Stuff like marmite

[Gwylan]

What tosh! Apart from arrogantly assuming that your view on the EU is a majority view (which pretty much proves my point), just read through the UKIP, the 'Labour must be desperate' and the 'Last nail in the coffin for the Tories' threads and see the amount of vitriol generated. Marmite doesn't even come close!

My view on the EU is based on conversations with people, threads on her and opinion polls and I'll say it again: there are very few people who are fervently anti or fervently pro; most people will see both pros and cons. Personally, I waver being pro-membership and anti-membership almost daily and, it may be arrogant, but I do feel most people feel the same.

But your claim that people are 100% Tory or Labour is nonsense. Not a year ago, more than 80 Tory MPs rebelled against the EU - if MPs don't believe 100% in the party why should ordinary voters? And if MPs followed the party line so resolutely, why do they need to have whips? Ever since I've been following politics there have always been political rebels who go against the party line (and that applies to all parties), the claim that everyone supports one party unconditionally just isn't supported by reality

 

[GT49er]

My view on the EU is based on conversations with people, threads on her and opinion polls and I'll say it again: there are very few people who are fervently anti or fervently pro; most people will see both pros and cons.

But come the day, they're going to have to vote 'In' or 'Out' (assuming the politicians don't wriggle out of a referendum. There won't be an option for voting, "I'd like to be 60% in and 40% out, please".

Personally, I waver being pro-membership and anti-membership almost daily and, it may be arrogant, but I do feel most people feel the same.

Personally - yes, that's fine; it's your personal opinion. What you are not qualified to do is post on behalf of 'most of us'.

But your claim that people are 100% Tory or Labour is nonsense.

Again, they vote one way or the other. How many tory voters vote tory because they and they're families have always voted tory? No, I don't have figures, but it's quite a lot - and many of them will have always voted tory because they don't like socialism (as once advocated by the labour party). Similarly, there are many labour voters who vote labour because they don't like the tories. Policies hardly come into it; some people would vote for a poodle with a blue rosette on it, just as some would vote for one wearing red.

Not a year ago, more than 80 Tory MPs rebelled against the EU - if MPs don't believe 100% in the party why should ordinary voters? And if MPs followed the party line so resolutely, why do they need to have whips? Ever since I've been following politics there have always been political rebels who go against the party line (and that applies to all parties), the claim that everyone supports one party unconditionally just isn't supported by reality

They need whips in case the other side wins the argument. Oh, and I didn't say everyone supports one party unconditionally. Some people can take marmite or leave it, too!