Skip to main content

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).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...
2 comments
Read more

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), 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 Suda...
1 comment
Read more