Academy of Ideas
Academy of Ideas
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#BattleFest2015: European Referendum - what will decide the vote?
1 hour 54 minutes Posted May 20, 2016 at 4:16 pm.
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Recorded at this week's Institute of Ideas event at Goodenough College.

On 23 June, the UK will vote in a referendum on whether

or not to remain a member of the European Union. The decision is a
momentous one, the first time British voters will have had a direct vote
on membership since 1975.

Yet the public debate about the pros and cons of Brexit has been

frustratingly shallow. The aim of this event was to offer a panel of
high-profile speakers an opportunity to set out the case for Remain and
Leave, and allow an audience of almost 300 people to get involved,
offering their own views as well as challenging the panel. The result
was a lively, engaging and passionate debate. For anyone interested in
hearing the arguments played out with intelligence and without
name-calling, this debate is well worth listening to in full.

SPEAKERS

Rt Hon David Davis


Conservative MP for Haltemprice and Howden; former Foreign Office minister (1994–1997) and Shadow Home Secretary (2003-2008)

Simon Nixon


chief European commentator, Wall Street Journal

Vicky Pryce


board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; former joint head, UK Government Economic Service; author, Greekonomics

Bruno Waterfield


Brussels correspondent, The Times; co-author, No Means No

CHAIR

Claire Fox


director, Institute of Ideas; panelist, BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze.