We’re following the referendum from the point of view of our readers in a daily roundup of some of the most talked about – and most resonant – coverage. Here, you can read about several key conversations we’re highlighting today – with your views on David Cameron’s latest speech, apathy among young voters and Labour voters turning to Ukip in Wales among them. Click on the links at the end of each to get involved, or head over to our EU referendum live blog to follow the news and discussion as it happens.
Eddie Mair said today that the media are not covering EU referendum topics people want, so we just wanted to remind you that we’ve been asking you to tell us about the stories you want us to report on in this daily series as well as our EU referendum reality check. You can find the form to leave your views at the end of this article.
Before we get going – a note from a keenly democratic reader:
1. EU referendum live: Cameron accuses leave of telling six ‘complete untruths’
In an attempt to dismantle the arguments the leave campaign has beenputting forward, David Cameron went on the attack this morning – though as Andrew Sparrow’s analysis points out, reporters were expecting a solid intervention, and instead got little more than a repeat of what the prime minister told the Jeremy Vine show yesterday.
For many of you, the trouble with this tactic is Cameron’s past.
The problem with Cameron leading the Remain side (which I support) is that he's been lying so often in previous campaigns that people just don't believe him anymore, even when he's correct.
The emperor indeed has no clothes.
The trouble is Cameron, you've played dirty as well, so it's no good coming out now and denouncing others as liars. You hurt your own campaign by trying to climb on the high horse at such a late stage. And I'm not even suggesting I'm voting out.
Cameron did have some of you somewhat swayed, though.
I hate Cameron but got to say he's said all the right things. People have got to start fact checking for themselves rather than just accepting what the Leave campaign says blindly. There are plenty of things that have been said by Leave that are just incorrect right on the button. Whatever side you are on check out the facts.
I worry that this decision is simply more complex than a lot of people realise and if we Brexit (warning: independent economist verified scare story coming) then our economy will collapse - big style.
Many of you looked at the six points in detail and put forward your own arguments for and against them.
They don't need to lie, the older people know Britain was much better before joining the EEC. And it is no lie that Britain can't cope with Camerons figure of 300,000 immigrants per year and the effect on our childrens education, Jobs, the NHS, Housing, the Poor.
How can a government that needs Foodbanks to feed it's unfortunates consider itself fit to have an open door policy. Camerons figure of 300,000 ? per year, this is not sustainable, anyone who thinks it is needs help. We must get out fast, we must Vote Leave.
One could question whether Cameron has the ability to distinguish the truth from untruths, even if he could be sincerely trused to do it. It's safe to say that it is a complete untruth to claim that you can accurately predict what is going to happen to the economy after a Leave verdict. Frankie Boyle summed it up best when he said Osborne is like a man standing in the rain without an umbrella trying to predict the weather in thirty years time.
The UK functionwed well outside the EU with both Labour and Tory governments. The EU is not necessary to save the UK from some massive economic dive. On the other hand, the EU has over the past four decades not shown great progress in the economy or maintaining peace on the continent - not unless you want to set very low bars for each (like not having a world war). The tragedy in former Yugoslavia, the civil war in Ukraine, and ugly ethnic, religious tensions speak for itself. As for our economy, we have a huge gaping trade deficit, manufacturing industries are shot, an expensive energy sector is dominated by French and German state backed corporations, wealth and income inequality in Britain is worsening.
We desperately need to change things, especially our economy, and that's best done independently without the constraints of the EU, its byzantine politics and bureaucracy. Listen to your common sense and intuition, not comfily patronised "experts".
The problem with Cameron's six untruths is that none of them are at the core of the Brexit debate. The key issues are immigration, ever closer 'union' and the catastrophic failure of the EU on issues like the Greek crisis.
As a well-wishing Aussie who would like to see Britain remain in the EU fold, Remain is simply doing a rubbish job. And I actually like David Cameron, a lot!
2. Burning anger in the land of Nye Bevan: why a Labour heartland is backing Brexit
In the first in a series of reports on Labour and the EU referendum Aditya Chakrabortty has visited south Wales, where the traditional left is turning to Ukip. Readers from Wales talked about the reasons they saw for the political shift, and many of you also saw parallels with other parts of the UK.
The report doesn't surprise me at all. I live in deepest rural Wales, and the number of UKIP posters and placards has been steadily increasing in recent years...in conversation last week with friends of mine, who are sheep farmers like myself, I was genuinely surprised to find how many intend to vote Out! Goes for several business people I've spoken to as well....made me feel completely out of touch!
