THE campaign for Britain to leave the European Union (EU) took a 10 percentage-point lead in a poll published late on Friday, less than two weeks before the country votes in a referendum.
The survey of 2,000 people by ORB for the Independent newspaper found 55 percent in favor of a so-called Brexit, or Britain exit, up 4 points since a previous poll in April, with 45 percent for “Remain,” down 4 points. It’s the biggest “Leave” lead recorded by ORB in polls for the newspaper.
The pound slumped after the poll as doubt creeps into some investors’ minds that Prime Minister David Cameron will be able to pull off the biggest political gamble in recent British history.
While pollsters have cautioned against overinterpreting their findings and another survey this week showed Remain in the lead, Cameron himself is showing signs of unease.
“I think we should just forget about the polls. There is going to be a poll in 13 days’ time,” Cameron said arguing for Remain said at an event on Friday.
Investor jitters
Anxiety about a potential British exit from the EU gripped investors, sending the pound to its lowest level since April, while trader expectations for price swings climbed to a fresh seven-year.
A gauge of one-month volatility, which goes beyond the June 23 referendum to encompass the aftermath of the vote, climbed for a sixth week, indicating traders are girding themselves for more turmoil after the referendum is over. Sterling dropped 1.4 percent to $1.4263 as of 3:39 p.m. New York time, after touching $1.4181, the lowest since
April.
