Recent days provided plenty of new developements about the EU Referendum.

Putin gains from exit

The person with most to gain from Brexit is Putin, writes Liberal European Leader Guy Verhofstadt MEP in the Guardian.

More expert concern that Brexit is bad for investment

If you prefer video to written news, see this discussion between senior investors Anne Richards and Simon Smiles on the pound risk of Brexit, from Bloomberg News.

Another investment CEO, Richard Buxton, has warned of the danger of Breixt is deterring investment.

Stronger IN video exposes Exit’s double-speak

The Stronger IN campaign have published a video mocking the contradictory statements of Exit campaigners.

What would leaving the EU mean for our employment law?

Law firm Eversheds have published an e-briefing on what Brexit would mean for employment law in the UK:

“[T]he complexity and lack of precedent bring significant legal, financial, commercial uncertainties”

That means work for lawyers and costs for business.

Here are the bar charts…

Regions, Age Brackets, Education Level, Social Group and Party Support point to trends in support opposition for staying in, reports the Telegraph. Support for IN is strongest in Scotland, London and the North and weakest in East Anglia and the West Midlands, strongest among younger voters, supporters of the Lib Dems and other centre-left parties and graduates.  The Telegraph provides bar-charts.

Lib Dems only party for IN in the North East

In the North East, Labour and Tories have united to campaign for Brexit reports the local press. That means the Liberal Democrats will be the only party solidly campaigning for IN in that region.

More coverage of the threat to farmers

The threat of Brexit to famers has received further coverage in the FT (£).

Owen Patterson continues to be in denial about this, reports the Yorkshire Post.

DEFRA Secretary Liz Truss has said her department has made no plan for Brexit, reports the Scotsman.

Rudd and Hammond support IN

Energy Secretary Amber Rudd has admitted that there would be “unknown consequences” if the UK left the EU reports the Telegraph. In a comment that could have come from a Liberal Democrat, Ms Rudd said:

“[If you are outside of the EU] then you’re not in the room making the decisions in the same way and we’re not one of 27 influencers.”

Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond is backing staying in, reports the Evening Standard.

Benefit limits raise legal issues

The Independent reports that Cameron’s idea of limiting benefits to Europeans from outside Britain may be illegal if done in a “quick fix way”. Such a reform would not be illegal if confirmed by a Treaty change.

Labour’s past and present supporters split

Labour’s problem is that while most of it’s current voters support IN, the voters it has lost and needs to win back do not, shows academic Matthew Goodwin in the Telegraph.

Calls for Brexiter NI Secretary to Quit

Given the important of Europe to Northern Ireland,  it is little surprise that Northern Ireland political leaders are calling for Villiers to quit as Secretary of State if she campaigns for Exit, reports the Guardian.

Open Ireland border may be lost warns PM

The Irish Times reports Prime Minister Enda Kenny warning that Brexit may lead to return of border controls between Eire and NI.

Tory in-fighting

The Conservative Party continues to fight with itself over the referendum.  The latest claim is that anti-European ministers are being gagged (Telegraph). While some ministers are being put off the Leave campaign by its “mob” character, reports the Independent.

Scotland: old foes working together for common good

The Herald reports that in Scotland spin doctors who were on opposite sides in the IndyRef are working together for the EURef.

* 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.