 | ||
A number of politicians, public figures, newspapers and magazines, businesses and other organisations endorsed either the United Kingdom remaining in the EU or the United Kingdom leaving the EU during the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016.
Contents
- Territories voting in referendum
- Other Crown dependencies
- Non UK governments
- Registered political parties
- Letter to The Times
- Politicians
- Conservative Party
- Independent
- International organisations
- Foreign newspapers and magazines
- Local government authorities
- Trade Unions
- Healthcare professionals letter
- Royal Society letter
- University leaders letter
- Creative Industries letter
- Economists letter
- Lawyers report
- Historians letter
- Armed Forces and Security Services
- Letters to The Guardian by European writers
- Nobel Prize laureates letter
- Nobel Prize in Economics laureates letter
- Labour Party
- Green Party
- Liberal Democrats
- Scottish National Party
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Businesses
- Trade unions
- Other organisations
- Newspapers and magazines
- International figures
- Organisations
- References
Territories voting in referendum
Other Crown dependencies
Non-UK governments
Registered political parties
Parties organised in more than one of the Home Nations:
Parties in Scotland:
Parties in Northern Ireland:
Parties in Wales:
Parties in Gibraltar:
Other regional parties:
Letter to The Times
In a letter published in The Times, a wide range of business leaders, including 36 FTSE 100 companies, called for a vote to stay in the European Union. The letter states that British "business needs unrestricted access to the European market of 500 million people in order to continue to grow, invest, and create jobs. We believe that leaving the EU would deter investment, threaten jobs, and put the economy at risk. Britain will be stronger, safer, and better off remaining a member of the EU".
Politicians
Only politicians who hold positions that differ from the party line or whose party is officially neutral are listed here.
Conservative Party
Within the Conservative Party (which is officially neutral), 25 of the 30 Cabinet Ministers including the Prime Minister, specifically:
Others include former Prime Minister John Major, former party leader William Hague, former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltine, David Willetts, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Ken Clarke, and former ministers Edwina Currie and Baroness Warsi (who allegedly supported Leave, despite the Vote Leave side not being aware of her support prior to this).
The majority of the Conservative Party's 330 MPs have announced that they will campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union. Including Cabinet Ministers the list includes:
The list of Conservative Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) that have announced that they will campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union are:
Other Conservatives supporting a Remain vote:
Scottish Conservative MSPs also include Miles Briggs, Peter Chapman, Jackson Carlaw, John Lamont, Alex Johnstone, Rachael Hamilton, Elizabeth Smith, Donald Cameron, Adam Tomkins, Douglas Ross, Brian Whittle, Finlay Carson and Annie Wells.
Independent
International organisations
Foreign newspapers and magazines
Local government authorities
Trade Unions
The Trades Union Congress (TUC), representing 52 British Trade Unions, has endorsed Britain remaining in the EU. All but a few of its member unions are expected to urge voters to stay in the EU.
Healthcare professionals letter
In a letter to The Times, around 200 healthcare professionals defended the EU as an overall benefit to UK public health, the NHS and health research. Sections from the letter state "As health professionals and researchers we write to highlight the valuable benefits of continued EU membership to the NHS, medical innovation and UK public health". "We have made enormous progress over decades in international health research, health services innovation and public health. Much has been built around shared policies and capacity across the EU". "EU trade deals will not privatise the NHS as the EU negotiating position now contains clear safeguards. Decisions on NHS privatisation are in UK government hands alone. EU immigration is a net benefit to our NHS in terms of finances, staffing and exchanges". "Finally, leaving the EU would not provide a financial windfall for the NHS". Signatories included:
Royal Society letter
Led by Professor Stephen Hawking, more than 150 notable academics, all Fellows of the Royal Society, signed a letter to The Times newspaper setting out their position on the European Union that leaving the bloc would damage science and research. They include:
University leaders letter
Over 100 UK university leaders signed an open letter to The Sunday Times supporting UK membership of the EU. They state that "Inside the EU, we are better able to collaborate with partners from across Europe to carry out cutting edge research, from medical and healthcare advances, to new materials, products and services. In the EU, the UK is also a more attractive destination for global talent, ensuring that our students are taught by the best minds from across Europe. This has a direct impact on our economy, driving growth, generating jobs and ultimately improving people's lives". Signatories included:
Creative Industries letter
Almost 300 of the world's biggest creative industries names signed a letter to support keeping Britain in the EU, including (but not limited to) the names listed below. A Creative Industries Federation survey also reveals 96% of its members support Remaining in the EU. The letter states that "Britain is not just stronger in Europe, it is more imaginative and more creative, and our global creative success would be severely weakened by walking away". Signatories included:
Economists letter
In a letter to The Times, 279 economists stated that Brexit would "entail significant long-term costs". The signatories write, "focusing entirely on the economics, we consider that it would be a major mistake for the UK to leave the European Union." At the time of publication the letter had 199 signatories. A further 80 signed after publication.
