Feelings about the UK leaving the European Union fired up farmers and led the head of the British Chambers of Commerce to be suspended.
John Longworth, director-general of the business advocacy group, was removed from his position after saying he favored the UK leaving the EU, the Financial Times reported Saturday.
UK farmers, who in the past complained about EU rules on curved cucumbers and bendy bananas, say a “Brexit” vote on June 23 would cut them off from a market that is more than twice the size of the U.S.
The campaign to stay in the EU, which is led by Prime Minister David Cameron, has focused on the economic and security threats of leaving the 28-nation bloc. “Brexit” supporters say leaving will let the U.K. boost domestic investments.
A poll by YouGov conducted March 2-3 and released Saturday showed 40 per cent of Britons would vote to stay while 37 per cent back leaving. Support for leaving is up from 35 per cent in a March 1-2 poll, YouGov said.
In a keynote speech at the chambers’ annual conference in London this week, Longworth described the referendum on the EU as “a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea,” according to a transcript.
He told Sky News after the speech that the UK would be better off taking a decision to leave the EU, based on his analysis.
The BCC has a policy of not campaigning for either side of the issue, according to a statement on its website, which didn’t mention Longworth’s status.
In a letter to The Times published Saturday, a group including Peter Kendall, head of the UK’s National Farmers’ Union, and QV Foods Ltd. Chairman Duncan Worth said leaving the EU could mean a cut in subsidies.
They said they could still sell to Europe if Britain were to leave the EU but they would have to pay into the EU budget with no say on policies.
The letter was signed by the industry’s biggest farmers and dairies.
Cameron’s position won the backing of the Ulster Unionist Party, the last main party in Northern Ireland to take an official position, the Press Association reported Saturday.
Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance party are also campaigning for the UK to stay in the EU, though the Democratic Unionists are recommending voters back a Brexit, PA reported.
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