51% of UK voters in favor of staying in EU: poll

PanARMENIAN.Net - Support among Britons for staying in the European Union has increased slightly since last month giving the "In" campaign a narrow lead ahead of a June referendum, an ORB poll for the Independent said on Thursday, March 31, according to Reuters.

The poll of 2002 people was carried out after the deadly attacks in Brussels which some commentators believed might boost the "Out" campaign. Both sides have made security a key theme of the debate in recent days, arguing whether an exit would make Britain safer or less secure.

The online survey found 51 percent of voters wanted Britain to remain part of the 28-nation bloc with 49 percent wanting to leave. The country will vote in a referendum on June 23 to decide on Britain's EU membership, Reuters says.

A similar ORB poll last month had 52 percent backing an EU exit and 48 percent supporting staying in the bloc.

Recent opinion surveys have produced contrasting pictures of which way the mood among Britons towards the EU is moving.

A telephone poll for Ipsos MORI on Tuesday showed the "In" campaign had an eight point lead over those wanting to leave, but that represented a sharp decline from the previous month.

Phone polls have tended to show comfortable leads for those wanting to stay in the EU, while online surveys have backing for the two campaigns running neck and neck.

The ORB survey found 81 percent agreed that the Brussels attacks showed a need for "EU nations to stand together against terrorism."