tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post5729804481652484978..comments2023-12-02T00:59:10.380+01:00Comments on England Expects: Labour taking the option?Gawain Towlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08583658895528269901noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post-84786421223885132952011-02-22T12:52:42.750+01:002011-02-22T12:52:42.750+01:00There is sufficient cross-party agreement between ...There is sufficient cross-party agreement between the main parties' leaderships in favour of EU membership for them to start rigging the referendum game now. The actual referendum campaign itself will only be the home straight for a process begun long before. Propaganda is a long game and the most effective is absorbed without realising it.<br /><br />Don't forget that the Electoral Commission itself is something of a player rather than merely an umpire. It has a statutory duty to "inform" people about the institutions of the EU.<br /><br />An in/out referendum will only be called when they are as certain as they can be that the vote will be for "in" - just as Mr. Wilson was in 1975. I remember him smugly putting down a heckler with "We will accept the democratic decision of the British people. Will you?". He knew he had it stitched up.<br /><br />I covered the techniques of manipulation in an article I wrote when we were expecting a referendum on the Euro back around 2000 . It appeared in Euro-Realist a few months ago with a new foreword. If anyone wants a copy, I will be pleased to send it.Edward Spaltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168350315689612490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post-76777485974898815752011-02-19T19:47:39.126+01:002011-02-19T19:47:39.126+01:00It will never ever happen....in the Labour Party o...It will never ever happen....in the Labour Party or anywhere else.Jack Savagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09080676066827852249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post-587907374958462032011-02-19T18:35:27.090+01:002011-02-19T18:35:27.090+01:00Would anybody believe any manifesto promise of a r...Would anybody believe any manifesto promise of a referendum on the EU (from anyone other than UKIP) anyway?<br /><br />Once bitten...<br /><br />I'd believe it if they were to make manifestos legally binding contracts. Until then...<br /><br />Would be good for Labour in terms of making the Conservative Party squirm, though.TTChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06481597495643361622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post-51286508457988473722011-02-19T17:51:13.227+01:002011-02-19T17:51:13.227+01:00Never thought about myself as a boil before, pustu...Never thought about myself as a boil before, pustulating or not.<br /><br />A yes vote win of 0.5% would be perceived by the political class as set in stone, a No vote win of less than 8% would be perceived as opportunity for another go.Gawain Towlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08583658895528269901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post-1025462310941242512011-02-19T17:46:13.112+01:002011-02-19T17:46:13.112+01:00Tbh, I don't think this is a referendum the Eu...Tbh, I don't think this is a referendum the Europhiles could win, that said, it's a nasty one to throw at iDave and co.Quiet_Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09575652127079681825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10701792.post-50374046463099766252011-02-19T17:04:24.927+01:002011-02-19T17:04:24.927+01:00If such a referendum were won by a 55/45 majority,...If such a referendum were won by a 55/45 majority, it wouldn't in any sense "lance the boil", and would create pressure for another one.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.com