An an Englishman, I am really glad I don't have to make this decision: it is a really complex trade off of short term and long term effects, attitudes, relationships, principles like what exactly do you mean by democracy ... the list goes on and as I say it is a relief I am not being called on to make it.

What does bother me, though is the closeness of the votes. The number of people who have thought long and hard and come to the decision to vote no appears to be almost exactly the same as the number who have thought equally long and hard and come to the opposite conclusion. Which means it will actually be decided by people who are voting on no rational basis whatever. One person I heard interviewed last night said part of her decision was based on the news of a new royal pregnancy which was 'nice'. The idea that such a momentous decision will end up in the hands of such frippery is pretty scary.