Labour Party scrambles to avoid Brexit

The campaign to keep Britain in the European Union sought on Monday to win over undecided Labour voters who could swing the result of a referendum in 10 days, as the pound fell to an eight-week low on fears the chances of Brexit had increased.
Concern over the prospect of Britain voting to leave the bloc on June 23 rattled global markets on Monday, sending Asian and European shares sharply lower, and betting odds showed the likelihood of an “In” vote had fallen.
With opinion polls still close, the “In” campaign focused on the opposition Labour Party on Monday. Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron was not holding any high profile events.
Labour supporters are seen as key to securing an In vote, as Conservative voters are deeply divided on the EU.
Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown, credited with making a decisive last-minute intervention in a Scottish independence referendum two years ago, will launch what the In campaign described as a “Labour fight-back.”
After a late surge of separatist support, the 2014 referendum saw Scots vote 55 percent to 45 percent to maintain their 308-year-old union with England.
“From now until 10 p.m. on June 23rd, we will not rest and I will not stop explaining why nine million Labour voters have most to gain from remaining in the EU,” Brown will say in a speech in Leicester, central England, on Monday.
“Voting to Remain is about a positive, stronger future and is the alternative to a Tory (Conservative) Brexit. It is stronger for jobs, for rights at work and maintaining a British voice on the world stage.”
The anti-EU UK Independence Party has made inroads in Labour’s traditional northern English stronghold.
While the party officially backs In, its leader Jeremy Corbyn has had to deny criticism he is not doing enough to campaign for that outcome. Labour have argued the media coverage has been too dominated by the battle within Cameron’s Conservatives over Europe.

Source ; Arab News