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Many Europeans in poll want vote on EU

Monday, May 09, 2016 - 01:40

A new poll shows nearly half of voters in eight big European Union countries want to be able to vote on whether to remain members of the bloc, just like Britons will in a referendum next month. As Ivor Bennett reports, the survey was released as the UK's Prime Minister David Cameron made the case for Britain to stay in the European Union

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The patriotic card has been played in the referendum race. With EU membership up for debate - both sides are pulling out all the stops. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, DAVID CAMERON SAYING: "I want to set out the big, bold, patriotic case for Britain to remain a member of the European Union. I want to show that if you love this country, if you want to keep it strong in the world and keep our people safe, our membership of the EU is one of the tools, one of the tools, that helps us to do these things." (SOUNDBITE) (English) BORIS JOHNSON, VOTE LEAVE, SAYING: "I think it very, very curious that the Prime Minister is now calling this referendum and warning us that World War Three is about to break out unless we vote to remain." And with just weeks to go before Britain decides its fate - it seems other nations want in on the action. An Ipsos-MORI poll's found nearly half of voters in eight big European Union countries want a vote on their membership, with a third saying they want out of the bloc. In Italy and France the hypothetical 'Vote Leave' camp is over 40 percent - double the number in Spain and Portugal. Safety in numbers seems to be what the Bank of England's thinks - Mark Carney warning banks to prepare for a rate cut and tough times if Britain votes to leave. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON CAPITAL GROUP, MARKET ANALYST, BRENDA KELLY, SAYING: "We have been on a downward trend in terms of manufacturing, construction and services output and that is something that has been in place well before these any of these Brexit fears started to move up in peoples estimation. So he probably is correct." Either way Brexit worries are weighing on sterling It's hit a two-week low against the dollar As the decision teeters on a knife edge.