EU and small business owners - do you feel informed?

Honestly? Not much of a clue, and I consider myself fairly intelligent. I don't trade within the EU as a little one man band who deals with small clients generally but I am sure there are effects on laws and regulations that may impact one way or another.

My gut says stay in as it's better and stronger to be to be part of the EU than not, especially if the US is going to be governed by that 'Trumpton' chap. But I don't have much to back up that argument really. 

Looks like I need to look into it but really it seems hard to get any kind of non biased opinion!

So some surprise over the weekend with the suspension then resignation of the British Chambers of Commerce boss. Seemed a bit of a storm in a teacup with the conspiracy theories running wild that he was silenced by Downing Street, but interesting that his personal opinion was to leave the EU.

Still doesn't help the confusing picture. The other day the beeb were interviewing farmers who were complaining over a lack of information, mainly around how subsidies would or wouldn't work. The wheeled in an NFU bod to help clarify but left me even more confused. Apparently there will be a thinktank to come up with a clearer picture and they are holding a few roadshows. As the farmers mouthpeice, the NFU didn't come over as very convincing.

Have to be honest i'm finding the whole thing boring. How bad is that when it's so serious?

There has to be a solid argument from both sides but rolling out these boring anecdotal MP's with scaremongering going on from both camps just adds to my apathy towards this.

Be interesting to see if things get clearer nearer the time of voting.

Boring?

Now we've got Boris having a dig at Obama and telling him to butt out, with Cameron contradicting Boris and saying we should listen to world leaders.

Global handbags at dawn, how can you call this boring. I suspect it's going to get a lot bitchier, nastier, bizarre and interesting as we get closer to the debate 

Or is the lack of information a ploy to get us to vote to stay in, purely based on ignorance.  I heard a discussion last week about the importance of our NATO membership versus EU.  As a lot of our politicians of all persuasions seem unable to treat the voters will any degree of intelligence, they will just assume that we won't analyse the pro's and con's.  If these politicians really put their minds to it, we could make a go of being outside the EU, but it would take many years of hard work to re-establish our standing in the world.  Then we could once again enjoy things like New Zealand Braeburn apples, not the second-rate ones from Spain, Germany, France and Poland that I found in my local supermarket this morning!

Don't start me on NATO! A disjointed unproportional white elephant about as useful and relevant in the modern world as the UN. Well IMHO

There does seem to be an ongoing feeling of confusion or lack of information, which aside from some hysteria driven headlines on both sides, no really is putting up a clear case.

Why don't we just have a loose trade collaboration that allows us to trade easily and fairly with our European neighbours, without or the hassle fuss and red tape. Sort of a Common Market 

Best of both worlds, let the rest of Europe merge into one bizarre multi language melting pot of confusion if they want to, but let us flog them widgets and wheelbarrows without any protection rackets or import restrictions.

This is a good impartial information page from the The Commons Library, showing both sides of the argument.

www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/eu-referendum/

So in theory we could remain the "common market" without being full EU members. That's food for thought.