ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by putting the referendum into the wider context of the British Eurosceptic debate and identifies key reasons why Prime Minister Cameron's decision to opt for a referendum was a huge political gamble. The chapter then focuses on Britain Stronger in Europe (BSIE) and some main Leave campaigns and also argues that the campaign itself was a crucial factor in determining the outcome of the referendum result. It further emphasises the major 'demand-side' issues at stake in the referendum and analyses how effective the 'supply-side' messages of the campaigns were in exploiting these to their electoral advantage. It concludes that the vehement opposition of the majority of the UK tabloid press and the decision of BSIE to in effect run a single-issue campaign around the so-called rational choice economic argument, a vote to remain in the EU was the least likely outcome.
