Leave message: John Mann: We can create a more equal society if we Leave.
Remain message: Remain makes travel easier/cheaper.
Cut through: Boris interested in power, not Brexit.
Leave social media count: 474,264 likes, 56,624 followers.
Remain social media count: 465,727 likes, 36,696 followers.
Odds: Remain 1/3, Leave 14/5
Latest poll: Remain 43% (+2), Leave 42% (-3) (YouGove, online). Poll of Polls is now Remain 51%, Leave 49%.
Farage said we won’t be bullied by Juncker:
Nigel Farage: We won't be bullied by Jean-Claude Juncker #ITVEURef https://t.co/3Xnyaxu1xQ
— ITV News (@itvnews) June 7, 2016
And he brought a prop:
Nigel Farage: This should be a British passport #ITVEURef https://t.co/9rDDJLvz6a
— ITV News (@itvnews) June 7, 2016
This was Cameron’s toughest moment:
Man who voted for Cameron tells the truth – we cannot control immigration from inside the EU #ITVEURef #VoteLeavehttps://t.co/cD5fAKZCkj
— Vote Leave (@vote_leave) June 7, 2016
Cameron still doesn’t have a line on immigration – these questions reflect genuine public concern about strain on public services. Hard to paint them as Little Englanders.
Footage has emerged of Jeremy Corbyn applauding the leader of the Communist Party of Britain for refusing to toast the Queen. It happened at the Oxford Union in 2013, when Tory MP Andrew Rosindell told the audience that Communist general secretary Robert Griffiths “didn’t toast the Queen prior to the debate this evening”. Corbyn, who was sitting next to Griffiths, responded by joining a small number of republican audience members in enthusiastically clapping his comrade. Put on a proper suit, do up your tie and toast Her Majesty…
On Friday Guido revealed the BBC had offered Nigel Farage a panel debate with Nicola Sturgeon in front of an under-30 audience in Glasgow. The development this morning is that Nige has rejected this initial proposal and is holding out for a place at the box office Wembley debate on 21 June. Sources familiar with the UKIP leader’s thinking believe he deserves to take part in the main debate and plans to play hardball, refusing to accept anything less than that. They have cheekily offered Diane James for the Glasgow debate instead. It’s understandable why Nige wants Wembley, he will feel his rightful place is at the biggest debate of them all. Though if he doesn’t get it and he refuses the Sturgeon clash he could be left with just a Q&A on ITV. Surely one prime-time BBC One national debate is better than none…
Guido understands the BBC has invited Nicola Sturgeon and Nigel Farage to take part in a head-to-head referendum debate in Glasgow. The hour-long face-off is due to take place on May 26 on BBC1 at 8pm. Audience members will be under 30 and representative of the whole of the UK rather than just Scotland. So Nige won’t have to barricade himself in a pub this time…
When Vote Leave secured the designation Farage worried his telly time would be reduced. This is a chance for the UKIP leader to take part in a prime-time head-to-head debate on the BBC, one he will want to seize given his hugely effective performance against Clegg two years ago. He then has his ITV Q&A session on June 7 to follow. He will be box office…
UPDATE: UKIP sources say Farage is still “considering options” on the TV debates. The SNP stress “At the moment no invitations to any EU debates have been accepted”.
The BBC has been stepping up the pressure on Downing Street over the show-piece live referendum debate at Wembley stadium. Sources with intimate knowledge of the Beeb’s preliminary offer to Craig Oliver claim they proposed a 4 v 4 debate in front the audience of 12,500, suggesting the following line-up:
Remain: George Osborne, Alan Johnson, Tim Farron, Caroline Lucas
Leave: Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, Iain Duncan Smith, George Galloway
This is a hardball proposal, and one which Downing Street is sure to shoot down. Sources say the BBC made the deliberately provocative bid as “revenge” for Oliver’s obstinate negotiating stance over last year’s election debates.
The BBC are also offering a 1 vs. 1 debate and – in the knowledge that No. 10 will refuse to pit Cameron against Boris – so are suggesting Dave and Gove are put forward in a Question Time style setting. This would meet Downing Street’s condition that they are not on stage arguing with each other at the same time. The wrangling is hotting up again…
UPDATE: A BBC source gets in touch to kick back: “This is total, 100% nonsense, including the format and the names”. Curiously the Telegraph has the very same names. Though this is a strong denial from the Beeb and an all-male Leave line-up would be very unlike Auntie…
