The biggest stay vote came from lawyers in Scotland
With the EU referendum less than a month away, a new Brexit poll has suggested that more than half of lawyers want Britain to remain part of the European Union.
From over 500 legal professionals questioned — including 300 lawyers — 57% said they would back Cameron and co, and vote remain on the 24 June. This represented nearly 62% of those who had already decided how they would be voting.
According to the poll — undertaken by legal recruitment specialists Douglas Scott — the biggest stay vote came from legal professionals up in Scotland, with a whopping 91% voting remain. This was followed by 77% in the South-West of England, and 66% in London.
In contrast, 67% of legal professionals based in Wales were pro-Brexit. However, overall just 35% of those questioned backed Boris and the leave campaign, with 7% still undecided and 1% saying they couldn’t care less what happens next month.
Douglas Scott’s managing director Kathryn Riley believes the poll provides an early indicator into how the referendum debate is shaping up. She said:
I will be voting to stay in the EU as I think it makes sense on a personal and commercial level. However, it would be wrong to underestimate the depth of underlying dissatisfaction that exists in the electorate. The outcome of the referendum is not as cut and dried as some people think.
Just last week the Supreme Court refused to hear an emergency case about whether British expats who have lived abroad from more than 15 years can vote in the upcoming EU referendum.
Leading the legal challenge was White & Case EU specialist Jacquelyn MacLennan. Born in Scotland — but having lived abroad for the past 29 years — MacLennan was hoping to successfully challenge the 15 year cut-off point.
Unfortunately for the top lawyer, the court didn’t agree and ruled unanimously that the EU Referendum Act 2015 didn’t fall within the scope of EU law.