UK voters march towards Brexit to the beat of a populist drum

Press quote (The Irish Times)
18 June 2016

"Clearly, Leave are winning, and if nothing changes they will win," says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform and an expert on Britain's tortured relationship with Europe. "We all know that psephologists say there's a last-minute shift to the status quo in the final days of a referendum campaign. I'm waiting for that shift to appear, but it hasn't appeared yet. If there’s been any shift in the last two weeks it’s been in the other direction."

...As the polls point towards Brexit, complaints within the Remain campaign about the chancellor's strategy are becoming louder, and Grant believes that although the economic argument is necessary, it is not sufficient. "Economics is not enough," he says. "They've got to have a narrative about Britain leading Europe, shaping Europe, winning in Europe, Europe doing good things under British guidance and tutelage. They’ve got to make people feel positive about Europe."