The facts about everything from sovereignty and immigration to economics and the consequences of leaving

ON JUNE 23rd Britain will hold a referendum on whether to remain in or leave the European Union. This will be the country’s most important vote in at least half a century. Alas, the debate has often been neither informative nor enlightening. The Economist is not neutral: we are convinced that a decision to leave (a so-called Brexit) would be bad for Britain, Europe and the world. But we also believe in the importance of objective analysis and reasoned argument. Over the past few months we have published a series of factual briefs that examine the main issues around Brexit. To help interested readers, we have now assembled all our Brexit briefs together.

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Table of contents

1. Truth and lies

Voters want clear facts about the European Union. They are given myths instead

2. Euroscepticism

Hostility to the EU in Britain is different from anything found on the continent

3. Sovereignty

Eurosceptics want to regain control—but the search for sovereignty is a delusion

4. Trade

Post-Brexit Britain would probably end up with fewer and worse trade deals than it has now

5. Immigration

Britain outside the European Union might not be able to stop EU migration

6. Economics

In the event of Brexit, incomes might fall a little, but the risk of bigger losses is clear

7. Business

Most businesses want to stay in the EU but some are cautious of saying so

8. The terms of the deal

Being out of the euro and Schengen gives Britain the best of both worlds

9. The view from Europe

The EU would suffer from Brexit so might not be kind to Britain afterwards

10. Finance

If Britain leaves the EU, it will be hard for London to remain Europe’s financial centre

11. Security

Leaving the EU could cause much collateral damage to Britain’s security

12. Agriculture

Although British farmers benefit from EU funding, many support Brexit

13. Bureaucracy

Brexiteers say they will scrap much EU regulation, but they may not end up doing so

14. How to leave

Britain’s withdrawal process from the EU could be long and painful

15. The United Kingdom

The place to fret most about after a Brexit is not Scotland but Northern Ireland

16. A multispeed EU

Different countries engaging to different degrees suits Britain—and others

17. The consequences

Brexiteers are deliberately vague about alternatives to EU membership. That is because most other models are unsatisfactory