Brexit campaign resumes as polls show support for ‘Remain’ campaign

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The two sides in the referendum on Britain's future in the European Union came out swinging Sunday after a three-day lull in campaigning in the wake of the killing of a member of Parliament.

With the country still reeling since the shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox on Thursday outside the public library in Birstall, near Leeds, there had been expectations that the political rhetoric would be more sedate, but that didn't appear to be the case as campaigning resumed.

Polls are beginning to show, meanwhile, that support for staying in the EU is on the rise, though both sides are in a statistical dead heat.

Brexit explained: The latest updates and what you need to know

On Sunday, Prime Minister David Cameron, who backs Britain remaining in the EU, argued in a newspaper article that the country would face serious economic consequences if it pulled out, including a recession, job losses, higher prices and fewer opportunities for young people. He also accused the Vote Leave campaign of lying.

Fellow Conservative Boris Johnson, who backs Vote Leave, urged voters to seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take back control of the country and its borders. During a rally in London, he stoked fears about "terrorist suspects and criminals" on the streets of London. And Justice Minister Michael Gove, another prominent Vote Leave supporter, defended the campaign's claims that if Turkey joins the EU, one million Turks will flood into Britain within eight years.

It's unclear what impact the death of Ms. Cox will have on the outcome of the vote, which takes place Thursday. She strongly supported the Remain side and was a vocal advocate for Syrian refugees and immigration. The man accused of killing her, Thomas Mair, is believed to have ties to extremist groups and during a court appearance on Saturday gave his name as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain."

Vote Leave and the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), which is running its own anti-EU campaign, have cited unfettered migration from the EU as a major reason for pulling out, arguing migrants have taken jobs and put a strain on housing and social services. But they have also faced criticism that their campaigns have stoked anti-immigrant sentiments.

Last week, UKIP released a poster showing a long line of asylum seekers with the heading: "Breaking Point. The EU has failed us all. We must break free of the EU and take back control of our borders." A Vote Leave poster said: "Britain's new border is with Syria and Iraq."

UKIP Leader Nigel Farage defended the party's poster, saying he favours helping legitimate refugees but he is against the uncontrolled movement of people across the EU. He has also said Germany will regret taking so many asylum seekers from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan last summer.

Mr. Cameron invoked Ms. Cox in his article on Sunday, saying she embodied Britain at its best, "a country that is decent and compassionate." And he slammed Mr. Farage as someone who "divides rather than unites."

Three polls released over the weekend showed Remain gaining support, reversing a trend that had seen Vote Leave in the lead.

A YouGov poll put support for Remain at 44 per cent, one point ahead of Vote Leave. Another poll by Opinium had each tied at 44 per cent and a Survation poll had Remain at 45 per cent and Vote Leave at 42 per cent. The poll results are within the margin of error.

Much of the polling was done before Ms. Cox died and pollsters said the results reflected growing concerns about the economic impact of Brexit. In the YouGov poll, 33 per cent of people said they thought that they would be personally worse off if Britain left the EU. That was up from 23 per cent two weeks ago.

There are concerns among some rank-and-file Vote Leave campaigners that the murder of Ms. Cox will hurt their efforts.

"It might affect us," said Jim Perkins as he handed out Vote Leave pamphlets on Sunday in Hunstanton, a seaside town northeast of Cambridge in Norfolk, an area considered a stronghold for Leave support. "I think [the Remain side] will try to use it to say, 'That's what happens if you vote to get out of Europe, there will be chaos.'"

It won't have an impact on voters like Roy Hopperton, a retired farmer who wants Britain out of the EU. "It's just a tragedy. We're all in danger. Some idiot could come down here with a shotgun," he said. "I've got four sitting in my house."