Ambivalent voters may hold key to Brexit referendum

LONDON

Eighteen percent of British voters remain undecided about whether the U.K. should remain with the EU, just two months before a referendum over the key question becomes due, according to a latest opinion poll.

Yougov, a U.K.-based market research firm, said in its recent survey that the percentage of Britons in favor of remaining in the EU stood at 39 percent, while a close 38 percent of people supported leaving the bloc.

With such a close gap between the yes and no voters' camps, the most critical block during the June 23 referendum, also known as Brexit (Britain Exit) referendum, is expected to be the made up of people who are yet to make up their minds over the issue. These 18 percent undecided voters, according to Yougov, could sway the referendum result one way or the another.

John Harding, an 82-year-old teacher from London, is among those ambivalent voters.

“I am finding it very difficult to make my mind up because both sides have very good arguments if you can believe what they are saying,” Harding said.

25-year-old Jamie Scott, a marketing professional based in London, said: “I am not sure, I don’t know enough about it, my heart says probably stay, but I am not sure yet.”

It also appears that those who are clear about their decision now were likely to continue maintaining their position on June 23.

Chris Auton, a 58-year-old management consultant, said he would vote to leave in order to bargain for a better deal in the future.

“I think we are not getting a good deal as a country out of EU. That’s my main reason. Actually we should vote to get out on the basis that once we vote to out, we should be in a position to renegotiate to comeback in and get a better deal.

“I think Europeans want us in the EU, I would be surprised if they didn’t,” Auton argued.

On the other hand, Marc Ovis, a 42-year-old consultant based in London, said that leaving the EU was a risk for the U.K.’s fragile economy.

“I don’t think we fully understand what would happen if we came out. I think, the fact that it would take so long to negotiate all that kind of trade deal independently. It is a risk we don’t need to take with such a fragile economy,” Ovis said.