EURef: G20 warning, Cabinet trade report, UBS £:€ advice, Chinese expect Tory coup, and Ceredigion is definitely IN…

G20 countries say Brexit would be bad news for the world economy, says George Osborne in the Independent (video).

A Cabinet Office report says it would take years, perhaps a decade, to replace trade agreements if the UK were to leave the EU.

Gibraltar has passed its legislation to take part in the referendum.  Gibraltar is part of the UK for purposes of EU membership so we remain or leave together, although like Scotland it may be that a UK exit would lead Gibraltar to review its relationship with the UK.

Bank UBS are advising clients that the risk of IN losing the referendum is currently 40%. They go on the advise, as HSBC and Goldman Sachs have done, to expect a sharp fall in the pound’s value if Brexit happens.  Those two other banks have said to expect a 20% drop.  UBS think the Euro pound will fall from €1.27 (already significantly lower than recent times) to €1.  That would be a massive blow to pensioners, consumers of imported goods and anyone booking a holiday, among others.

Iain Duncan-Smith has accused the Prime Minister (and by implication IN campaigners generally) of having a “low opinion of the British people”.

This is a common attack by OUT speakers at public meetings who tend to suggest that any praise for Europe amounts to a diminuniton of Britain.  Ways to tackle this include making the point “I am British and European and proud to be both” or “we are a great country, but so are many of our neighbours in Europe and by working together we are greater still and can achieve more.”

Be careful around free movement.  If you say that European workers have filled gaps in our economy some people hear that as a criticism of British workers or that we do not care for the latter.  It is worth pointing out that EU workers pay 33% more take than they draw on public services so there are more jobs and better public services for British workers because we have an open economy.

Chinese media outlet Xinhua reports that Tory MPs are threatening to call a leadership election against David Cameron.

Lib Dem Ceredigion is apparently the least Eurosceptic place in the country.

John Rentoul has a roundup of campaign clichés we are suffering so far.

* Antony Hook was #2 on the South East European list in 2014, is the English Party's representative on the Federal Executive and produces this sites EU Referendum Roundup.

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6 Comments

  • “although like Scotland it may be that a UK exit would lead Gibraltar to review its relationship with the UK”

    What makes you say this? Gib is very unlikely to leave the protection the UK, not least because it would be cut off again from a hostile Spain if that were to be the case.

  • @LibDemVoice Admins – I hope that there can be an article from a LibDem who actually wants to leave the EU, after endless pro-EU ones – thank you, indeed.

  • Malcolm Todd 1st Mar '16 - 4:52pm

    Philip – why don’t you write one, and submit it? LDV doesn’t have staff writers, you know.

  • If a fall in the pound against the Euro is bad news for pensioners (why?), consumers of imported goods, and outbound holidaymakers is it not equally good news for British exporters and incoming tourists?

  • @Antony

    Please. Tell me how unfettered immigration from Eastern Europe has helped the British working class or how this has not made social housing much more difficult to obtain.

  • Simon Banks 8th Mar '16 - 2:55pm

    Well, Antony, the British working class eats fruit that would rot if it weren’t for immigrant workers. Just for a start. It’s members are cared for in hospitals that would be in deep trouble but for immigrants, including from Eastern Europe. Also I do not admire people who care only about people in their own neck of the woods and not at all for anyone outside it.

    Oh, by the way – I’m disappointed. I thought that “Chinese expect Tory coup” meant the Chinese had information that the Tories would lose the next general election and then attempt a military coup.

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