UK: Referendum takes centre stage - Investec

Research Team at Investec, notes that as usual the EU referendum dominates the headlines with midnight last night representing the deadline to register to vote in the historic poll.

Key Quotes

“Last night saw a Brexit TV Special on ITV - it’s important to note this was not a face to face debate, but more of a platform for members of each side of the argument, to state their case. With the Remain camp’s support seemingly on the wane it was Nigel Farage who focused in on immigration as he tried to stamp his authority on the leave campaign.

Rather than focusing on the Leave campaigns claims as a whole, Cameron responded by leaving his fellow party members alone stating, ‘Do you go with Nigel Farage and the ‘Leave’ team, put jobs at risk and potentially shrink our economy, or do you go with this extraordinary alliance of the Greens and the Liberals and the Labour party and the Conservative government and trade unions and businesses large and small?’

Remaining on the topic of the EU referendum, in an interview with the BBC the World Trade Organisation director general, Roberto Azevedo, said Britain would not have the same negotiating power outside the EU. Britain could have to impose £9bn worth of additional tariffs on imports, raising the cost of living, while exporters could face an extra £5bn of tariffs on their sales abroad. This could perhaps been perceived as additional credibility to the Remain camp’s cause.”