Immigration now just one point behind the economy as most important issue facing UK

[-:Undertaker:-]

Let me just get this correct: you believe that the EU and 'mass' immigration are bigger issues than the current state of unemployment?

The question of who governs Britain is above all else, absolutely. Whether or not we are an independent nation whose parliament is sovereign and who's constitution is respected along with the ability of Britons to remove an unpopular government of whom they disapprove is a matter of national pride and it's what millions have died for over the centuries.

Not to mention the fact that it's a knock on effect with so much - the over regulation that comes from Brussels prevents us from gaining economic growth, it prevents us from closing the borders which consquently then knocks on to youth unemployment and so on and so forth.

How on earth can you possibly know that unless you also poll 100% of the people to see what they think? That's just a nonsense figure pulled from nowhere

Agreed. You can only determine that if you have a statistical test to base it against or just check everything.

The weighting is based on past election turnout, that's how the scientific adjustments are made to any polling. But look, you can both dismiss polling all you want simply because you don't like some of the answers it provides us with - but pollsters predict very accurately election results with the exception of 1992.

There are debates sometimes within polling companies over what adjustments are needed, but these are very rare. A recent one that's opened up a divide between the likes of ICM/YouGov/IpsosMORI and Survation & Opinium has been whether to prompt UKIP and whether to weight their vote down based on 2010 results. We won't know ultimately which method is most accurate until Election day 2015 although local and by-election results suggest Survation and Opinium are on the money.

[FlyingJesus]

Oh I forgot that on election days we give detailed reports on what we believe to be the biggest issues in the country

[Ardemax]

The question of who governs Britain is above all else, absolutely. Whether or not we are an independent nation whose parliament is sovereign and who's constitution is respected along with the ability of Britons to remove an unpopular government of whom they disapprove is a matter of national pride and it's what millions have died for over the centuries.

Not to mention the fact that it's a knock on effect with so much - the over regulation that comes from Brussels prevents us from gaining economic growth, it prevents us from closing the borders which consquently then knocks on to youth unemployment and so on and so forth.

Ah yes... the EU is the cause of our high youth unemployment rates. The same EU which Germany is apart of (which experiences a 7.5% youth unemployment rate compared with the UK's 20.5%).

Do you believe we are incapable of cutting youth unemployment without leaving the EU? What 'magic' will leaving the EU do in creating jobs for young people?

[The Don]

Ah yes... the EU is the cause of our high youth unemployment rates. The same EU which Germany is apart of (which experiences a 7.5% youth unemployment rate compared with the UK's 20.5%).

Do you believe we are incapable of cutting youth unemployment without leaving the EU? What 'magic' will leaving the EU do in creating jobs for young people?

If anything it will be worse since we won't have guaranteed free trade within the huge eu market which will make business owners think twice about investing here and could force others to relocate.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Ah yes... the EU is the cause of our high youth unemployment rates. The same EU which Germany is apart of (which experiences a 7.5% youth unemployment rate compared with the UK's 20.5%).

You are trying to get me to say that the EU is the cause of ALL our problems and that by leaving it we'll turn into a utopia over night. I have never claimed this. What I have said is that it's important that we control our own destiny and that leaving the EU is only the start of solving many of our problems.

In terms of youth unemployment, see my answer below for example.

Do you believe we are incapable of cutting youth unemployment without leaving the EU? What 'magic' will leaving the EU do in creating jobs for young people?

Yes I do believe it's possible to lower youth unemployment without leaving the EU which is why i've argued for the abolition of the minimum wage on these boards before. There are many things that the government could do to solve these problems such as tax-free trade zones in areas with chronic unemployment yet they lack the guts to do anything radical like Thatcher did.

If anything it will be worse since we won't have guaranteed free trade within the huge eu market which will make business owners think twice about investing here and could force others to relocate.

Oh yes those same companies making threats that made exactly the same threats about relocating as they did when we came very close to joining the Euro. :rolleyes: They and the politicians take you for a fool.

As for free trade, erm yes we would. Are you even aware of what the EU withdrawal process would look like?

[The Don]

As for free trade, erm yes we would.

Could you please cite that? As i can't find anything which says the uk would be guaranteed free trade with the EU other than speculation and conjecture. This Article from the bbc seems to suggest otherwise.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21615868

[-:Undertaker:-]

Could you please cite that? As i can't find anything which says the uk would be guaranteed free trade with the EU other than speculation and conjecture. This Article from the bbc seems to suggest otherwise.

Because the United Kingdom is one of the biggest trading partners with the EU along with being the world's sixth or seventh biggest economy. We're also home to the world's number one financial centre. If the EU will sign FTA's with Mexico, Chile and Alabania then it'll sign one with us. Indeed we are in a very strong position and our position is only going to grow stronger - a FTA with the EU will be largely favourable to our terms.

In terms of how this would come about prior to an exit, the mechanism of article 50 in the Lisbon Treaty allows for a period of two years negotiation over deals/diplomacy in which all issues would be sorted.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21615868

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH the BBC interviewing the EU Trade Commissioner, such a balanced source of news. Well it must be true if the Beeb and EU Commission says so. Or have you quoted the wrong link?

Edit - they seem to be just discussing treaty change which (correct me if i'm wrong) you appear to have confused with treaties being made after Britain has left the EU. They're two entirely different scenarios/issues.

[The Don]

Because the United Kingdom is one of the biggest trading partners with the EU along with being the world's sixth or seventh biggest economy. We're also home to the world's number one financial centre. If the EU will sign FTA's with Mexico, Chile and Alabania then it'll sign one with us. Indeed we are in a very strong position and our position is only going to grow stronger - a FTA with the EU will be largely favourable to our terms.

In terms of how this would come about prior to an exit, the mechanism of article 50 in the Lisbon Treaty allows for a period of two years negotiation over deals/diplomacy in which all issues would be sorted.



OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH the BBC interviewing the EU Trade Commissioner, such a balanced source of news. Well it must be true if the Beeb and EU Commission says so.

Bit rich since the only source for yours in pure conjecture based on false comparisons.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Bit rich since the only source for yours in pure conjecture based on false comparisons.

Debunk what I have said then.

Are you seriously saying the EU would turn down a FTA with the UK and erect tariff barriers?

[The Don]

Debunk what I have said then.

Are you seriously saying the EU would turn down a FTA with the UK and erect tariff barriers?

I'm saying that's a possibility, yes. Saying something with conviction doesn't make it true and I find it laughable that you think the EU would let the UK leave and keep all the benefits of being in it which would open the floodgates with other countries following after. I also don't need to debunk an argument which is nothing more than an opinion based on pure speculation although I am more inclined to listen to the EU trade commissioner rather than you.