Not economy but immigration will decide June 23 outcome.
London: Don’t try to talk to Brian Hall about economics, trading blocs or the value of the British pound. He won’t listen. There's one factor — and one factor only — shaping his view in the June 23 referendum on whether Britain should stay in the European Union: immigration.
He’s tired of Eastern Europeans arriving on these shores, and he plans to use his vote to make that point.
“In Dover, the biggest issue is immigration,” said the proprietor of the W&G Hall convenience store. “I’m speaking for a lot of people here — we’ve been inundated, and they’ve changed the face of the town, not for the better.”
The “remain” camp led by Prime Minister David Cameron appears to be winning the economic argument, with key business figures warning that leaving the EU might bring economic calamity in the form of higher taxes and spending cuts.
The “leave” camp, however, may be winning the emotional argument about how staying in the EU will lead to un-checked immigration and the transformation of British life.
Led by former London Mayor Boris Johnson and UK Independence Party chief Nigel Farage, the “leave” campaigners charge that British workers have been hurt because EU “freedom of movement” laws mean that Hungarians, Slovaks, Poles and others can come to Britain visa-free to live, work and claim benefits.
They warn that if Turkey joins the EU — a prospect that is not imminent — it will give access to Britain to millions more. And they point out that Cameron's government has failed to make good on promises to cut immigration. Official figures show net migration of 3,30,000 people into Britain last year, far higher than Cameron’s targets.
UK Dilemma: To Leave or Not Leave
On June 23, British people will vote in a referendum to decide whether to continue to be a part of the European Union or not. Against the background of the epoch-making vote, here is a lowdown on how the decision will affect a plethora of issues.
Immigrants: The Prime Minister himself has refused to rule out the possibility of deportations, which to some might seem like reasonable validation of their anxiety.
Brain Drain: l Universities in UK estimate that British institutions benefit from £1.2bn each year. It’s likely Britain would lose that funding if it exits the European Union.
House prices: Analysts at Deutsche Bank and the credit rating agencies S&P and Fitch have warned in recent months that voting to leave the European Union would instantly reduce the value of UK houses.
Security: Some in the military staunchly maintain that the UK’s defences will become severely weakened the longer one stays in.
Business: To judge by most of the statements from leading business people, the business community seems to be against the idea of Brexit.
On European Union: The U.K. currently contributes 5.8 percent of the E.U.’s operating budget. If the E.U. loses the U.K., it loses 15% of its GDP.
Tourism: It seems a no-brainer: with weaker sterling, the rest of the world will get more pounds for its euros, dollars, yen, etc, making the UK a cheaper destination to visit.
Trade: The Remain side claims British exit from the EU would have a negative impact on trade. The Leave camp dismisses this as scaremongering.
