Both EU referendum campaigns have been suspended since Thursday afternoon and look to be halted until Monday. Given the proximity to polling day, we’re in uncharted waters here.
Given what happened on Thursday, there was no choice. The tone of the campaign had become unbearably hateful, and in light of an MP being murdered in the street, there was simply no way to continue as it was. If Farage had that “Breaking Point” poster, one whose similarity to a particular piece of Nazi propaganda was no doubt unintentional but given it was trying to make the same point as the Nazi piece that’s somewhat immaterial, unveiled a week out, we can only be thankful that we’ll never get to find out what was on the grid for the final stretch. The death of Jo Cox changed all that. Suddenly the hatred seems what it was all along – in incredibly bad taste.
The Leave campaign are now in a very difficult spot. The hardcore immigration stuff, which when it was utilised a few weeks ago, was clearly nothing more than the equivalent of the keeper hoofing it up to the opposite goal in the hope that it would deflect off someone’s knee, worked far better than anyone on that campaign would have ever thought possible. So they pressed that button as hard as they could – which makes sense in pure campaigning terms. We were headed for a strong Remain win when you look back at late-May. The immigration stuff suddenly made a Brexit win not only possible but likely.
After Thursday, Nazi propaganda seems like less of a good technique. But it’s very hard to change tack at this stage. Judging the tone at present is very difficult, and getting it wrong could mean it’s all over. I’m glad it’s not my call to make.
We will leave the EU, as long as the vote isn’t rigged. The people will not be fooled by the neoliberal elite trying to capitalise on this woman’s death and recreate a Princess Diana moment. The scenes on TV exaggerate the emoting over this. The fact is, politicians like Jo Cox, epitomise everything that’s wrong with European politics. They ignore the working class, look down on them and call them names, because they object to having their homeland flooded with invaders. At least the native americans were allowed to defend themselves.
For most of our history, politicians like Jo Cox would have been viewed as traitors. It’s unfortunate this happened to her and I feel for her kids. I see Jo Cox as a victim in all this , too, because she was brainwashed by the system to hate the indigenous Europeans and support the misguided, idealistic ideologies of multiculturalism, multiracialism and progressivism in general. It’s an unholy alliance of virtue signalling liberals and neoliberalism. At its core, it’s all about opening up markets so the rich get richer.
There is nothing morally wrong with not wanting your country to be covered with mosques, to be influenced by Islam, or to have your women raped by invading third world hordes.
I’m a left-winger and I’m voting leave. It’s not right-wing to oppose capitalism.
“For most of our history, politicians like Jo Cox would have been viewed as traitors.”
I think that’s the vilest online comment I’ve seen about Jo Cox’s death.
The man who killed Jo cox gives his name as ” death to trators freedom for Britain ” my votes has now changed to stay. I don’t want to live in Farages Britain
Lee Rigby, Jo Cox, both victims of vile,hate filled murder.
However you want to dress it up, be it mental health,loan wolf, Islamic extremism,the one common denominator is hate.
Hate breeds hate, and I will continue to vote remain, and through talking to friends and family , they to will continue to vote remain.
Hopefully,as a country, we will not vote for hate, we will vote for humanity, and the economic good of our country. A country that in 2016, represents everything that is good in the world.
The sun never set on the British Empire, as a country we invaded and imposed our religion , in the form of Christian missionaries, on countries such as, Africa, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, the list is endless.
The world has changed, our country has changed, a change which is better suited for the world in which we share.
If we want to continue to have a voice in Europe and the world, then we need to be included, and not put ourselves aside and be the “loan wolf” of the world.
To want to recreate 20th century England is a nonsense, we do not live in the 20th century. We live in the 21st century. Look forward,vote remain, vote for humanity.
The upcoming referendum is about the future… our children’s, children’s future. It isn’t about Boris, Nigel… or David.
I hope that Britain votes to Leave the EU on the 23rd June… not because I’m a racist, right wing, neo nazi, hate mongering Islamophobic Christian… and it’s certainly not because I want to hold true to any left-wing, anti-establishment roots. It’s because I feel that an independent Britain will fair stronger in the future, I believe that the EU is manipulated by large multinational companies and financial organisations, which, at the end of the day are only interested in lining the pocket of their shareholders.
My father, who sadly passed away last year, always felt as though he’d been conned into joining the EEC, conned into voting for a free trade community. He didn’t vote for ANYTHING else.
I’ve just upgraded by mobile phone contract…. I know how many minutes I get, I know how many texts I can send and I know how much data I have…. If my carrier decides to change my plan… I have two choices… whinge and do nothing but accept the changes… or leave and get a better deal. I want a better deal for Britain – historically neither blue nor red have been able to negotiate one for us… and with more nations on the cusp of joining… we’re unlikely to ever get one.
When Lee Rigby was attacked and murdered… the crime had been committed by two extremist nutters… it is wrong to judge an entire race, culture or religion by the acts of an infinitesimal number of people… just as it is wrong to label pro-leave an UKIP supporters with either a hate or racist moniker.
Education
Health Service
Economy
Sovereignty
Immigration
Taxation
Welfare
Old age
Savings
Trade
There are many debatable issues to consider… Some we’ll no doubt be better off being IN, others we’ll no doubt be better off being OUT. Depending on your own personal circumstances your benefits could be different to mine, or your friends… or even your own family members
Thanks Nick
The key to In/Out is whether you think that Out has a credible economic plan, or you think that any amount of economic pain is ok to gain some abstract sovereignty “back” again.
I don’t believe either: Out clearly has no plan- they can’t agree amongst themselves whether to be in the single market (with bugger all control and free movement essential) or on a WTO basis and crash the services sector which the UK heavily relies on.
On sovereignty, the essential difference between now and 1648 is that Westphalian states (ironically in Europe) have found that sharing sovereignty in some areas (there is no euro army or euro income tax) is more effective than (not very) splendid isolation. On Brexiters’ definition, North Korea is the world’s most sovereign country- hardly much of a bloody role model. Moreover, the UK can always leave later should it want to- but in the meantime we can shape the euro debate, not grumble from the sidelines.
The choice is therefore clear to me: the UK dhould be leading in Europe, at a time that Europe desperately needs it, not leaving in a huff.