Anti-Brexit campaign needs ground troops

Campaigners to keep Britain in the European Union, boosted by a visit from US President Barack Obama, seem to be winning the air war in the media, but they could yet lose the crucial ground war to bring out the vote.

With opinion polls showing the “Remain” camp has a slender lead two months before polling day, and many people still undecided, turnout will be decisive in the June 23 referendum.

Few Britons are as passionate about staying in the 28-nation bloc as euro-sceptics are about leaving it, so the risk is that the “soggy middle” of apathetic or lukewarm supporters of EU membership stay home on voting day.

Edouard Lecerf, director of political and opinion at pollsters TNS, said just under 60 per cent of the electorate say they will definitely or probably cast ballots. Only 46 per cent are certain to vote.

While the “Remain” campaign has a well-oiled media machine and the support of most business chiefs, the main political party leaders and the trade unions, it may lack the foot soldiers who play a vital role in bringing voters to the polling stations.

The ruling Conservative party is split, with grassroots activists often virulently eurosceptical. The Opposition Labour party, although more pro-EU, is taking a low profile, reluctant to do David Cameron any favours.

“The Remain campaign has a very effective air campaign but most viewers and listeners have already made up their mind,” Hix said. “Leave has door-to-do-or fighters in every corner of the country. Remain doesn’t have many people on the doorstep,” said Simon Hix of the London School of Economics.

Meanwhile, UK politicians who want Britain to leave the European Union are fighting back after Mr Obama sided with those who want the country to stay in the 28-nation bloc.

Justice secretary Michael Gove led the charge Monday, arguing the UK will face a migration “free-for-all” if it votes to remain in the EU in the June 23 referendum. The comment comes after Mr Obama told Britons they would be at the “back of the queue” for a trade deal after an “out” vote.