The U.K Votes To Stay In The European Union
WASHINGTON Millions of Britons are voting to decide whether the UK will remain a part of the European Union in a referendum that has divided the nation.
A record 46.5 million voters have signed up to weigh in on today’s referendum, which asks one, single question: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?”
The divisive referendum has sparked the greatest emergency in the EU’s 60-year history.
The vote pits the Remain campaign, backed by British Prime Minister David Cameron and opposition Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, against the Leave camp, led by the former London mayor, Conservative MP Boris Johnson.
Polling stations opened at 7am (06:00 GMT) and will close 10pm (21:00 GMT) local time.
PM Cameron and his wife Samantha cast their ballots early on Thursday at London’s Westminster Central Hall.
A Populus poll, the final opinion poll carried out online ahead of the historic vote, gave the Remain campaign a 10-point lead over Leave. Populus said the survey of 4,700 people was carried out on Tuesday and up to midnight Wednesday night.
What you need to know and why you should care.
Desperate to inject some pro-Europe passion late in the day on Wednesday, the prime minister and his allies made appeals to older voters, urging them to think of their children rather than their own nostalgic views of their country.
“Think of one word that brings it all into one, which is ‘together’, because frankly if we want a bigger economy and more jobs we’re better if we do it together,” said Cameron.
“If we want to fight climate change, we’re better if we do it together. If we want to win against the terrorists and keep our country safe, we’re better if we do it together.”
Meanwhile, the Remain camp has said a British exit would be hugely destabilising in terms of security and the economy.
Supporters of the Leave campaign argue that a Brexit would be for the best; much of its campaign focused on tighter border controls and freedom from EU regulations on immigration and the economy.
Here in the United States we care because Britain is regarded as being closer to the U.S. in terms of policy preferences than most other European states, especially the historic drivers of European integration.
France and Germany. Britain’s “Anglo-Saxon” economic philosophy, the English language, and strong historical and cultural links with America—not to mention a recent history of integrated foreign policies in the realms of intelligence sharing, nuclear technology and war fighting—combine to make Britain a natural conduit for the U.S. when it comes to influencing European politics.
