IT is amazing how the Brexit decision on June 23 was followed by England crashing out of Euro 2016. Like Brexit, England’s exit from the tournament came as a surprise to many as the team, once regarded as one of world’s best, was humbled by the less-favoured Iceland.
Will Brexit signal the further decline of the once-powerful British Empire, one that straddled all of the world’s major continents? With Scotland rethinking its position in the United Kingdom, the empire looks destined for further decimation. Even Northern Ireland has come out with disconcerting statements about leaving the UK. Like most urban voters, such as those in London, both Scotland and Northern Ireland view European Union membership as strategic. Was Brexit a mistake?
Many young voters think Brexit is a big setback. This was clearly articulated in many analyses. The widely reported voter breakdown showed that the referendum saw a clear split between the young and the old. A majority of young voters chose to “Remain”, while the opposite was true for the older generation.
The split was also evident between rural and urban voters. Most urban voters supported the “Remain” camp. Has this got to do with the referendum’s major issue, immigration, which virtually dominated the campaign? The “Leave” campaigners used immigration as a key justification for Brexit.
Under the EU, there is a free flow of talent among member states. Many Europeans, especially from the east, make their way to Britain to secure jobs.
The claim by the pro-Brexit group was that such jobs were snapped up at the expense of locals. This argument stirred up the emotions of locals, especially the older generation. The immigration issue alone made a difference to the referendum results, despite the fact that, in reality, most of the jobs taken up by immigrants had been shunned by locals.
The older generation took that bait, which led to the Brexit decision, albeit by a very narrow margin. It was definitely not a two-thirds majority. Is a simple majority good enough for a critical decision like leaving the EU?
Young voters have a different view. Most are not opposed to immigration under the EU. In fact, they enjoy the freedom to work and build careers in EU member states.
Furthermore, immigration is not a new thing. It is among man’s oldest “vocations”. We just have to look at recorded history, where there is evidence of immigration thriving ever since man first explored the world.
A visit to London’s Heathrow Airport confirms that Britain has long depended on immigrant labour. Sometimes, we may not even realise that we have arrived in London! More like New Delhi or Dhaka.
But, of course, in view of the security concerns that plague the world, immigration today has to be properly managed.
One thing is for sure, though. Immigration, in most cases, has economic implications. Studies have shown that immigrants’ contributions to host nations are positive. Some experts believe that with the ageing population in many developed economies, these nations desperately need immigration to ensure their economic wellbeing.
Undeniably, immigration is good for the expansion of science. The United States is a good example of this. It is not wrong to suggest that the prolific growth of science in the US owes a lot to immigration, which brings scientific talent to the country.
The fact that the US remains a powerhouse of scientific breakthroughs is testimony to the contributions of the many immigrants who choose to work there. One has only to see the list of Nobel Prize winners in the US.
Dr Ahmad Ibrahim, fellow, Academy of Sciences Malaysia, UCSI University