Backlash after Barack Obama EU referendum intervention
- 2 hours ago
- EU Referendum
US President Barack Obama has been accused of doing Downing Street's bidding - after he said the UK would be at "the back of the queue" for American trade deals if it left the EU.
Mr Obama was criticised by pro-Brexit campaigners after he warned of the consequences of the UK leaving the EU.
UKIP's Nigel Farage said Mr Obama was "talking down Britain", while Tory Liam Fox said his views were "irrelevant".#
Mr Obama, on a three-day UK visit, will meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn later.
In a speech in London, the US president urged young people to "reject pessimism and cynicism" and to "know that progress is possible and our problems can be solved".
"Progress is not inevitable," he said and must be fought for. "Take a longer, more optimistic view of history."
Mr Obama's intervention on the EU issue came on his first full day in the UK and comes just weeks ahead of the 23 June in-out referendum.
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Speaking at a joint news conference with Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday, Mr Obama said the US "wants Britain's influence to grow - including within Europe".
"The UK is at its best when it's helping to lead a strong European Union. It leverages UK power to be part of the EU.
"I don't think the EU moderates British influence in the world, it magnifies it."
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