Obama will visit UK to campaign against Brexit, newspaper says

White House sources reported that in February 2016, US President Barack Obama spoke with United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron by telephone and 'reaffirmed continued US support for a strong United Kingdom in a strong European Union'.

The Independent on Sunday reported on the 13 March 2016 that President Obama would pay a brief visit to the UK in late April 2016 to support David Cameron's 'remain in the EU' policy in advance of the remain / leave referendum to be held in the UK on the 23 June 2016.

Some leave supporters, including prominent Conservative politician Boris Johnson, protested at the possible intervention. Mr Johnson said it was a 'piece of outrageous and exorbitant hypocrisy'. UKIP leader Nigel Farage described Mr Obama as 'the most anti-British president' of the modern era.

Separately, in an article published in The Times on the 20 April 2016 eight former US Treasury Secretaries said that leaving the European Union would be a 'risky bet' for the United Kingdom.

• Primary Source

Politico, 14.03.16: Boris Johnson blasts Barack Obama’s ‘exorbitant hypocrisy’ http://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-blasts-barack-obamas-exorbitant-hypocrisy/

The Guardian, 13.03.16: Ted Cruz: Obama anti-Brexit campaign will see 'England pull out of EU' http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/13/ted-cruz-barack-obama-brexit

ESO: Background information: Barack Obama plans intervention in Britain's EU referendum http://www.europeansources.info/record/barack-obama-plans-intervention-in-britains-eu-referendum/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

ESO: Background information: US warns Britain: If you leave EU you face barriers to trading with America http://www.europeansources.info/record/us-warns-britain-if-you-leave-eu-you-face-barriers-to-trading-with-america/

InFacts: Commentary, 14.03.16: Obama, Boris and the great American ‘hypocrisy’ http://infacts.org/obama-boris-and-american-hypocrisy/

EurActiv, 14.04.16: In London, Obama to wade into Brexit debate ‘as a friend’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/in-london-obama-to-wade-into-brexit-debate-as-a-friend/

The Guardian, 15.04.16: Obama to offer his friendly opposition to Brexit during visit to UK http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/14/barack-obama-brexit-eu-referendum-uk-visit

BBC News, 15.04.16: EU referendum: Boris Johnson accuses Barack Obama of 'hypocrisy' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36057947

The Guardian, 15.04.16: Obama opposed EU referendum, says former coalition minister http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/15/obama-opposed-eu-referendum-says-david-laws

CAPX, 19.04.16: President Obama’s Brexit intervention insults the British people http://capx.co/president-obamas-brexit-intervention-insults-the-british-people/

Politico, 19.04.16: Obama’s big damage-control tour http://www.politico.eu/article/obamas-big-damage-control-tour/

BBC News, 20.04.16: Staying in EU 'best hope' for UK's future says US http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36087583

Britain Stronger in Europe, 19.04.16: Bill Gates believes benefits of being in the EU 'greatly exceed' being out http://www.strongerin.co.uk/bill_gates_back_continued_eu_membership#lekhksPtKH3F9yO7.97

The Guardian, 19.04.16: Liam Fox wants Obama to keep out of EU referendum debate http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/apr/19/liam-fox-barack-obama-keep-out-eu-referendum-debate

Britain Stronger in Europe, 20.04.16: US Treasury Secretaries: UK economy and influence stronger in Europe http://www.strongerin.co.uk/us_treasury_secretaries_uk_economy_and_influence_stronger_in_europe#w7VO1yU45oMXWXvO.97

Politico, 21.04.16: How David Cameron got Barack Obama to fight Brexit http://www.politico.eu/article/how-barack-obama-came-to-david-camerons-rescue/

The Conversation, 21.04.16: Obama’s disdain for Europe’s ‘free riders’ makes this an awkward transatlantic trip https://theconversation.com/obamas-disdain-for-europes-free-riders-makes-this-an-awkward-transatlantic-trip-57994

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