Brexit No Answer to Concerns on Immigration: British Academic

“Even the supposed ability to control immigration is illusory since a) more immigrants into the UK come from non-EU countries than EU ones; and b) if we are to continue to have access to the Single Market a condition will certainly be free movement of labour. Without such access our economy will suffer significantly,” Paul Cheshire, an Emeritus Professor of Economic Geography at the London School of Economics, told the Tasnim News Agency in a recent interview.

He added, "Anyway net I think Britain benefits for immigration and one of the reasons it is high is because the UK is economically quite successful and politically stable". 

Following is the full text of the interview.

Q: As you are aware the UK is planned to hold a referendum on June 23 on whether the country should remain a member of the European Union (EU). What is your take on this? What do people, including academics and scholars, in Britain think of it?

A: I see no pros of Brexit. Even the supposed ability to control immigration is illusory since a) more immigrants into the UK come from non-EU countries than EU ones; and b) if we are to continue to have access to the Single Market a condition will certainly be free movement of labour. Without such access our economy will suffer significantly. Anyway net I think Britain benefits for immigration and one of the reasons it is high is because the UK is economically quite successful and politically stable. Brexit by reducing the success of our economy would generate lower immigration but only because it had made the UK a less attractive destination for immigrants.

Academics tend of their nature to be internationalists so do not favour Brexit; there are a few exceptions such as Alan Sked. But see for a summary of the views of economists: the great majority of economists, expect that leaving the EU would cause at least a short-term negative shock (of up to ten years perhaps) to not just the UK economy but to that of Europe as a whole.

Q: Do British political parties and their main figures have a sort of consolidated vision toward Brexit?

A: No, but the majority in both main parties favour membership (the reason we are having this referendum is because of the very longstanding bitter dispute in the Conservative party and the attempt by David Cameron to quell that with a referendum – which looks like it could have been a political misjudgement) and the main minority parties favour it more or less unanimously.

Q: Senior officials with Scottish National Party (SNP) have repeatedly stressed that in case of Yes Vote to Brexit, another independence referendum should be held in Scotland. How much do you think it is possible?

A: If UK votes to leave but Scots vote to stay very likely to have a new referendum in Scotland with a leave the UK outcome.