‘Boris effect’ lifts pro-EU vote to 80%

The political savaging by President Barack Obama of Boris Johnson — London’s lord mayor and leading political proponent for the UK to exit the EU— has pushed the probability of Britain voting to remain in the bloc to a record 80%, according to bookies Paddy Power.

Dubbed the ‘Boris effect’, sterling yesterday soared to its strongest level in more than two months against the dollar, and consolidated the gains made in recent days against the euro, amid signs the ‘remain’ camp is pulling ahead in the campaign over the UK’s membership of the EU.

Sterling was little changed at 77.80 pence against the euro yesterday but has advanced from as low as 82 pence hit only weeks ago when it looked like the most likely outcome of the UK’s June 23 referendum was that it was heading out the EU door.