A POLL revealing a majority in favour of leaving the EU shows that Britons are no longer fooled by the prospect of a “social Europe,” campaigners said yesterday.

The new survey found that if a referendum was held tomorrow 51 per cent would vote to quit the EU, with 49 per cent voting to stay in.

These findings run counter to a string of recent polls which have consistently shown comfortable majorities in favour of maintaining the status quo.

As recently as July, a Survation poll gave the pro-Europe camp a 54 per cent to 46 per cent advantage.

“The EU’s ‘social Europe’ mask slipped badly when it twisted the austerity and privatisation knife into the Greek people,” said Communist Party general secretary Rob Griffiths.

“Many more socialists and trade unionists are waking up to the fact that the EU is an anti-democratic, pro-big business racket.”

The new figures are likely to cause alarm in Downing Street ahead of David Cameron’s promised referendum — which must take place before the end of 2017.

Mr Cameron suffered a setback last week when his favoured wording for the referendum was rejected as biased.

Large sections of his party are set to campaign against EU membership in the vote, which some have suggested could take place as soon as March.

And with leftwinger Jeremy Corbyn likely to win the Labour leadership, Britain’s opposition could also take a more ambivalent stance.
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