In Britain, campaigns make final push before historic Brexit vote

Brexit campaigns argue in debate at Wembley Arena

(Image credit: Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images)

published 22 June 2016

Britain votes Thursday on whether to stay in the European Union or leave, and officials representing the Remain and Leave campaigns are making their final pitches to voters in a flurry of events, including a public debate in Wembley Arena. Prime Minister David Cameron, who wants Britain to remain in the EU, said the polls are "very close; nobody knows what's going to happen."

At the spirited Wembley debate, with 6,000 people in the audience and many more watching on TV, Boris Johnson, a member of Cameron's Conservative Party and leader of the Leave campaign, accused the Remain camp of going "back to project fear" on the economic fallout of leaving the EU and of "talking down" the UK. "This Thursday can be our country's independence day," Johnson said. Johnson's Liberal successor as London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, said the Leave campaign has "been 'project hate' as far as immigration is concerned." Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, speaking for the Remain side, accused the Leave side of "lying" and cautioned voters that if they vote to leave, there's "no going back on Friday morning." The Remain side, she said, has "refused to dismiss the experts" who all agree that "Britain is better-off in" the EU.

Britain is divided over the referendum, but Britain's main allies are pretty uniform in their support for staying in the EU. Results of the referendum are expected Friday morning.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.