buctootim

Unusually both Pompey and Plymouth have (slightly) better away records than home so if anything Pompey have the advantage in the second match.

I think you have to look at whether people have something to gain from expressing an opinion. When CEOs of retailers, coffee shops and call centres say we should stay its clearly because they want cheaper labour and the idea that they would close down and leave the UK market if we were outside the EU is ridiculous. Similarly you can disregard the politicians - they mostly have no background or education in the issues they pontificate about. You do though, imo, have to give more credibility to people like the IMF, Bank of England who have no particular axe to grind and to companies who rely on free access to markets - like the car manufacturers.

Im not saying she is necessarily accurate. A lot of the debate here has been about nebulous things like "sovereignty" with the economic consequences portrayed as a price worth paying. Im interested genuinely in how much people would be prepared to give up in order to leave. 1% of income? 5%? 20%. I understand your argument is slightly different because you think you will benefit economically from leaving. I got to say I think you're wrong. Im old enough to remember the 1980s recession - there were almost no EU immigrants but a **** of a lot of unemployment and rock bottom wages. Leaving the EU will probably leave you worse off imo. The migrant labour will disappear, but so will the jobs.

The IMF says the economic cost of leaving would be between "pretty bad to very, very bad". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36284200 I wonder how many of remain would accept "pretty bad" as a price worth paying but would baulk at "very very bad"

Issuing a NI number is not a reliable indication of immigration. An NI number is a prerequisite to working, so its the first thing people will do when they arrive seeking work. Many will return home.

3/10 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33556085

Lasrgely because we are duplicitous and hypocritical. We also have a tendency to blame the EU for the results of domestic policy.

More than anyone could ever wish to know about fallacies

It may or may not be a fallacy, no-one knows. It could be more, it could be less.

and whether making batches of products to different standards would make any economic sense. Generally it makes more sense to mass produce to a single standard.

And most of that 25% are related to the single market - food safety and labelling, car emissions etc. Exactly the kind of stuff we would still need to have in order to trade with the EU.

Must be sweet for him getting Oxford promoted above Skates after being vilified there.

Commissioners dont run the EU. All of their recommendations have to be approved by the elected European Parliament and by the Council of Ministers (usually the Prime Ministers). For most issues there is also a national veto. Of course growth is slower in Europe than poorer countries. Thats what happens when you have globalisation - capital flows to where labour is cheapest. Thats not an EU issue, but the economic doctrine we follow.

I think the its set up more to get more people from minority ethnic backgrounds seeing the possibility of a career in the BBC and applying for jobs in the first place. Its isnt about giving jobs to weaker candidates, its about increasing the volume of job applications. I would hope they also have a programme to attract more people from a working class background, as its also seen as very middle class.

So the EU is a joke and we should govern ourselves, but the British Government cant be trusted. The EU tells us all what to do, but EU countries are choosing their own defence budgets. Europe is not a successful economic region, but its the wealthiest continent on Earth, by far. Glad you're clear.

Err, yes. Its set up to address the fact that the ethnic makeup of employees in the media doesnt reflect that in the population as a whole. It would be a bit ironic if a scheme to address lack of minority ethnic entrants to the BBC was filled up with whites. If you want a society that isnt like Molenbeek its important that people have access to employment. Remember these are unpaid internships, not paid jobs.

The German / French axis has had a disproportionate influence in Europe for decades - but thats definitely on the wane. The political landscape within the EU is shifting as France moves right and with the newer members becoming more assertive. Germany is the biggest country, but still only one of 28 members with 12% of MEPs.

Thats a nil sum game. Im sure there are three bomber crews who risked their lives and want to remain in the EU. As Whitey says, pointless bringing it up.

You're dreaming if you think we're going to have a better back up than a Dutch international with 54 caps. He was brought in to cover for Forster's injury and we'll be lucky if he agrees to stay on as No2.

It was a totally bizarre claim - and counter productive too I imagine.

Sure, I accept he may have meant "a few" - ie three. I have no problem with VvD, just the way some fans expectations of 'loyalty' are manipulated.

What do you call it when a player says he'll only stay two more years two days after signing a six year contract? Bad memory? change of mind? Haggling for a raise and a new contract?

Bit tardy. We all started last August.

0.2/10. Glasgow standard

"Here for a couple more years.... " Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk: "Our teamwork was fantastic and a little bit of quality from Steven Davis with two amazing goals. A great win, especially looking at the European qualification places. "Fraser Forster is an amazing goalie and he showed it at the end. A great save late on and a great win. On signing a new six-year deal: "I think Saints is a great club with a lot of ambition and it's on a lift. It's perfect for me to have signed a new deal and I'll be here for a couple more years." Not unexpected, but makes clear a six year deal is mainly about club PR. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/35945708