I can understand the political arguments against the EU even though I don't share them. The economic arguments for Brexit seem flimsy at best. Four months ago I kept hearing that the EU was an old and decaying economy and Britain's future lay with trading with new and vibrant economies such as China (nobody explained why they supposed we couldn't increase trade with China while remaining in the EU - as indeed we have been doing). Now that China is in its own slump, is dumping its surplus steel on us and has raised a 46% tariff wall against British steel being exported to them, I notice that the Brexiteers have gone very quite quiet about the Chinese future for Britain. It is mere wishful thinking to suppose that tearing the UK out of the EU, and then entering long and undoubtedly difficult negotiations about our future economic relationship will not have a significant medium term impact on the British economy. This is not merely because we will be "the outsiders" it will be because the EU itself will suffer deeply from the shock of our exit and our main market will be thrown into recession. In the longer term perhaps our economy will recover. Perhaps.
Another argument is about immigration. I doubt whether leaving the EU will have any major impact on new UK immigration and the Brexiteers have sworn that those already in this country will not be affected and can stay. Of all the "leave" arguments the most feeble is cost of membership. The cost of EU membership per person is 55p a day; a quarter of the amount a great many people appear willing to pay for their morning cup of coffee. Surely we are not going to base a decision on our children's and grandchildren's future on such paltry bookkeeping? How much of that 55p do you suppose will find its way into your pocket, or the NHS, or the education system? And how much into further tax cuts for the wealthy?
