Poll signals public discontent with EU
Almost half of Britons want the UK to leave the European Union, a new poll published today claims.
The poll asked the question “If there were a referendum now on whether Britain should stay in or get out of the European Union, how would you vote?”. 39 per cent of respondents replied “stay in” and 48 per cent replied “get out”.
Respondents were also asked “How do you intend to vote in the European elections on June 10th?”. The Conservatives and Labour were tied on 27 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats attracting 16 per cent of the vote.
The poll, carried out by YouGov, also gave the UK Independence Party 10 per cent, the Greens 3 per cent, the SNP and Plaid Cymru 2 per cent, and the British National Party 4 per cent. 10 per cent of respondents said that they would not vote at all.
Commenting on the poll, which was commissioned by the UK Independence Party, UKIP Member of the European Parliament Nigel Farage stated, ” Our task between now and June 10th is clearly to make voters aware of our message. With 48 per cent supporting EU withdrawal, and with UKIP showing a significant jump in the polls, we are on course to make huge gains.
“It is quite clear that British voters have been seeking a way to say no. A successful campaign and a large number of UKIP MEPs will halt European federalism in its tracks. Mr Blair would not dare sign the EU Constitution with such a majority of voters so clearly opposed to it.”
The UKIP is defending three seats in the European Parliament. However, a Populus poll published last week for the Times newspaper put UKIP support at closer to 1 per cent. In addition, many commentators have suggested that the party, along with other smaller parties, will be the principal victims of the reduction in the UK’s allocation of European Parliament seats from 87 to 78, a consequence of EU enlargement.
The poll comes as Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy is calling for a coalition of pro-EU parties and figures from outside politics to work together to push for a “yes” vote in the promised referendum on the draft EU Constitutional Treaty.
