BNC 2016 - Issue4: Brexit and the EU referendum

BREXIT AND THE

EU REFERENDUMIllustration: Alix Thomazi / www.alixthomazi.com

BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUM

Background

1BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMBackground

The EU was originally set up to help neighbouring countries work more closely together.

2 BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMBackground

If Britain votes to leave the EU,

this would deeply affect the future

of Europe.

Without Britain, the EU would be weaker

and less influential in the world.

It would also get stricter with member

countries, and less committed to free

trade.

3BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMBackground

June 23rd is shaping up to be the most important vote in Britain, and probably in Europe, for many years.


Arguments for staying in the EU

4BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMArguments for staying in the EU

This year, David Cameron has negotiated changes to the rules that Britain has to follow, or the things it must do, to be part of the EU.

With these changes, he wants to stay in.

5BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUM


Mr Cameron argues that

Britain gains influence and

power in the world by being part of the EU.


Mr Cameron says Britain has the “best of both worlds” because it’s in the EU but not signed up to the parts that work least well. For example we do not use the European currency, the euro.

Also Britain has not signed up to be part of the Schengen passport-free travel zone, an area where you don’t even need a passport to travel between some European countries.



Mr Cameron also says Britain needs to stay in

the EU so we can trade as easily as

possible with other European

countries. He says this easy trading is

necessary for Britain to prosper, and we could lose

this if we walk away from the EU.


The chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, says that if Britain wanted keep trading with other EU countries just as easily after Brexit then it would have to follow all the EU’s rules, pay into the EU’s budget and accept free migration, without having any say.



Some people point out that

Canada trades freely with

European countries even though Canada

is not a member of the EU. Mr Osborne

argues back that Canada still has to pay

taxes to trade with European countries,

and it’s not allowed to trade on some things

that Britain would want to.


Some people don’t like the fact that being part of the EU means being unable to limit migration from other EU Countries.

Mr Cameron’s response is that one of the changes he has made allows us to limit welfare benefits for EU migrants, so where necessary we can use that to persuade migrants not to come to Britain.

Picture credit: Malcolm Chapman / Shutterstock.com



Also, Mr Cameron insists that

alternatives to membership

are not good.

As the foreign secretary, Philip

Hammond, has put it, no other option

“comes close to matching the deal we

already have.”


Arguments for leavingthe EU

12BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMArguments for leaving the EU

People who would prefer for Britain to exit from the EU (Brexit), argue that Britain would still be able to trade freely with EU countries as a non-member. Nigel Farage, the UK Independence Party leader, says that many other non-member countries trade with the EU, therefore Britain could also continue to trade, but on Britain’s own terms.


Arguments for leaving the EU

Brexit supporters criticise the

EU’s rules and regulations for

imposing big costs on British business. They say that large businesses may be

fine in the EU, but small businesses suffer because of

the huge number of rules they have to

stick to.


They say getting out of the EU would allow Britain to steer clear of the troubles of the euro and of Europe’s current refugee and migration crisis.


Arguments for leaving the EU

Leading ‘Brexiters’ include several of Mr Cameron’s

own party, including Boris Johnson, (the mayor of

London) and Michael Gove (secretary of state for

justice). These two argue that being a member makes

us less free to do what we want, because being in the EU means having to follow

EU laws.

As Mr Gove has put it, EU membership “stops us

being able to choose who makes critical decisions

which affect all our lives.”


He and Mr Johnson are especially critical of the fact that, as a member, Britain is not allowed to limit or control migration from other EU countries.


What’s next?

17BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMWhat next?

You have seen some of the arguments that will be heard from the two sides between now and June 23rd. Voters who worry that Brexit will be risky to Britain’s economy and bad for Britain’s jobs will support staying in the EU.

Those who worry that Britain’s EU membership is bad for sovereignty, and who want to take back control of migration, will choose Brexit.

18 BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUM

What next?

If the vote is to leave, Mr Cameron

will most likely have to resign. His successor is likely

to be somebody who backs Brexit, probably

Mr Johnson.

19BREXIT AND THE EU REFERENDUMWhat next?

A vote for Brexit could also lead to another referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom, since the Scots are likely to vote to stay in the EU. So the EU referendum will have a big impact on British politics.

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Education

BNC 2016 - Issue4: Brexit and the EU referendum