Media baron Rupert Murdoch’s “The Sun” became the first UK newspaper to voice support for leaving the European Union. In its front page, The Sun declared “BeLEAVE in Britain”. According to the tabloid, Britain’s stay in the EU will be “worse for immigration, worse for jobs, worse for wages and worse for our way of life”. It went to call the predictions by UK treasury, the Bank of England, IMF as nonsense and Prime Minister David Cameron’s campaign as cynical and personally abusive.

The paper went on to say that remain camp is made up of corporate establishment, arrogant Europhiles, and foreign banks. This is a major backlash for David Cameron, who is struggling to rally the country to stay in the union.

Given The Sun’s Euro-skeptic views, it is not surprising that it supported exit but such full blown support at a time when the referendum is just 9 days away, it will make a definite difference. Readership of ‘The Sun’ has declined from its peak but it is still the most read newspaper in the UK, with 1.7 million daily readers. It is likely to hit the “stay” camp hard as the paper may help the undecided to form their opinion.