British Prime Minister David Cameron, who also favors remaining in the European Union, agreed to hold the referendum in response to complaints by members of his Conservative Party.
Advertisement
“Evidence shows younger people are overwhelmingly pro-European, and if they are disenfranchised it could cost us our place in Europe”.
The government said that more than half a million people had added themselves to the electoral register on Tuesday.
The Electoral Commission, which oversees election procedures, urged a change in the law so that citizens thwarted by the crash could register to vote.
Pollsters asked nine key players – Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Poland, Greece, France and Italy – how they thought a British yes to Brexit in its June 23rd referendum would affect the EU.
Requests surged after an ITV programme in which Cameron fended off hostile questions about high immigration rates of European Union workers while Farage was forced to defend himself against charges of racism.
“They must wonder why the SNP is so keen to break away from Westminster but don’t want to take more powers back from Brussels”.
Regarding the former, 94 percent of Greeks, 88 percent of Swedes, 77 percent of Italians and 67 percent of Germans disapprove of the EU’s management of the refugee situation. “That might have made my life easier”, said the PM.
“Coming out of the single market, which is what the Leave campaign want to do, that would damage our economy”.
Euroscepticism maybe on the rise, but Europeans do not wish to see the United Kingdom leave the EU, nor do they want to follow its course: 70 percent of the Europeans surveyed by the Pew Research Center think a Brexit would be a bad thing for the EU.
“The problem is – I don’t believe it. I very strongly believe we are better off if we stay in and that is why the Government is saying so clearly to the British people, and I’m saying so clearly, that we are better off and stronger in”.
To this end the SNP has announced plans to embark on a new campaign this summer to win the hearts and minds of wavering voters.
Part of that is the growing discontent across the West with the political elite, the same phenomenon that is drawing French voters to the National Front (and behind the discontent brewing in France now), others to anti-EU parties on the far left in southern Europe, and American voters to Donald Trump.
“We’re aware of the technical issue”, the government said on its Twitter site shortly before midnight yesterday. “It is likely Brexit would contribute to increased support for independence over the long haul but it may be a slow burner for Scottish nationalists”. “It’s also possible U.K would offer more favorable terms to Scotland to stay within the U.K. Whatever happens, Scotland could be in a good position to negotiate a better deal with the European Union or the U.K”.
If Britain votes to remain, Cameron will have to make a reformed relationship with the European Union work.
Advertisement
“I think people do understand it’s a decision with seismic consequences”, said the 63-year-old.
