Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

British support for staying in the European Union has tumbled over the past four months as an influx of migrants into Europe has pushed many voters towards opting for an exit, the Ipsos MORI pollster said on Thursday.

Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking to renegotiate relations with the bloc it joined in 1973 ahead of a referendum on membership by the end of 2017.

In one of the starkest illustrations to date of how the migrant crisis may be polarising British views of Europe, an Ipsos MORI poll showed 52 percent of Britons would vote to stay in the EU, down from a record 61 percent in June.

Support for a British exit rose to 39 percent, the highest level since 2012, up from 27 percent in June. That more than halves the "in" lead to 13 percentage points from 34 points in June.

"We know that immigration has been the big issue over the summer and that has been partly driven by all the stories about migration from Syria and other places into Europe and the refugee crisis," Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said by telephone.

"This is part of what is driving this," he added.

Cameron has said that he wants to argue for Britain to stay inside the EU if he gets the changes he wants from other European leaders.

But British public opinion on Europe is volatile: In 2012, Ipsos polling showed more Britons wanted to leave than stay. That has since switched around but polling shows immigration is now voters' top concern.

A British exit would shake the Union to its core, ripping away its second largest economy and one of its top two military powers.

Pro-Europeans warn an exit from the EU would hurt Britain's economy and could trigger the break-up of the United Kingdom by prompting another Scottish independence vote, while opponents of EU membership say Britain would prosper outside.

Over half of Britons said they could be persuaded to change their mind about membership.

Until Cameron has a deal, his government is refusing to back either the domestic "in" or "out" campaigns which launched over the past few weeks.

The most popular of Cameron's proposed changes include bringing powers back to Britain, restricting free movement of labour and cutting benefits for EU migrants.

Just 37 percent of voters are confident he will secure a good deal, Ipsos said.

A majority of Britons now favour leaving the European Union amid concerns over immigration, according to an opinion poll.

The survey, by polling firm Survation for the Mail on Sunday, found that if a referendum was held tomorrow 51% would vote to quit the EU against 49% who would vote to remain.

The findings contrast with a previous comparable poll carried out in July which gave the "in" camp a 54% to 46% advantage.

The survey is likely to set alarm bells ringing in Downing Street ahead of David Cameron's promised referendum, which is due to take place by the end of 2017.

Britain is edging towards the EU exit door, according to the latest poll that shows the UK's future membership of the 28-state bloc is too close to call.

The ICM poll - the first since the referendum question was changed two weeks ago to make it less biased - gives the 'In' campaign just a 3-per-cent lead over those who want to leave, down from a much larger margin of 11 per cent before the change.

It comes after a poll earlier this week showed the 'Out' camp in the lead by 51 per cent to 49 per cent - the first time a majority of British voters have backed leaving the EU.

It shows 17 per cent of people are undecided and with a number of influential public figures yet to say which side they would be campaigning on - including the new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and London Mayor Boris Johnson, the referendum could easily swing either way.

Don't know where you get your figures from Haystack but everywhere i look it's pointing to an out vote .....

my gut feeling is that you're right jimmy, though i wouldn't be surprised if that changes on the day

It's a long way away so it will depend on what the mood is at the time i guess .
If we are still being flooded with immigrants then i think folk will vote out .

it's the wrong reason for voting out, but that as may be

I got fed up with all the laws being made by the EU , and yes i don't want an open door to the rest of Europe ,we had a controlled immigration before 1993 and it worked just fine .

I am looking forward to being out of the EU and a colony of the Chinese.

Look out James there coming on bikes now
This link is for jumperless Jimmy http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34602208

Stan,

And in flying saucers!

They are everywhere!

All over the place.

8-)

This is true -):

Jimmy

This is one source of the figures.

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/

Look down the page and you will find the ICM polls. You can find various others on the interweb, such as MORI etc.

Cheers Hays , they are all very different .Who knows what will happen nearer the time .
I still think we may vote out .

On balance I would like to leave, but I think we will stay due to fear. I am happy with the Common Market aspect but I don't want ever closer political union leading inevitably to federalism.

A very tasteless publisher has brought out a Where's Wally style book to find MH370

germany - economic asylum seekers
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/11945890/Germany-to-deport-economic-migrants-in-military-transport-planes.html?ref=yfp

sorry but i don't know how to set that as a proper link
anyway, the article is well worth reading, with a slight caveat that it comes via the telegraph, and of course its political stance is very well known

in a nutshell, germany's great philanthropic open-door policy for all refugees whether political or economic is suddenly in reverse ...... economic and asylum-refusals are no longer welcome and will apparently be deported in droves

we in uk always grizzle at the lack of action against asylum-refusals, but germany has exactly the same problem, but on a larger scale

Stop winding Jimmy no jumper up Alf.

Re-lighting of Germany to their 1933 period of enlightenment!

Reminds me of Oswald Mosleys early days.


Always believe in the needs and purity of one's own race.

I wonder what race will have me!

The underwater boat race

ps Fred and Stan would make two good whores