We can go back to our former elegant dark blue and gold passports perhaps........

A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers

I think that if we vote out, there will be a lot of disappointed people, when the UK essentially leaves the EU but addresses none of the issues they have in regards to the EU.

We'll still be part of the European Convention on Human Rights, and have the European Court as a legal arbitrator.

We'll still have EU working migration because the benefits to the corporate entities that UK governments represent will still have the same influence (which was the case even before the EU or Common Market existed).

The UK will likely end up an EU Trade Partner with a series of agreements that essentially mean we're part of the EU.

It'll cause a schism in the Conservative party same as it did in the 80s and 90s.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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Thing is, this aspect is never going to change either, because the driving force behind cheap migrant labour are corporate interests of the UK. And the government isn't going to move to prevent companies taking advantage of this, through fear of overshoring (the UK is very dependent on foreign business and investment - as you point out with the import export figures).

People seem to be tied into this idea that 'leaving the EU' will result in the UK 'taking back its borders', sending back 'foreign migrant workers' and 'stopping people coming here' - which simply isn't the case. This migration hasn't been because 'everyone wants to live here' its very cost effective for business on wages, a massive boost for private landlords and financially attractive to residents in the poorer EU countries.

That won't change. Especially given that the UK is dependent on international corporations in terms of employment.

The problem is that the membership of the EU in terms of economy, trade and migration aren't really going to be affected, at least in the short term, by an exit or stay vote (other than impacts on the stock market) - for the most part it'll make no recognisable difference - Companies will still exploit cheap labour markets and negotiate trade on the basis of mutual best interests.

Voting exit, because you want 'less foreigners long term in the UK' is as stupid as the idea that suddenly business between the EU and UK will cease. Same as the ideas on 'sovereignty'

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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Jamie - with respect this response is nonsense.

Just like when you go on holiday, your kids have a party and it gets out of hand, you return and turf out the gate crashers and restore order.

For the last 20 years, the UK has been acting like the above analogy.

If we vote out I will be surprised if we don't adopt the same strategy as Australia... a points based immigration system which we will be able to control, just like Australia does. We will be able to control our borders.... we cannot now because of EU law.

With respect – your post is utter rubbish.
Entire neighbourhoods have changed massively since the Eastern European countries joined the EU.
There are now over 1 million Poles alone who have moved to the country in the past 12 years. (let alone all the other nationalities).
That’s 1 million people who were not living here before 2004.

Get it? These Polish weren’t here before Poland joined the EU, they are here now!

So to say that by leaving the EU will make no difference to the amount of people who move here is possibly the most ridiculous thing I have heard on this site Jamie.

Years ago people used to say that in London the streets were paved in gold. Now people say the streets are paved with Poles!

As for cooperate interests – if you asked a large corporation if they wish to pay tax – they would say no! if you asked a large corporation if they wanted to adhere to paying the minimum wage – they would say no! what’s in the interests of large corporations is not always in the interests of the British people.

"It feels much better than it ever did, much more sensitive." John Wayne Bobbit

What I'm saying is regardless of the vote, in or out, without radical change in government, there will be no change. Corporate interests drive the EU, and they drive the UK.

Oddly, if I thought it would result in an outcome that reduced the competition for wages in the lower working classes, I'd be first in line to vote 'out'.

I don't disagree that the EU Freedom of Movement resulted in a massive disruption in the flow of migration. Problem is that is a symptom of a problem, which benefits probably the most influential lobby group in the UK - Business interests - and these interests have just as much influence over the UK government as the EU, probably more.

Exiting the EU won't change those influences, and their ability to leverage government (bear in mind these interests are the economy and employment in the UK). All that will happen is 'more of the same' with a different name.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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With respect, Kerms, I think you're muddying the waters a bit there.

If we left the EU (though I have yet to see any detail on what would happen) I assume a qualified dentist would have no trouble getting in on a working visa in any case.

I think it's important to separate the "I hate foreigners" brigade (which exists, I fully admit) from the "I think they should not have an automatic right to come in and work" argument. I don't think (although, again, I've yet to see anyone actually make a bloody argument with some details) anyone is advocating locking the border and not allowing anyone in, more that the UK should have the right to accept or decline people entry as it sees fit, rather than being forced to accept people based on which country they come from.

Still firmly on the fence - I'll have an @rse full of splinters before June!

To put the tin lid on it, my best mate lives in Spain (and has done for years) and I don't know where a brexit would leave him and his family either.

Hopefully someone, at some point, will actually have some sort of debate that doesn't just end up as a "you're all racists" versus "you want to be ruled by Brussels" argument. I won't be holding my breath though

And of course the cries of "Little Englanders" and all that hogwash.

Well yes, if you suddenly removed 650,000 people from employment, inflation would likely go wild. Any transfer would need to be graduated over probably a decade, or subsidised by the state replacing workers from the unemployed on a one to one basis (with subsidisation for the worker).

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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Quite a bit, as we saw with Scottish Independence - in the run up to the referendum. Fear, nonsense and hyperbole will be bouncing around for the next four or five months, with both sides feeding on the paranoia, and ultimately, it'll result in zero change. Even if we do go 'out', in likelihood the actual reality will be minimal change, a few cosmetic gestures and business as usual.

I'm leaning more towards an out than an in. Whilst there are elements of the EU and membership that appeal to me, the EU exists primarily as a means of exerting Corporate pressure on other countries, including member states (things like TTIP, Tax sheltering, EU trade regulations and Freedom of Movement seriously concern me as they represent unaccountable interests).

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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