The governor of the Bank of England has said a referendum on Britain\u2019s membership of the European Union (EU) should take place \u201cas soon as necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark Carney said the prospect of a referendum was fuelling business uncertainty, which could hurt the economy if companies start putting off investment plans.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he would like to see the referendum sooner rather than later, Carney told the BBC Radio 4\u2019s Today program: \u201cAs soon as necessary. That\u2019s as much as you\u2019re going to get.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe government has made it clear it\u2019s a priority. I\u2019m sure the government will act with appropriate speed in developing the negotiations and putting forward an appropriate question,\u201d<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n Carney also pointed out the benefits of Britain staying in the EU.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the big advantages this economy has is access to the European market. It\u2019s the largest economy in the world, it\u2019s our largest per destination, it\u2019s our largest investor in the United Kingdom.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n