A number of politicians, public figures, newspapers and magazines, businesses and other organisations endorsed either the United Kingdom remaining in the EU or the United Kingdom leaving the EU during the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.
In a letter published in The Times, a wide range of business leaders, including 36 FTSE 100 companies, called for a vote to stay in the European Union. The letter stated that British "business needs unrestricted access to the European market of 500million people to continue to grow, invest, and create jobs. We believe that leaving the EU would deter investment, threaten jobs, and put the economy at risk. Britain will be stronger, safer, and better off remaining a member of the EU".[52][53]
The majority of the Conservative Party's 330 MPs announced that they would campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union. Including Cabinet Ministers, the list included:[68][76]
The list of Conservative Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) that announced that they would campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union is:[81]
The Trades Union Congress (TUC), representing 52 British trade unions, endorsed Britain remaining in the EU. All but a few of its member unions were expected to urge voters to stay in the EU.[252]
In a letter to The Times, around 200 healthcare professionals defended the EU as an overall benefit to UK public health, the NHS and health research. Sections from the letter stated "As health professionals and researchers we write to highlight the valuable benefits of continued EU membership to the NHS, medical innovation and UK public health". "We have made enormous progress over decades in international health research, health services innovation and public health. Much has been built around shared policies and capacity across the EU". "EU trade deals will not privatise the NHS as the EU negotiating position now contains clear safeguards. Decisions on NHS privatisation are in UK government hands alone. EU immigration is a net benefit to our NHS in terms of finances, staffing and exchanges". "Finally, leaving the EU would not provide a financial windfall for the NHS". Signatories included:[344][345]
Baroness Elaine Murphy FRCPsych, Professor of Psychiatry, London
Baroness Sheila Hollins, former President Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
Lord Alderdice FRCPsych, Senior Research Fellow, Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, Oxford
Lord Ara Darzi OM, Paul Hamlyn Professor of Surgery, Imperial College
Lord Nigel Crisp, former Chief Executive NHS, London
Professor Dame Janet Thornton, Senior Scientist, European Bioinformatics Institute European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Professor Dame Jill Macleod Clark, Professor of Nursing, University of Southampton
Professor Dame Til Wykes, Professor and Vice Dean, King's College London
Dame Sue Bailey, Past President, Royal College of Psychiatrists
Sir Andy Haines, former Dean, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Sir Cyril Chantler, formerly Chairman of The King's Fund and the UCL Partners academic health science network, London
Professor John Ashton CBE, President, Faculty of Public Health
Professor John Malcolm Harrington, Emeritus Professor of Occupational Medicine, Budleigh Salterton
Professor John Middleton, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton
Professor John Williams CBE, Professor of Health Services Research, Swansea University Medical School
Professor Jonathan Weber, director, imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, Imperial College London
Professor Kate Bushby, Professor of Neuromuscular Genetics, Newcastle University
Professor KK Cheng, director, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham
Professor Liam Smeeth, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Professor Lindsey Davies CBE, former President, UK Faculty of Public Health, London
Professor Mark S Gilthorpe, Professor of Statistical Epidemiology, University of Leeds
Professor Martin Bobak, Professor of Epidemiology, University College London
Professor Martin White, Programme Leader, Food Behaviours and Public Health, University of Cambridge
Professor Mike Pringle, former President, Royal College of General Practitioners, Retired GP
Professor Peter Kopelman, Emeritus Professor of Medicine (formerly Principal), St George's, University of London
Professor Peter Openshaw, Professor of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London
Professor Peter Whincup, Professor of Epidemiology, St George's, University of London
Professor Ray Powles CBE, Head, Haemato-oncology, Cancer Centre London
Professor Raymond Agius, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, The University of Manchester
Professor Rita Horvath, Professor of Neurogenetics, Newcastle University
Professor Rob Poole, Professor of Social Psychiatry, Bangor University
Professor Rod Griffiths CBE, Past President, Faculty of Public Health, London
Professor Rod Hay, Professor of Cutaneous Infection, Kings College NHS Trust London
Professor Sir John Burn, Professor of Clinical Genetics, Newcastle University
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, David Weatherall Chair of Medicine and Consultant Physician, University of Liverpool
Professor Stephanie Amiel, Professor of Diabetic Medicine, King's College London
Professor Stephen Keevil, Professor of Medical Physics, King's College London
Professor Stuart Carney, Dean of Medical Education, King's College London
Professor Tamara Hervey, Jean Monnet Professor of European Law, University of Sheffield
Professor Tim Helliwell, Vice President for Learning, Royal College of Pathologists, Liverpool
Professor Trevor Powles CBE, Head Breast Cancer Cancer Centre, London
Professor Trisha Greenhalgh OBE, Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford
Mr Patrick Moore, Primary Care Practice Pharmacist, Belfast
Mrs Alexandra Johnson, CEO of JoiningJack, Joining Jack, Wigan
Mrs Louise Johnson, Well North Executive Co-ordinator, The University of Manchester
Royal Society letter
Led by Professor Stephen Hawking,[346] more than 150 notable academics, all Fellows of the Royal Society, signed a letter to The Times newspaper setting out their position on the European Union that leaving the bloc would damage science and research. They included:[347]
