Prime Minister David Cameron announced Saturday that the U.K. will vote whether or not to stay in the European Union on Thursday, June 23rd. The referendum has divided the cabinet--while Cameron has said that he would like the U.K. to stay in a "reformed" EU, Justice Secretary Michael Gove, another prominent Conservative figure, has vocally supported the "leave" campaign.
The push for the U.K. to leave the EU has grown in recent years due to concerns about economics, immigration, and security. Many members of the "leave" campaign cite concerns about migration as one of their main reasons for justifying leaving the EU.
From the BBC:
Mr Gove said it had been the most difficult decision of his career to go against the prime minister but he believed "our country would be freer, fairer and better off outside the EU", adding that "far from providing security in an uncertain world, the EU's policies have become a source of instability and insecurity".
Commons leader Chris Grayling, another leave campaign backer, told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg: "I actually believe the EU is holding this country back. We cannot control our borders, limit the number of people who come here do trade deals.
"I do not believe we can take decisions in the national interest when we are part of the European Union."
For American readers who are scratching their heads as to what all of this means, here's a handy European Union explainer video:
It looks as though politics is going to get very interesting across the pond in the coming months.
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