- Title: British celebrities back remaining in EU in letter to newspaper
- Date: 20th May 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - SEPTEMBER 20, 2015) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** FASHION DESIGNER VIVIENNE WESTWOOD AND PROTESTERS WITH BANNERS WALKING DOWN STREET WESTWOOD AND PROTESTERS POSING AND CHEERING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - MAY 18, 2014) (REUTERS) ACTRESS HELENA BONHAM CARTER AND ACTOR DOMINIC WEST SPEAKING TO MEDIA ON RED CARPET BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - FEBRUARY 13, 2015) (REUTERS) ACTRESS HELENA BONHAM CARTER ON RED CARPET LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 23, 2015) (REUTERS) SINGER PALOMA FAITH TALKING TO MEDIA LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - OCTOBER 18, 2015) (REUTERS) DIRECTOR DANNY BOYLE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS BOYLE BEING INTERVIEWED ON RED CARPET
- Embargoed: 4th June 2016 12:53
- Keywords: EU Brexit referendum Benedict Cumberbatch Keira Knightley Helena Bonham Carter Vivienne Westwood
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Celebrities,Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0034IM4IFH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: British actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Helena Bonham Carter are among more than 250 celebrities from the arts world who have signed a letter urging Britons to vote to remain in the European Union.
Some of Britain's best-known artists, musicians and writers are also signatories to the letter in the Guardian newspaper that warns of the country becoming "an outsider shouting from the wings" if Britons vote to leave the EU in a June 23 referendum.
"Britain is not just stronger in Europe, it is more imaginative and more creative ... Our global creative success would be severely weakened by walking away," they said.
The letter was coordinated by "Stronger In", the official campaign to persuade voters to stay in the EU that is also backed by Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron's governing Conservative Party is deeply split over the issue.
Other signatories to the letter include singer Paloma Faith, designer Vivienne Westwood and writer John Le Carre.
The move by "Stronger In" is likely to be seen as an attempt to broaden the EU debate beyond economics and immigration.
Though opinion polls have given sharply different pictures of public opinion, betting odds on Friday indicated a 79 percent implied probability of Britain voting to stay in the EU. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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