(VOVworld) – In a referendum on June 23 British voters will decide if the UK will stay in or leave the EU. Recent public polls show that Brexit supporters slightly outnumber opponents. British and EU officials have tried to make British voters aware of the advantages and disadvantages of a Brexit.
The referendum was promised by David Cameron just before his Labor Party won the general election in May, 2015. In response to Britain’s Conservative Party and Independence Party, who oppose Britain’s joining the EU, Cameron promised to conduct a Brexit referendum if he won the election. Personally, he said he did not want such a referendum because of its risks.
Surprising results of public polls
Recent public polls show a pro-Brexit tendency. A survey by YouGov, published in The Times on June 10, showed a vote of 46% yes and 39% no. 11% were undecided and 4% said they would not vote. A similar tendency was reported by the Independent newspaper with 55% saying yes and 45% saying no to Brexit. This is the strongest support reported by the newspaper in a year. Surveys by ORB and ICM also showed a pro-Brexit tendency.
Britain’s 1975 referendum on exit from EEC
In 1973 the British government joined the European Economic Community (EEC), which was established in 1952. In 1975 a referendum was held on Britain’s exit from the EEC with 67.2% of voters rejecting the idea.
Analysts say that although most the EU’s joined the EU for clear, long-term reasons, Britain has never really wanted to be a member. It has remained out of the Eurozone and the Shenghen area. Britain joined the EU mainly because it wanted to enjoy the EU’s free trade benefits. Britons are rarely interested in the EU’s other policies and interests. Britain has contributed significantly to the EU budget, 13 billion pounds in 2015, but it got back from the EU just 4.5 billion pounds. The EU’s growing intervention into members’ legal systems, labor markets, and a number of other areas has angered the British public. The EU is now also facing serious financial and migrant crises.
Deciding Britain’s future and the EU’s stability
During an online debate on June 14, leading British politicians who support Brexit rejected the economic risk and said EU regulations are hindering Britain’s economic growth. Brexit supporters posed a scenario of Britain failing to halt an influx of migrants into the country every year, which would soon exhaust public services. Politicians who oppose Brexit said Britain staying in a unified union will provide Britons with social and employment security and allow Britain to access a market of 500 million consumers. The Department of Finance predicts a budget deficit of 30 billion pounds if Brexit happens. Prime Minister Cameron says Britain’s influence in the EU will grow if voters decide to keep it in the EU. President of the European Council Donald Tusk says a Brexit could be the beginning of the destruction not only of the EU but of Western political civilization in its entirety. He says a Brexit will incite extremists in other EU countries who oppose European integration.
Britain’s future and the EU’s stability are hanging on the June 23 referendum.