my fast on stage #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/iKXLbUGeaD |
| What we didn’t | What we didn’t |
| The key exchange | The key exchange |
| Khan: Let’s deal with this big fat lie once and for all. Turkey isn’t about to join. And until three months ago, you knew that was the case, Boris Johnson … You are using the ruse of Turkey to scare people to vote to leave. | Khan: Let’s deal with this big fat lie once and for all. Turkey isn’t about to join. And until three months ago, you knew that was the case, Boris Johnson … You are using the ruse of Turkey to scare people to vote to leave. |
| Johnson: I’m a Turk! | Johnson: I’m a Turk! |
| Zinger of the night | Zinger of the night |
| Khan’s “Project Hate” accusation, levelled at Johnson, captured a lot of headlines: | Khan’s “Project Hate” accusation, levelled at Johnson, captured a lot of headlines: |
| Your campaign hasn’t been project fear, it’s been project hate as far as immigration is concerned. | Your campaign hasn’t been project fear, it’s been project hate as far as immigration is concerned. |
| But Johnson of course had a pre-prepared soundbite of his own: | But Johnson of course had a pre-prepared soundbite of his own: |
| This Thursday can be our country’s independence day! | This Thursday can be our country’s independence day! |
| The Remain campaign verdict | The Remain campaign verdict |
| Migration debate section reveals Leave are saying one thing to one audience and something else to another. Deceptive stuff. #BBCDebate | Migration debate section reveals Leave are saying one thing to one audience and something else to another. Deceptive stuff. #BBCDebate |
| That Ruth Davidson had done her homework before the EU debate. Boris Johnson hadn't. She reached out. He looked down. | That Ruth Davidson had done her homework before the EU debate. Boris Johnson hadn't. She reached out. He looked down. |
| The Leave campaign verdict | The Leave campaign verdict |
| No one better than @GiselaStuart, an immigrant, to combat ridiculous accusations that concern about immigration is hateful #BBCDebate | No one better than @GiselaStuart, an immigrant, to combat ridiculous accusations that concern about immigration is hateful #BBCDebate |
| Proud of @GiselaStuart @andrealeadsom & @BorisJohnson tonight. Message of common sense, optimism and confidence in our country. @vote_leave | Proud of @GiselaStuart @andrealeadsom & @BorisJohnson tonight. Message of common sense, optimism and confidence in our country. @vote_leave |
| You should also know | You should also know |
| Poll position | Poll position |
| So far this morning, there are no fresh forecasts, but expect numbers today from ComRes, Opinium and YouGov. There should also be a last-gasp Ipsos Mori poll on Thursday morning. | So far this morning, there are no fresh forecasts, but expect numbers today from ComRes, Opinium and YouGov. There should also be a last-gasp Ipsos Mori poll on Thursday morning. |
| Diary | Diary |
| Read these | Read these |
| It’s been pinging around Facebook, but now this piece by Martin Fletcher, a former foreign editor for the Times, has made its way to the New York Times: | It’s been pinging around Facebook, but now this piece by Martin Fletcher, a former foreign editor for the Times, has made its way to the New York Times: |
| For decades, British newspapers have offered their readers an endless stream of biased, misleading and downright fallacious stories about Brussels. And the journalist who helped set the tone – long before he became the mayor of London or the face of the pro-Brexit campaign – was Boris Johnson … | For decades, British newspapers have offered their readers an endless stream of biased, misleading and downright fallacious stories about Brussels. And the journalist who helped set the tone – long before he became the mayor of London or the face of the pro-Brexit campaign – was Boris Johnson … |
| He wrote about European Union plans to take over Europe, ban Britain’s favourite potato chips, standardise condom sizes and blow up its own asbestos-filled headquarters. These articles were undoubtedly colourful but they bore scant relation to the truth. | He wrote about European Union plans to take over Europe, ban Britain’s favourite potato chips, standardise condom sizes and blow up its own asbestos-filled headquarters. These articles were undoubtedly colourful but they bore scant relation to the truth. |
| Mr Johnson’s dispatches galvanised the rest of Britain’s highly competitive and partisan newspaper industry. They were far more fun than the usual dry, policy-driven Brussels fare. Editors at other newspapers, particularly but not exclusively the tabloids, started pressing their own correspondents to match Mr Johnson’s imaginative reports … | Mr Johnson’s dispatches galvanised the rest of Britain’s highly competitive and partisan newspaper industry. They were far more fun than the usual dry, policy-driven Brussels fare. Editors at other newspapers, particularly but not exclusively the tabloids, started pressing their own correspondents to match Mr Johnson’s imaginative reports … |
| The upshot is that Mr Johnson and his fellow Brexit proponents are now campaigning against the caricature of the European Union that he himself helped create. They are asking the British people to part with a monster about as real as the one in Loch Ness. | The upshot is that Mr Johnson and his fellow Brexit proponents are now campaigning against the caricature of the European Union that he himself helped create. They are asking the British people to part with a monster about as real as the one in Loch Ness. |
| Could Australia swing the EU vote, Julian Lorkin asks on the BBC website: | Could Australia swing the EU vote, Julian Lorkin asks on the BBC website: |