My family come from the old Liberal tradition.....South Wales has always been staunch Labour, despite numerous betrayals. No one should be shocked at UKIP appealing there, to white working class people who have felt for years that they have no voice at all!, and are all too often sneered at for holding such views as they do.
There is also a view here that power needs to be further devolved from Westminster, which is not serving the people of the UK well at all. What road will our feet be set upon after the polls close on June 23rd?
The Valleys have only been kept afloat economically over the past 30 years by massive injections of EU money through the Regional Development Fund and Objective One. If they vote leave and Brexit happens they are totally f*cked, and it serves them right.
The Welsh Government should concentrate development money in regions that have a realistic economic future: the M4 and A55 corridors and rural mid and west Wales. Screw the Valleys.
It might help if Aditya has noticed he was in Gwent, not South Wales which is much bigger; this (Gwent) is the area of biggest UKIP support in Wales; once you start moving even slightly west you get to areas where the politics are Labour vs Plaid and both are now campaigning hard for Remain. Let's not also pretend that Gwent, let alone wider south Wales is some sort of working class enclave; there are many thousands of people who are doing better in the changing economy whose vote is less predictable than those interviewed. Where this article is valuable is in giving voice to both the experiences of people who feel that there are wider uncontrollable forces which have massively diminished their life chances; they are right about that and no political party has any sort of answer; what they risk is in going from being Labour voting fodder to UKIP voting fodder
Voter motivation was much discussed below the line, as was whether or not people are inherently selfish.
I believe that south Wales is a net beneficiary of EU funds, but...
There is an ingrained benefits/welfare culture and, I would say, a selfish and narrow view of the world that goes with it. It's all about having a taxpayer-funded tenner to spend at Aldi, and not so much the future of the Europe or the world.
Along with this is the kind of xenophobia you might find in pockets of the south-east and north-east of England: people aren't educated enough to understand the subtleties of global economics.
The sentimental view, beloved of metropolitan journalists, is of a proud and close-knit community. The reality is more squalid and self-serving than that.
My family is from South Wales. I work in South Wales. I know a lot of about it first hand.
I know what sort of deprivation we are talking about. People tend to look for easy answers and they would rather pick on immigrants than neoliberal politicians and faceless shareholders.
The historical context discussed in the article provided many jumping off points for conversation too.
Bevan was a champion of social justice and against Welsh independence as he was for all working people. He said, "the working men and women of England need the working men and women of Wales."
If the working classes do not stand together they will be crushed. It wasn't Europe which introduced anti-union legislation which has resulted in the undermining of workers rights, it was the Tories and the Tory light New Labour which didn't revers the damage done by Thatcher. Do not think for one moment that those advocating Brexit such as Johnson and Gove care two hoots for the well being of the poor or working classes.
This is divide and rule.
The EU has failed Wales; The Labour party has failed Wales; the Tories have failed Wales. They know first hand that all the talk of EU workers rights is drivel if you have no jobs, no prospects and no chance of improvement. I'm not at all surprised by this news - only surprised that more on the left will not join them to get out of a monstrous vast bureaucratic political empire that benefits the corporate crony vested interests. Most on the left admit this is true but will vote to stay in anyway!
My wife's family live in and around Cwmcarn and they are all genuinely lovely people. Given how badly their communities have fared over the last 30+ years, victims of global economic forces and politicians who have largely ignored their needs, its remarkable how resilient they are.
However, in an environment where the industries which drew people to their communities have all died and young people need to leave to make a life for themselves, don't be surprised to encounter some pretty unreconstructed views on race and sexuality. The last 30 years ,where so much social progress has been made across most of the Western world for previously marginalised groups, have been a disaster for these communities.
If you come across a victim mentality then please bear in mind that these guys are actually victims.
Newport is full of contradictions. The housing stock is pretty good, plenty of new developments, but they turn out to be mostly owned by private landlords.
The shopping area has declined sharply in the last few years and there is a lot of drug abuse. There is significant Asian and european immigration and a distressing amount of refuse bins being raided with consequent rubbish spread about.
Little in common with the rural North, where I live, except a similar appetite for Brexit. But up here there is also contempt for Cardiff Government.
3. EU referendum: why the young won’t vote, and don’t care anyway
Roy Greenslade wrote this morning that the “emergent generation” forms a new “silent majority” that has very little interest in either mainstream politics or mainstream media. A “deep-seated antipathy towards what students regard as the politico-media elite” is something we often hear readers wanting to talk about – not only those who consider themselves young:
It's hardly surprising the young, and for that matter the broader general public pay little or no attention to politicians, and political journalism. As “discussion” has been replaced by lecturing from our politicians, and no one likes being lectured, especially when those who do the lecturing are consistently guilty of double speak, and therefore perceived as untrustworthy.
