Has British Prime Minister David Cameron been backed into a corner by his own party regarding the promised EU exit referendum?
Cameron has announced that he will suspend collective responsibility ahead of the referendum amid fears in Downing Street that cabinet member Chris Grayling was planning to resign over the issue.
His statement came after he held showdown talks on Monday morning with Grayling, the Leader of the House of Commons. It is believed that at least two other senior ministers had made clear to colleagues that they would consider resigning if Mr Cameron, a pro-Europe supporter, attempted to force them to campaign for Britain to remain in the EU.
The decision to suspend collective responsibility raises the prospect of up to a dozen members of the Cabinet and dozens of junior ministers campaigning for Britain to leave the EU.
The term ‘Brexit’ (short for British EU exit) will be in all the headlines between now and when the referendum takes place. It’s been promised before the end of 2017 but some believe that it could take place this year if the Prime Minister judges the mood in the country to be right. Skybet have 2016 as the year of the vote at 1/4 with 2017 at 11/4 – the Bill has had its second reading in Parliament so the legal barrier to a referendum will soon be lowered.
Cameron, meanwhile, is still trying to negotiate a better deal for the United Kingdom in the EU. He’ll be hoping any progress persuades those of the electorate still undecided over the European issue.
Most polls show the British public is fairly evenly divided about the country’s future in the EU, with a slight bias towards staying but critics say he risks splitting the Conservative party by allowing EU sceptics free rein to campaign – there are suggestions that up to half of Tory backbenchers are now considering campaigning for a British exit. Boris Johnson and Teresa May, who both have designs on the Conservative leadership, are anti-EU.
Brexit Referendum Betting Best Odds
Stay (4/9), Leave (9/5)
Ladbrokes’ Odds for Yes Vote Percentages
50-55% (9/4), 55-60% (11/4), 45-50% (3/1), 40-45% and 60-65% (8/1), 65-70% (14/1)