| With 1.2 million British nationals in Australia, and 250,000 in New Zealand, both the stay and leave camps are in full campaign mode half a world away from the UK. Southern hemisphere votes have the potential to swing the knife-edge referendum. | With 1.2 million British nationals in Australia, and 250,000 in New Zealand, both the stay and leave camps are in full campaign mode half a world away from the UK. Southern hemisphere votes have the potential to swing the knife-edge referendum. |
| Posters supporting both sides have sprouted in areas popular with UK residents. In some locations, such as Perth, up to 15% of the population was born in England … | Posters supporting both sides have sprouted in areas popular with UK residents. In some locations, such as Perth, up to 15% of the population was born in England … |
| Far more British expats live Down Under than elsewhere in the world. Only Spain, with 760,000, and the United States at 600,000 come close. As such they will wield considerable influence over whether the UK stays in the EU. | Far more British expats live Down Under than elsewhere in the world. Only Spain, with 760,000, and the United States at 600,000 come close. As such they will wield considerable influence over whether the UK stays in the EU. |
| Cathy Newman in the Telegraph says Theresa May is the one to watch should Cameron take a tumble on Friday: | Cathy Newman in the Telegraph says Theresa May is the one to watch should Cameron take a tumble on Friday: |
| May is truly the quiet woman of British politics. And I don’t mean that as an insult. There’s no shortage of loud-mouths soaking up the attention and hogging the airwaves during this rancorous EU referendum campaign. The home secretary, by contrast, has been reserved to the point of invisibility … | May is truly the quiet woman of British politics. And I don’t mean that as an insult. There’s no shortage of loud-mouths soaking up the attention and hogging the airwaves during this rancorous EU referendum campaign. The home secretary, by contrast, has been reserved to the point of invisibility … |
| Authority, though, is something May has in spades. The longest-serving home secretary for more than a century, she’s managed - in a department known for destroying reputations - to enhance hers. This is something of a miracle, particularly when you consider the government has failed to meet one of its central manifesto pledges on her watch: the promise to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands. | Authority, though, is something May has in spades. The longest-serving home secretary for more than a century, she’s managed - in a department known for destroying reputations - to enhance hers. This is something of a miracle, particularly when you consider the government has failed to meet one of its central manifesto pledges on her watch: the promise to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands. |
| Celebrity endorsement of the day | Celebrity endorsement of the day |
| Still undecided? Let a famous person persuade you. Actor Liam Neeson has said he’s for staying in: | Still undecided? Let a famous person persuade you. Actor Liam Neeson has said he’s for staying in: |
| A UK exit would have the worst ramifications for the island of Ireland … It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls … There is strength in unity. A Brexit vote will make us weak. | A UK exit would have the worst ramifications for the island of Ireland … It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls … There is strength in unity. A Brexit vote will make us weak. |
| Or how about King of Darts Bobby George? He’s for remain too. | Or how about King of Darts Bobby George? He’s for remain too. |
| And ex-footballer John Barnes came out fighting against claims by Michael Gove that he was a leaver – making what has been described by some as the most positive argument for immigration so far in this campaign: | And ex-footballer John Barnes came out fighting against claims by Michael Gove that he was a leaver – making what has been described by some as the most positive argument for immigration so far in this campaign: |
| Michael Gove says John Barnes is for Brexit, John Barnes calls us up and says absolutely not Michael Gove https://t.co/adA3QXzjWt | Michael Gove says John Barnes is for Brexit, John Barnes calls us up and says absolutely not Michael Gove https://t.co/adA3QXzjWt |
| The Channel 4 debate also chucks in a few leave celebs, with Selina Scott, DJ Mike Read (of Ukip calypso fame) and Gillian McKeith arguing for out. | The Channel 4 debate also chucks in a few leave celebs, with Selina Scott, DJ Mike Read (of Ukip calypso fame) and Gillian McKeith arguing for out. |
| The day in a tweet | The day in a tweet |
| Perhaps we could put it to a referendum? | Perhaps we could put it to a referendum? |
| All I want is a simple grand coalition headed by the dual premiership of @RuthDavidsonMSP and @SadiqKhan Is it SO DIFFICULT to arrange? | All I want is a simple grand coalition headed by the dual premiership of @RuthDavidsonMSP and @SadiqKhan Is it SO DIFFICULT to arrange? |
| If today were a film ... | If today were a film ... |
| It would be Independence Day. Either (if you’re for Brexit) the box office-busting original or (if you’re for staying or perhaps just very, very tired) the newly released sequel described by Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw as “planet-smashingly boring … on its way to crush our minds”. | It would be Independence Day. Either (if you’re for Brexit) the box office-busting original or (if you’re for staying or perhaps just very, very tired) the newly released sequel described by Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw as “planet-smashingly boring … on its way to crush our minds”. |
| And another thing | And another thing |
| Would you like to wake up to this briefing in your inbox every weekday (or as many weekdays as this campaign still has)? Sign up here. | Would you like to wake up to this briefing in your inbox every weekday (or as many weekdays as this campaign still has)? Sign up here. |
| Related: EU referendum morning briefing - sign up here | Related: EU referendum morning briefing - sign up here |