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Your support makes all the difference.The question in the forthcoming EU referendum will be structured so that remaining in the bloc will be the “Yes” option and leaving will be the “No” option, according to reports.
The precise wording for the EU referendum question has not yet been decided ahead of the introduction of legislation in the Queen’s Speech.
But BBC News and Sky News both report that those in favour of EU membership are likely to be on the “Yes” side.
The move by the government is likely to be a strategic decision to couch the campaign to stay in the EU as a positive one.
Unionist campaigners in the Scottish independence referendum complained that the structure of the referendum question – with independence as the ‘Yes’ campaign – made it difficult to paint a positive message or argument.
The situation left the ‘No’ to Scottish independence campaign branded by its opponents as “Project Fear”, though it was still ultimately victorious
During the last parliament the Electoral Commission suggested that the question “Should the United Kingdom remain in the European Union?” be used.
It issued the advice in response to a private members bill by Conservative backbencher James Wharton. That attempt to introduce an EU referendum was ultimately blocked.
Pollsters generally find that posting the same fundamental in different ways is crucial to the final result and can make all the difference in a close race.
Earlier this week the Government confirmed that EU nationals other than those from the British Isles and Commonwealth would not have a vote in the in-out referendum. 16 and 17 year olds would not be given the vote either.
The Conservative manifesto says the party will hold an EU referendum before the end of 2017.
The prime minister David Cameron hinted during an EU summit last week that a vote could be held earlier, saying he wanted to make “early progress”.
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