Journalism can be, and is often just as guilty by presenting opinion as a “discussion” piece, which can often be an exercise in bias or political propaganda. Reducing complex issues to oversimplified black and white sound-bites. Which all makes “discussion” redundant, as it degenerates into a choice of “your either with us or against us” which is neither friendly or helpful.
Personally, with this level political and journalistic presentation, it's a surprise as many people vote as they do. The whole process is a complete turn off.
Well I am 64 and considering not voting due to the cretinous level of the debate. It has just highlighted what a dysfunctional political system we have, aided and abetted by their friends the media.
But we are talking about young people, so here is a young person.
As a young person interested in politics I get very frustrated with my friends and others my age I come into contact with.
I just don't talk about politics anymore with people, it ain't worth the hassle. There is alot of ignorance about things generally but the worst part is many pretend to be wise and knowledgeable without knowing what they are talking about.
There are far too many young people who just assume the world revolves on its own steam. That things just magically appear, that rights were always there.
Roy’s argument also focused on how young voters cannot identify with an older generation that views the EU referendum as a way to register its opposition to immigration and/or our multicultural society.
older generation that views the EU referendum as a way to register its opposition to immigration and/or our multi-cultural society.
Yeah, this is one of the problems why Brexit has gained so much support.
The older generation in many cases are registering their opposition to unchecked immigration. That is not the same as opposing immigration in totality.
Same goes for 'multiculturalism'. The protest is not so much against multiculturalism as they are against cultural destruction which is a consequence of excessive immigration.
There is quite a bit of discussion about who or what is to blame for apathy.
When I turned 18, over 32 years ago, I could not wait to vote for the first time - it was a sign of being an adult and also my right. My son, who is now 18, had to be convinced to register to vote. Was this apathy? Absolutely! Laziness? Yes, that too. However, as a parent, I feel that I have failed in a way that my parents did not - he is not engaged with politics in the same way that my generation were and the fault of this falls squarely on my shoulders. Somehow, he does not feel a need to fight and just accepts that the Politicians will always get their own way - I just hope that this failure on my part is not being repeated in other similar households across the UK.
When your young and struggling on zero hours it's hard to get enthusiastic about politics never mind the referendum, the young need to be educated at school about history and politics so they are ready to take part in voting and caring for society. Let's give them the vote at 16, let's treat them as young adults with a purpose in life not a statistic.
Lastly here, a view from Germany.
I think it's all about being bored by something everybody keeps telling us it's important. We just want to show that it's not that important.
It's not about lying politicians, cause Farage is all the same a lier and honestly - we all Keep lying to ourselves every day. And it's definitely not about Democracy or all that stuff nobody ever really cared for. People Keep saying the EU is too undemocratic, but don't go to the elections for the parliament and don't even know how European Institutions work. So that's an Argument, but not a reason.
In my opinion, the real question is: are we ready to destroy opportunities we may not be interested in for others?
I confess I am not British, but German, but it's the same question here as in the UK. Vote no for being bored and for want of experiencing something new and thrilling or vote to stay to Show your respect for People who are willing to make something of their opportunities.
Finally for today, depending when you’re reading this you have just hours left to register to vote – and you’ll be among a surge if you haven’t already. Ok, if you’re eligible – and have read this far – we’re sure you’re sorted, but here are a couple of your thoughts:
Glad to hear people are registering to vote whatever they plan to do with it. It would be good now if both sides could drop the hype. We get it that there are parts of the country where immigrants have flooded public services, competition from foreign firms has driven down wages. We also get leaving the EU will effect trade and the pound and it's more likely to be negative than positive jobs/wages. But if we carry on this country is going have a hostile divide for a long time whatever the result. Comments like taxi drivers not speaking English just ligitimises being hostile to immigrants. Talk of people having to pay more for holidays makes it seem middle class people are just materialistic snobs. Most likely is the mud slinging will continue and get worse but you can hope.
The news the leave europe campaign didnt want to hear! They have done all they can to depress turn out because they know the higher the turnout the less chance the kippers, the racists and the tory hard right have of carrying out a referendum 'coup' on the british people.
Now that more people have registered the next task face those of who want to stay in europe will be to persuade as many people as possible to vote on the day. A turnout of 60 percent or higher and the reactionary vote leave campaign will be sunk.
We’ll be back tomorrow with another roundup of what you’re talking about in the comment sections on the EU referendum. You can help inform what we report on by filling in the form below.
Dear Guardian, why isn't "TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE FOR THE REFERENDUM" either your top story or a banner notification on every page?
Plenty of people genuinely don't know.