Francois Hollande on Thursday told Britain that if it left EU, there will be consequences for Calais border arrangements. As the mudslinging has begun between party members, Michael Gove is being lined up to appear on the same tv programme as Mr Cameron for a debate on Britain's future in Europe, that is to be screened days before the referendum.
The Justice Secretary will accept the invitation, acording to media reports. Mr Cameron and Mr Gove would take questions from an audience in a show hosted by David Dimbleby, though they will not appear on stage simultaneously. Mr Gove's decision to appear on this show, will definitely break the spirit of cabinet agreement, not to engage in 'blue on blue' warfare between cabinet members that could cause long-lasting divisions in the Tory party.
Priti Patel, daughter of a Ugandan shopkeeper has allegedly told close friends and allies that she plans on playing a "leading role" in the campaign to take Britain out of the EU, The Telegraph has reported.
Ms Patel, PM's Champion of Indian diaspora has been described as the "last hope" of the Leave campaign after a succession of prominent Tory Eurosceptic privately made clear to Downing Street they would join the In campaign.
She has not publically revealed how she will vote in the upcoming referendum, but has been a persistent critic of the "unaccountable" and "undemocratic" EU in recent years.
Senior Tories including Michael Gove, the Justice Secretary, and Boris Johnson are said to still be "on the fence" over whether to back David Cameron's final deal. Allies of Mr Gove said that they expect him to be put under huge pressure to pull out of the debate, though no decision have been made, and Boris Johnson may instead represent the OUT campaign. However Downing Street has said, according to The Times, that the Prime Minister is happy to look at any format. A spokesperson from No 10 has apparently said that the PM has definitely not ruled out paticipating in the debate against Mr Gove, though they are focussing a lot on the format of the crucial final encounter between two Tory Mps. Reports have also suggested a debate between Mr Johnson and George Osborne has been denied by Downing Street, The Treasury and Vote Leave campaign.
On the other hand, the Director General of the British Chamber of Commerce and one of Britain's biggest business leader, has been suspended after he called for Brexit against the wishes of most of its members. John Longsworth who said on Thursday that he favoured leaving the EU was suspended on Friday.
Nigel Baxter sells renault trucks to the British market and is enjoying the booming market, and has no worries at all about the UK leaving the EU. The FT reported “Why should I be doing anything to prepare for Brexit?” the 53 year old asked.
Renault plans to open about 15 new franchises this year. Mr Baxter whose 80 employee company in North-East England racks up sales of £14m a years, seas no reason why the French group should change its mind because of uncertainty over Britain's future in the EU. He is similarly sanguine about his other business, an 800-acre arable farm in Notinghamshire. Such views are however rare. Smaller UK businesses are split on life outside EU. Many executives express confidence that leaving EU will relieve them of regulations they loathe and open up new opportunities for growth, whereas bigger companies are far more concerned about the impact on investment if the country votes leave in the referendum scheduled on 23 June.
George Eustice, the agriculture minister has claimed that if farm animals had a vote in refrendum, they would opt to leave the EU, as British care more about animal welfare than EU citizens.
