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David Cameron’s referendum gamble today looked set to succeed as an exclusive Ipsos MORI poll revealed that Britons want to stay in the European Union — by an overwhelming three to one.

If the historic in-out referendum were to be staged now, 66 per cent say they would vote to remain members and 22 per cent would vote to quit. Excluding the don’t knows, at 12 per cent, the result is an emphatic 75 to 25.

It comes amid a rising tempo of referendum preparations. As the Prime Minister held talks with his Slovak counterpart ahead of a Brussels summit next week, seven Eurosceptic MPs from Labour, the Tories and Ukip announced moves to form the Out campaign.

Chancellor George Osborne said in Luxembourg that Britain must “prepare for the worst” if Greece quits the euro, which would send financial markets into turmoil.

The survey for the Evening Standard used the exact wording expected to be on voting slips in the poll, due to be held by the end of 2017. In addition, half the 1,005-strong sample was asked a second question with a wording used on Ipsos MORI surveys over four decades: “If there were a referendum now on whether Britain should stay in or get out of the European Union, how would you vote?”

It found another huge majority to stay in, of 61 per cent to 27. That included 63 per cent of Conservatives and 76 per cent of Labour backers who want to stay. Almost all Ukip supporters would leave, however.

The results indicate the highest support for EU membership for 24 years. If the mood does not change, the referendum would end doubts about Britain’s future in the EU for years to come.

The last time support was higher was in 1991, before the Maastricht Treaty renamed the European Community a “Union” and triggered years of Tory civil war.

Although Mr Cameron is immersed with other European leaders there is a striking lack of confidence in his ability to “get a good deal for Britain” in the negotiations for reforms.

Some 57 per cent of those polled are “not confident” in him succeeding, while 38 per cent are “confident”.

Taken together, the findings suggest a “stay” vote does not entirely depend on a showpiece success in the PM’s tricky negotiations with 27 other leaders — spanning European immigration, welfare rights and his attempt to stop “ever closer union” from applying to the UK.

However, the rival stay and quit campaigns have yet to be launched — and they could sway public opinion one way or another.

Mr Cameron is badly out of step with the public on whether ministers should be allowed to campaign for an Out vote without being sacked.

Some 74 per cent say that ministers should be free to campaign for what they believe in. Only 19 per cent back the Premier’s view that ministers should be required to vote the same way as he does.

Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI, said: “Support for staying in the EU has been growing since well before the election and now stands at a 24-year high — even if some would prefer a less political union.

“But at the time of the 2011 eurozone crisis the ‘outs’ were in the lead — so another crisis could see attitudes change again.” The poll reveals that Mr Cameron is enjoying a political honeymoon after winning a second term.

Some 49 per cent are satisfied with him and 42 dissatisfied — his best ratings since 2010. Britons are optimistic about the economy, with 42 per cent thinking the country will improve in the year ahead, while 26 per cent think it will get worse.