Over 100 UK university leaders signed an open letter to The Sunday Times supporting UK membership of the EU. They stated that "Inside the EU, we are better able to collaborate with partners from across Europe to carry out cutting edge research, from medical and healthcare advances, to new materials, products and services. In the EU, the UK is also a more attractive destination for global talent, ensuring that our students are taught by the best minds from across Europe. This has a direct impact on our economy, driving growth, generating jobs and ultimately improving people's lives". Signatories included:[348]
Almost 300 of the world's biggest creative industries names signed a letter to support keeping Britain in the EU, including (but not limited to) the names listed below. A Creative Industries Federation survey also revealed that 96% of its members supported remaining in the EU. The letter stated that "Britain is not just stronger in Europe, it is more imaginative and more creative, and our global creative success would be severely weakened by walking away". Signatories included:[266]
Professor Eyal Weizman, architect and Professor of Spatial and Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, and director of the Centre for Research Architecture
In a letter to The Times, 279 economists stated that Brexit would "entail significant long-term costs". The signatories wrote, "focusing entirely on the economics, we consider that it would be a major mistake for the UK to leave the European Union." At the time of publication the letter had 199 signatories. A further 80 signed after publication.[350][351][352]
Lawyers' report
Around 300 lawyers signed a report on UK membership of the EU and the alternatives. They stated: "we recognised how much of the debate on the UK's membership of the EU is based on a lack of information, misconceptions, or, worse, misinformation [...] Ultimately, we believe a sensible judgment on EU membership can be made only on the basis of reliable evidence". The signatories "consider that the UK's interests are best served by remaining in the EU".[353]
Historians letter
In a letter to the Guardian, more than 300 prominent historians urged the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union. The letter said, "On 23 June, we face a choice: to cast ourselves adrift, condemning ourselves to irrelevance and Europe to division and weakness; or to reaffirm our commitment to the EU and stiffen the cohesion of our continent in a dangerous world." Notable signatories included:[354][355]
On 4 June 2016, The Guardian newspaper published a number of 'letters to Britain' by European (non-British) writers and intellectuals giving their opinion on the referendum and Britain's place in Europe. All of the letters expressed support for remain.[366] The writers were:
On 10 June 2016, The Daily Telegraph published a letter signed by 13 winners of the Nobel Prize expressing the view that being part of the EU is good for British science and that is good for Britain.[367]
On 19 June 2016, The Guardian published a letter signed by 10 winners of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, expressing the view that the "economic argument" was clearly in favour of continued UK membership within the EU.[368]
At the time the referendum was called, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was Iain Duncan Smith, who also supports leave. He subsequently resigned following the 2016 United Kingdom budget.[428] Some suspected his resignation was due to his support for British withdrawal from the EU,[429][430] but Duncan Smith has denied this, stating that such allegations were a "deliberate attempt to discredit" him.[431]
Within the Green Party (which supported Remain): the Green Leaves organisation campaigned on behalf of Green Party members who advocated a leave vote.[479] Member of the House of Lords and former London Assembly Member Jenny Jones (Baroness Jones) campaigned to leave.[480][481]
Within the SNP (which supported Remain): former SNP deputy leader and MP Jim Sillars and former SNP leader and MP Gordon Wilson endorsed a leave vote in the referendum.[483][484][485] Former Scottish government minister Alex Neil declared that he voted leave and that several of his fellow SNP MSPs did likewise.[486][487] There were multiple groups for SNP members advocating a leave vote, such as SNP Vote Leave and SNP GO!.[488]
Bernard Connolly, economist and former head of the unit responsible for the European Monetary System and monetary policies in the European Commission[564][565]
Tim Congdon, economist and formerly one of the Treasury's panel of 'wise men'[566]
↑ "The real danger of Brexit (Editorial)". 27 February 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016. For those who believe, as this newspaper does, in free trade and freedom of movement, the benefits to Britain of its membership of the EU have never been in much doubt.
↑ "A vote to Leave EU would trigger economic uncertainty". 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016. For people in Northern Ireland, the only way to ensure economic stability and maintain free movement north and south is to vote Remain.
↑ "Poll rivals' last push for victory" by J. Murphy, R. Dex, J. Armitage, London Evening Standard, 22 June 2016, p. 1.
↑ McCall, Alastair (24 April 2016). "Tetra Pak heiress whose family fortune is up 2.2billion this year". The Sunday Times Magazine. p.11. Perhaps unsurprisingly for someone from Sweden, whose family's business interests are based in Switzerland and who chooses to live in Britain, with its more favourable tax regime, she appears to be strongly anti-Brexit.
↑ McBride, Sam (26 March 2016). "EU isn't working on economic grounds: Trimble". The News Letter. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016. Couching his arguments almost exclusively in economic terms, Lord Trimble – who supports a British withdrawal from the EU – was keen to stress that he is not anti-European.
↑ "More of Your Letters on the EU Vote." Bristol Evening Post (England), 2016, pp. 10–11. Access World News, infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/15DAB7CD8103B078. Accessed 19 April. 2021.
↑ "Home". Greenleaves. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
↑ "Second Interim Report"(PDF). Council of Ministers, Isle of Man: 1. June 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2019. As I have already stated, the Isle of Man Government has not taken a policy position on the referendum, as it is a matter for the people of the UK to decide
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