Key facts
- David Cameron announced the Brexit referendum date for June 23, 2016.
- Boris Johnson decided to campaign for the Leave side.
- The Remain campaign faced internal disorganization and an elitist perception.
- The Leave campaign was considered better organized.
- US President Barack Obama warned Britain would be 'at the back of the queue' for trade deals if it left the EU.
An oral history of the Brexit campaign reveals the internal dynamics and key decisions that shaped the referendum. David Cameron's promise of a referendum in 2013 set the stage, with many insiders believing it was a miscalculation to appease internal party divisions.
Bernard Jenkin, a Conservative backbencher, recalled begging Cameron not to hold the vote, warning it would fracture the party. David Lidington, then Minister for Europe, understood Cameron's rationale but felt it was akin to feeding wolves. Craig Oliver, communications director for No 10, described the campaign's start as dire due to Conservative party infighting, predicting Cameron's eventual downfall.
Boris Johnson's decision to back Leave was portrayed as genuinely divided and stressed, with his communications director Will Walden describing him as 'veering all over the place.' Walden recounted Johnson's indecision, ultimately stating, 'I’m not making the most consequential decision you’ll ever make. You need to make that decision.' Lidington noted Cameron was more personally wounded by Michael Gove's decision to support Leave, seeing it as a breach of a closer friendship, and believed Johnson's move was driven by ambition.
Jess Phillips, a Labour MP, admitted underestimating Johnson's impact, viewing him as a 'fool' whose words were lies. The official campaign period began with a government leaflet on Brexit's dangers, which Leave campaigners labeled 'project fear.' Phillips found the Remain campaign disorganized and elitist, struggling to connect with voters on relatable issues like mobile roaming.
Ivan Rogers, Britain's EU envoy, predicted a close vote and Cameron's resignation, noting the Leave campaign was better organized. Tom Watson, Labour's deputy leader, also feared a Leave victory due to the disconnect between Labour MPs' optimism and their constituents' likely votes. Caroline Lucas criticized the Remain campaign for its 'awful' execution, dominated by 'white establishment men' and focusing too heavily on economics, while Leave spoke to a visceral desire for 'control.'
US President Barack Obama's intervention, stating Britain would be 'at the back of the queue' for trade deals, drew criticism from Leave campaigners.