Europe

Obama Encourages British Citizens To Vote Against 'Brexit'

In an op-ed for The Telegraph, President Barack Obama asked voters to consider keeping Britain in the European Union in the upcoming referendum.

Obama Encourages British Citizens To Vote Against 'Brexit'
Getty Images / Alex Wong
SMS

President Barack Obama is siding with Prime Minister David Cameron in advocating for Britain to stay in the European Union, but both leaders want voters to decide.

He wrote in an op-ed in The Telegraph published Friday, "The European Union doesn’t moderate British influence — it magnifies it. A strong Europe is not a threat to Britain’s global leadership; it enhances Britain’s global leadership."

On June 23, British voters will decide whether or not to remain in the EU, an ongoing debate known as "Brexit." 

And with that date looming, Cameron has a small handful of parliament members against him. 

Shortly after Obama's op-ed was published, Cameron tweeted, "The US is one of our closest allies. So it's important to hear Barack Obama on why we should remain in the EU."

Obama arrived in London Thursday night for a three-day visit. But his visit wasn't solely inspired by the Brexit campaigns — he also wanted to wish the queen a happy birthday. 

This video includes clips from The White HouseU.K. ParliamentUKIPBBC and an image from Getty Images.