Watched Branson interviewed on the BBC today saying that if the UK voted for Brexit then he was very worried as the UK would 'lose 500 million customers'. Err, no, they're not going anywhere and we're not going to turn in Cuba magically overnight. The absolute worse case scenario is that they would need to pay 4% more for UK goods and services in two years' time.

Totally in agreement. IF the UK do leave, France and Germany wont be too far behind.

Certainly popular sentiment is turning against the EU in both France (Front National) and to a lesser extent in Germany (Alternative für Deutschland) but I suspect the Swedes and Danes are more likely to agitate for their own referendums. Like us, they only really joined for free trade and also have never been emotionally invested in 'ever closer union'. The Swedes only voted to join the EU by a tiny margin after heavy top down political pressure in 1994 and rejected the Euro in 2004. The Danes have rejected both the EU Constitution in 2005 and a proposed Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement two months ago.

I think it's only the hard sceptics that are paranoid about "ever closer union" and I am hoping this referendum will put a lid on the last 40 years of moaning and complaining. BBC reported tonight that while other European states are starting to question some of the EU shortcomings, none are as antagonistic as the UK eurosceptic camp keeps making out. The EU has been a great success. Leaving a big common market for pie-in-the-sky international trade nirvana is madness. Pleased to see the polls are tipping towards IN this week.

If that's the case why haven't the UK, Sweden and Denmark joined the Euro and why haven't Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein joined at all? Those latter four countries all have access to the single market without membership of the EU. If the UK leaves and wrangles a half-decent deal out of the EU along the the same lines it would be easy to imagine Sweden and Denmark also departing for the reasons already stated. Even the Swedish financial minister has been quoted by the BBC as saying that Brexit could lead to the break-up of the European Union. It's not just the 'hard sceptics'; there's a vast difference of opinion between member states.

Norway is individually stinking rich by virtue of having half of north sea oil and a tiny population. Switzerland is stinking rich by virtue of their world leading cookoo clock & penknife industries (or money laundering if you're a cynic). If you're rich you don't want to be part of a sharing cooperative, you want your own house with a high wall and razor wire.

Liechtenstein is an anomaly, 30,000 people, and one of the last true monarchies.

Iceland is more interesting, I wonder if it's the fishing quotas keeping them out? However, with this population breakdown from wikipedia: 92.61% Icelandic, 3.36% Polish, 4.01% other maybe they don't even need to be in the EU to get their fill of polish plumbers.

The polls are in favour of remaining in the EU now since the Cox murder, I think the guy who killed her has created a reverse effect, shocking people into voting to stay.

The cookoo clock industry is Bavarian, not Swiss, them non-EU cuckoo clocks are from CHN, not CH.

It's all over. Things always seem to work out for Cameron one way or the other.

Remain have revealed their own hateful prejudices | Coffee House

Come on Stuart get involved...

Another day, another private members' club visit for Stuart Rose | Coffee House

I always get those lederhosen-wearers mixed up!

Now, I've been saying London should secede from the Uk for years. All those pesky Yorkies and brummies coming in and nicking our jobs...

EU Referendum: Would Brexit prompt London to go it alone? - BBC News

I wonder what the Peaky Blinders view is.

Not clear on that Bristol

Come the end of this week your world will be 'topsy turvy' whether its an in or out of the EU, is that it?

If you wouldn't mind expanding your post above as to what it is to you today personally on a Brexit or stay in the EU vote?

Not quite topsy turvy but could be significant.

I've made a couple of comments either in this thread or another.

There are possible long term implications - if I resurrected the idea of living in Spain; ease of travelling within Europe; effect on economy that might affect me if I returned; potentially a large impact on my income in Canada - UK civil service pension - if the £ takes a similar drop to the previous one. Even those in favour of leaving consider it will fall. It may recover of course but that's not making up for the $250 a month I'd lose in the meantime.

Possible implications regarding uprating of frozen state pensions - there's already a proposal to change it and remove the discrepancy.

And a trivial one - maybe something can be done to address the imbalances within British football (including the Bosman) without it falling foul of EU employment laws

Bristol @ post#343

Thanks for that, not sure I understand if it changes anything from the way it is today should it be a 'remain in the EU vote'?

On a Brexit, its anyone's guess, all the crystal ball gazers could just flip a coin, or do the 'I told you so', right down to 'didn't we get that one wrong again'.

On your comment on a Brexit that it may screw up any future plans to live in Spain, then again, its anyone's guess & who knows what will happen on a Brexit

On the 'uprated pensions', do you personally really believe that will ever happen?

I think this is how it will go down too, there was an interesting article on a Swedish MEP that sums it up quite well:

Brexit EARTHQUAKE: Brussels fatcats fears as Swedish MEP suggests 'UK-Nordic trading bloc' | Express Comment | Comment | Daily Express