Farage: Cameron’s talks on EU deal will be farce
by polling firm Survation was commissioned by Ukip and was the biggest detailed study of public opinion on Europe for years.
It asked a series of questions about attitudes to the EU and what should be the Prime Minister’s top priorities in his drive to renegotiate the country’s EU membership deal.
Immigration was seen as the most important issue in his diplomatic push, according to the poll.
Thirty- two per cent of voters stated that “ending the free movement of people” across EU borders should be top of his agenda.
A further 18 per cent made restoration of sovereignty from Brussels to Westminster top priority.
Slashed
And 15 per cent wanted the £ 11billion cost of EU membership slashed and the cash spent within the UK.
Mr Farage pointed out that the top three priorities for EU reform in the poll were not even on Mr Cameron’s negotiating shopping list.
He said: “His renegotiation is a farce. He has no intention of fighting for the changes people want. Opendoor immigration is the number one concern. David Cameron has no intention of addressing this.
“It is vital therefore that EU open borders are part of this referendum debate. The fact that inside the EU we have no say over the quantity nor quality control of those who come to our country is of huge significance to the British people.
“We must highlight that we can only control the numbers coming in by voting No and leaving the EU.
“It is also clear that the British people want a Parliament which is free to make its own laws without interference from the EU and to stop money flowing to Brussels.
“None of these issues are even open for discussion, so we in Ukip will be campaigning hard to expose David Cameron’s commitment to keep the UK locked inside the EU.
“Ukip will be leading the charge to secure a No vote.”
The historic vote is to be held by the end of 2017 but some Whitehall insiders believe it could come as early as next June. Mr Cameron is set for fresh talks on UK membership with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders.
Meanwhile Ukip leader Mr Farage will speak at dozens of public meetings in the coming months to try to win the case for quitting the EU.
In a major speech tomorrow, he will say time must not be wasted in the battle to win over voters. According to the Survation poll, the Yes to EU camp is currently ahead, with 44.1 per cent of the vote, against 35.7 per cent who want us to leave.
But senior Ukip figures believe the other poll findings confirm that feeling will shift drastically when the arguments are examined.
Only 37 per cent of those quizzed would vote to join the EU if Britain was outside the bloc today.
Forty- two per cent had no idea how much EU membership cost taxpayers, while 66 per cent said the cost was too high whatever it was.
Forty- one per cent thought any savings if Britain does quit the EU should be spent on the NHS.
Nearly two- thirds of voters said the Westminster Parliament should be able to overrule EU law.
The Daily Express has been at the forefront of the crusade for Britain to quit the EU for more than five years. Hundreds of thousands of readers backed a petition delivered to Downing Street.