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Brexit poll shows big lead for Remain

Almost half of the country's Jews believe Britain should remain in the European Union, a JC poll has revealed.

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Almost half of the country's Jews believe Britain should remain in the European Union, a JC poll has revealed.

Asked how they would vote in next month's referendum, 49 per cent said they would prefer to stay in.

Just over a third - 34 per cent - back Brexit.

But a significant number - 17 per cent - were yet to decide how they would vote on June 23.

The polling, carried out by Survation for the JC, suggests the Jewish community is slightly more in favour of Britain remaining in the EU than the general population. When Survation last polled the country in the final week of April, 45 per cent of voters backed "Remain", 38 per cent said "Leave", and 17 per cent were undecided.

Current national polls put the Remain and Leave campaigns roughly level on around 40 per cent each.

There are clear differences within the Jewish community over Britain's future in Europe depending on both age and location.

Voters aged 18-34 were far more heavily in favour of Britain staying in the EU, with 61 per cent backing Remain. For those aged over 55, the figure was only 44 per cent.

One in four voters (25 per cent) in the younger age group want to Leave, whereas 38 per cent of over-55s said they would support the country withdrawing from the EU.

The 35-54 age range contained the most undecided voters, with almost a fifth - 19 per cent - unsure how they would vote in the referendum.

London-based Jews were more heavily in favour of Remain, at 52 per cent, compared to 43 per cent in Manchester and 46 per cent elsewhere. Manchester Jews also had a greater number of undecided and Leave voters.

On Sunday, the Board of Deputies will host a debate on the referendum, with Labour MP Wes Streeting speaking for the Remain campaign and Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan putting the case to leave.

Former British ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould is in charge of a special government unit supporting continued British EU membership.

Survation polled a representative sample of more than 1,000 British Jews.

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