‘Manufacturers overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in EU’

The survey has revealed that 85% of manufacturers would vote to stay in the EU, with a further 8 per cent saying 'don't know'. In contrast, only 7% of companies would vote to pull out of the EU. The vote is split fairly evenly across companies of all sizes, although the most positive support for staying in the EU comes from companies with greater than 250 employees, where 90 per cent would vote to stay in and not a single company would vote to come out. These figures are in line with the last poll EEF carried out in September 2013 and come in spite of the continued economic problems of the Eurozone. EEF chief executive, Terry Scuoler, said: "Despite the continued challenges faced by the Eurozone, manufacturers remain overwhelmingly of the view that our economic wellbeing is inextricably linked to the EU and, we must stay in membership. "It makes no sense to disengage from our major market. We can achieve reform by being an active member. It remains fanciful to think we can just pull up the drawbridge and walk away with no consequences."