EU campaign round-up: spectre of NHS charges looms if Britain votes to Leave

In nine days’ time Britain makes the biggest decision of a generation. Here is LabourList’s guide to what is happening in the countdown to June 23.

Quote of the Day

“How dare the hard right Tories and Ukip who run the Leave campaigns pose as NHS champions. Let’s be honest, they love the NHS in the way that Dracula loves a blood bank…Funding for the NHS depends on Britain’s economy doing well. Leaving the EU will put the economy in trouble, and that will put the NHS in trouble” – Frances O’Grady, general-secretary of the TUC.

Forecasts

They look worrying for the In camp. A YouGov poll for The Times gave a seven point lead to the Leave campaign, on 46 per cent, up three points, and put Remain on 39 per cent, down three. Also today an ORB poll for The Daily Telegraph put Leave on 49 per cent among, one point ahead of Remain, among those certain to vote.

Message of the Day

The crisis in the NHS – marked by a record deficit, falling mental health budgets and cuts to social care for the elderly and disabled – would only be made worse by a vote for Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn told the TUC: “If you care about our NHS, don’t just listen me, listen to NHS staff – every NHS workers’ union and royal college is backing Remain.”

Tory watch

Ministers who back Brexit want Britain continue to match the level of EU subsidies which go to domestic farmers if there is a vote to Leave. Priti Patel said there would be “more than enough money” to go around – but Alan Johnson, head of Labour In, described the claim as “fantasy economics” in a BBC interview.