Downing Street pencils 23 June as EU referendum date, report says

Britain will go to the polls on 23 June to vote in a referendum on continuing membership of the European Union, according to reports.

Prime Minister David Cameron's office has told senior figures that the fourth Thursday in June is the preferred date for an EU referendum, the Times reported on Tuesday.

The Conservative party promised a vote on whether or not the UK should stay in or leave the EU as part of their election manifesto, and Cameron has been negotiating with European heads of state in recent months to win concessions on measures such as freedom of movement and curbing migration

As a result of these talks, the PM stated last week that he was confident the UK will remain in a reformed EU, despite polls suggesting growing support for a 'Brexit'.

However German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Cameron agreed this week that while there “had been progress” since December’s European Council, with “genuine goodwill across the EU to address the British people’s concerns”, it was acknowledged that there was "more work to do" ahead of the February's Council.

Many City analysts and commentators have warned that a British exit from the EU, or Brexit, would prove very harmful for the economy.

A Brexit would not only harm UK growth and investment prospects but would be likely to reignite and strengthen Scotland's push for independence, ratings agency Fitch has said.