Lawyers report
Around 300 lawyers signed a report on UK membership of the EU and the alternatives. They stated: "we recognised how much of the debate on the UK's membership of the EU is based on a lack of information, misconceptions, or, worse, misinformation [...] Ultimately, we believe a sensible judgment on EU membership can be made only on the basis of reliable evidence". The signatories "consider that the UK's interests are best served by remaining in the EU".
Historians letter
In a letter to the Guardian, more than 300 prominent historians urged the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union. The letter says, "On 23 June, we face a choice: to cast ourselves adrift, condemning ourselves to irrelevance and Europe to division and weakness; or to reaffirm our commitment to the EU and stiffen the cohesion of our continent in a dangerous world."
Armed Forces and Security Services
Letters to The Guardian by European writers
On 4 June 2016, The Guardian newspaper published a number of 'letters to Britain' by European (non-British) writers and intellectuals giving their opinion on the referendum and Britain's place in Europe. All of the letters expressed support for remain. The writers were:
Nobel Prize laureates letter
On 10 June 2016, the Daily Telegraph published a letter signed by 13 winners of the Nobel Prize expressing the view that being part of the EU is good for British science and that is good for Britain.
Nobel Prize in Economics laureates letter
On 19 June 2016, The Guardian published a letter signed by 10 winners of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, expressing the view that the “economic argument” was clearly in favour of continued UK membership within the EU.
Registered political parties
Parties organised in more than one of the Home Nations:
Parties in England:
Parties in Scotland:
Parties in Northern Ireland:
Politicians
Only politicians who hold positions that differ from the party line or whose party is officially neutral are listed here.
Conservative Party
Within the Conservative Party (which is officially neutral): Five Cabinet members:
At the time the referendum was called, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was Iain Duncan Smith, who also supports leave. He subsequently resigned following the 2016 United Kingdom budget. Some suspected his resignation was due to his support for British withdrawal from the EU, but Duncan Smith has denied this, claiming such allegations as a "deliberate attempt to discredit" him.
As well as these ministers, the former Mayor of London Boris Johnson; the Conservative candidate for the 2016 mayoral election, Zac Goldsmith; former leader Michael Howard, former Defence Secretary Liam Fox and the leader of the Welsh Conservative Party Andrew R.T. Davies are campaigning to leave. The party campaign to exit the EU is "Conservatives for Britain" which is headed by two former Chancellors of the Exchequer, Lord Lawson (Nigel Lawson) and Lord Lamont (Norman Lamont).
Many other Conservative MPs have announced that they will campaign for Britain to vote to Leave:
Labour Party
Within the Labour Party (which supports Remain): Labour Leave is headed by donor John Mills.
Labour MPs supporting a Leave vote:
Labour MSPs:
Former Labour MPs:
Green Party
Within the Green Party (which supports Remain): the Green Leaves organisation is campaigning on behalf of Green Party members who advocate a leave vote. Member of the House of Lords and former London Assembly Member Jenny Jones (Baroness Jones) campaigned to leave.
Liberal Democrats
Within the Liberal Democrats (which supports Remain): the Liberal Leave campaign is headed by former Hereford MP, Paul Keetch.
Scottish National Party
Within the SNP (which supports Remain): former SNP deputy leader and MP Jim Sillars and former SNP leader and MP Gordon Wilson have endorsed a leave vote in the referendum. There are multiple groups for SNP members advocating a leave vote, such as SNP Vote Leave.
Ulster Unionist Party
Within the UUP (which supports Remain): Harold McKee MLA and former leader Tom Elliot MP