Roundup: No escape from EU debate as major British chain backs Brexit with pub message

It might be known as flaming June, but the arrival Tuesday of Britain's first summer month has sent temperatures soaring for a different reason, namely, the referendum on continued European Union (EU) membership.

People feeling hot under the collar about the battles being waged by both camps in the debate may be tempted to head for the nearest bar for a cool beer.

But in one of the more than 900 J.D. Wetherspoon pubs across the country Tuesday, pints of lager or beer will rest on a beer mat with a message urging people to vote "leave" on June 23.

Wetherspoon's founder and chairman Tim Martin has produced 200,000 beer mats with the message. In his signed message on the beer mats, Martin accuses the British government of parading a number of financial institutions in front of the public who, in his view, have grossly distorted Britain's financial prospects in the event of a Brexit.

Leave campaigners made headlines Tuesday saying they wanted Britain to quit the EU so they can scrap Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel, giving a boost to struggling households. Leading the Brexit movement are former London mayor Boris Johnson, Conservative politician Michael Gove, and Labour's Gisela Stuart who are calling for the measure, saying VAT cannot be lifted because of EU rules. However, Britain's Chancellor George Osborne, a leading "remain" campaigner, described the idea as fantasy land economics, asking who would pay for a multi-million dollar package offered by leave campaigners.

An appeal was made Tuesday to the hundreds of thousands of people who run SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) to back the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid, addressing business owners in Britain's second largest city, Birmingham, said leaving the EU would hit many of the 1.2 million SMEs who sell their goods and services to EU member states.

And a group of seven millionaire business people from the popular television series Dragon's Den have signed a letter backing the remain campaign.

Their joint message was: "As business people and investors, we know a good opportunity when we see one, but have also learnt to recognize - and avoid - unnecessary risk. British membership of the European Union represents a good opportunity for business people who want to export to a 500-million-strong market; for consumers who benefit from the easy import of goods and services; and for investors who want to see their investments grow as firms seek new markets."

In response to a growing feeling that a close vote could leave the way open for a second referendum, former Conservative leader William Hague said the result would stand.

Hague, now a member of the British House of Lords, in Tuesday's Daily Telegraph dismissed the prospect of a further vote within a few years.

Hague said: "If people ask me if there will be another referendum, I tell them, 'No, that's it.' Even it is 51-49 for leaving, we are leaving and if it's 51-49 the other way we are staying indefinitely. British voters do not take kindly to being asked the same question twice." Endit