E U Referendum And Immigration

[ChillDoubt]

So, which of the 'main parties' is going to take notice of the electorate and make an EU referendum and the immigration question their top 2 priorities in the coming weeks and months?

P.S. I hope Clegg has the common sense to book his Pickford's van nice and early, no time like the present.

[youngmafbog]

Well it wont be the Lib dems. As for Labour I doubt Milliband will want to tackle the problem and Dave well....

And if any did promise, would you trust them to keep their word or would they just weasel out of it?

[anotheoldgit]

Until immigration becomes a threat to their lifestyle, they will do nothing.

[Gromit]

The Conservatives have promised a referendum in 2017, not sure what more they can offer.

Wot, you don't beleve them?

[Gromit]

// Until immigration becomes a threat to their lifestyle, they will do nothing.//

Immigration keeps wages low and therefore higher profits for business. Which is why the Conservatives' hands are tied. They are the party of business, and business wants a cheap workforce.

Can't help but think Labour are missing a trick here. They bleat constantly about the minimum wage, but high immigration keeps the minimum wage low (and the illegal sub minimum wage even lower).

The LibDems are now officially dead ducks.

[emmie]

no one will -

[ChillDoubt]

The Conservatives have promised a referendum in 2017, not sure what more they can offer.

Wot, you don't beleve them?
-------------------
LOL, no it's not that, it's just that I thought it a tad presumptuous to make such a promise when they have a bigger hurdle to negotiate in spring 2015.

[emmie]

2017 is a long way off and there is no guarantee that Cameron will be in office, or leader of his party, so they can promise all they like, don't make it so.

[youngmafbog]

No, I dont believe them Gromit. They have said a reforendum if they are not able to broker a better deal

It would be too easy to negotiate virtually nothing and hold that up as ok we dont need one now.

[dunnitall]

Can't believe any of them will give us a referendum and as for curbing immigration (if that's what they are saying), don't make me laugh, they won't do that and probably "not allowed" to under EU dictatorship rules!

[jim360]

I thought that#s what David Cameron was trying to do. Didn't do him much good, it seems. Indeed while we are speaking of the LibDems getting slaughtered they've lost only one more councillor than the Conservatives have (albeit with rather fewer to start with). It may be too late for the main parties to "promise" a referendum. They may have to actually set a fixed date for it if they want people to believe it.

[jim360]

(statement about number of councillors lost accurate as I typed -- results are obviously still coming in).