Monday, May 23, 2016

Brexit, Smexit. Leicester Who?

      Can the UK be compared to the new champion, Leicester City?  Can the UK recover itself going forward as an outlier from all EU connections?  The discussions about the referendum vote next month are becoming more serious.  Just today, pundits are reporting that the UK will certainly slip into recession after a departure from the EU.   The loss of financial institutional headquarters alone is enough to shake business types, both foreign and domestic.  The ex-mayor of the City of London,  Boris Johnson, supports the Brexit.  Mr. Cameron, the PM, opposes the Brexit.  Both are politically motivated.  Labor v. Conservatives.  Same old, same old.
   Those favoring Brexit tout the Turkey question.  If Turkey was allowed to join the EU, Turks would gain privileges, such as free movement, residency, benefits, jobs, and recognition as EU members; this serves to unnerve domestic job seekers and members of the Exchequer.  Who will pay the costs?
    Mr. Cameron likes to point out that Turkey has applied for membership in 1987.  He suspects nothing will happen until 3030.   Exaggeration?  Locals are concerned about the introduction of large numbers of muslims, adding to their own home-grown muslim population.  Is this justified?  Nobody can say for sure.  But, looking at Mr. Erdogan's recent political moves, that in itself should be cause for concern.  Given the Turkish government's recent dealings with Germany and the EU over immigration policy(holding the recent arrivals from Syria as hostage bargaining chips), it seems the payment of 6.8 billions of Euros was no more than a bribe to slow the flow of refugees to Greece and Germany.   With Turkey's government turning more fundamentalist, EU members can only be more concerned.
     So, Brexit?  Not yet.  Given the EU's slow growth and recent terrorist activity, the UK will not vote exit.  Leicester City, notwithstanding.

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