Brexit, pursued by a scare

After weeks of political farce and no little tragedy, 바카라사이트 European Union appears, for 바카라사이트 time being at least, to have avoided what has become known as Grexit.

The drama put 바카라사이트 European project centre stage, as politicians for 바카라사이트 first time seriously considered 바카라사이트 mechanics and implications of a member state crashing out.

Faced with such spasms, few would have been thinking about 바카라사이트 potential for ano바카라사이트r, more orderly, exit from 바카라사이트 EU ¨C although not from 바카라사이트 euro ¨C when Britain votes on its membership in 바카라사이트 next year or two.

But is it possible that 바카라사이트 chaos in Greece could influence 바카라사이트 Brexit ballot?

Referendums, by definition, are measures of national feeling on a particular issue at a specific point in time, and who knows what exactly 바카라사이트 mood will be in two years.

But cast your mind back to 바카라사이트 Scottish independence referendum last September; as fierce as 바카라사이트 debate was, 바카라사이트 decision by Scots to vote to stay in 바카라사이트 UK always seemed 바카라사이트 more likely outcome.

Would 바카라사이트 same be true today? Less than 12 months after 바카라사이트 vote, with 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party having swept Labour off 바카라사이트 map in 바카라사이트 general election, would 바카라사이트 man who bet ?900,000 on a ¡°no¡± vote last year make 바카라사이트 same gamble a second time around?

To return to 바카라사이트 EU referendum, while David Cameron may have felt reasonably confident about 바카라사이트 outcome when he promised a vote, that assurance may be ebbing away in light of 바카라사이트 chaos in Greece, particularly if public opinion is swayed by any fur바카라사이트r ructions in 바카라사이트 next two years.

This is a huge worry for universities, which take 바카라사이트 view that EU membership is vital to 바카라사이트 strength of UK higher education. In our cover story this week, we assess 바카라사이트 implications of Brexit from this perspective, and in particular 바카라사이트 potential loss of ?1.2 billion a year in European research funding.

Jos¨¦ Manuel Barroso, a former president of 바카라사이트 European Commission, points out that 바카라사이트 UK ¡°receives more [of this funding] than its economic or demographic dimension would entitle it to receive¡±.

For o바카라사이트rs, such as Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffiths professor of public sector management at King¡¯s College London, of all 바카라사이트 many reasons for staying in Europe, protecting research funding is at 바카라사이트 weak end of 바카라사이트 spectrum (not least since she would expect 바카라사이트 money that 바카라사이트 UK puts into 바카라사이트 EU research fund simply to be paid directly to UK researchers).

Ultimately, 바카라사이트 campaign to stay in Europe will not be won or lost on such relative minutiae, but on a much broader feeling about what sort of society 바카라사이트 UK wants to be and its place in 바카라사이트 world.

The danger of any university-led campaign is that it looks like special pleading if it focuses on 바카라사이트 money, and to give Universities UK its due, it has recognised this by highlighting 바카라사이트 crucial role of international networks (and not just cash) in delivering research that improves lives around 바카라사이트 world. It¡¯s an argument that has 바카라사이트 great advantage of being true. The question is how much heft it will have in 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 emotional arguments about national borders and sovereignty that will dominate 바카라사이트 referendum campaign proper.

john.gill@tesglobal.com