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Britain's EU referendum: should I stay or should I go?



Britain will hold a referendum on Thursday 23 June 2016 to decide whether the country should remain in the European Union or leave the European Union. The referendum is a question that requires a simple YES or NO answer (no other answer, sentence, essay, proviso, or manifesto will be accepted).

The exact question is: SHOULD THE UNITED KINGDOM REMAIN A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION OR LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION?

How is a win determined? Whichever response receives more than half of all votes cast will ‘win’ the referendum.



The referendum is being held because the Prime Minister David Cameron promised to hold one if he won the 2015 general election. So it’s origins come from politics, but each person in each political party can vote according to their belief – they are not required to vote along party lines. There are politicians within each party that have declared how they will vote – some will vote Yes and some will vote No.

Every elegible voter can vote either Yes or No. It is not mandatory to vote –  people can vote or not. British, Irish, and Commonwealth citizens over the age of 18, who have been on the United Kingdom electoral register in the past 15 years can vote (including UK nationals living abroad if they are on the UK electoral register). Citizens of EU countries cannot vote – except people from Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus.

In 1975 Britain held a referendum to determine whether it should enter the European Union. Then, of course, the response was Yes to become part of the EU. The EU is a group of 28 European countries that formed after World War II on economic grounds to cooperate on trade as a ‘single market’. Of the 28 countries, 19 use a common currency, called the euro. Britain does not use the euro – it retained the British pound.

Still undecided?



Here are excerpts of two songs to help people decide.

The first song is Don’t Go by Wretch 32 (2006-present) – number one on the singles chart in 2011 – written by Josh Kumra, Rachel Moulden, Paul Heard, and Jermaine Scott. Jermaine Scott, an English rapper, is also called Wretch 32. It was published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group.

Don’t Go
So don't go,
Don't leave,
Please stay,
With me,
You are the only thing I need,
To get by,
To get by.

The English punk-rock group, Clash (1976-1986), noted for its song London Calling (1979), also produced a song called Stay Free (1978), and another called Should I Stay or Should I Go? (1982) published by Universal Music Publishing Group. The lyrics are by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?




http://www.metrolyrics.com/dont-go-lyrics-wretch-32.html
http://www.metrolyrics.com/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-lyrics-the-clash.html



MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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