Do Britons really have a choice?

The verdict is out as far as the British cabinet is concerned. It has agreed to recommend United Kingdom remains in a reformed European Union. Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain will vote on the InOut referendum on June 23. The decision from the cabinet came as UK clinched “special status” deal in the EU after nail biting two-day talks in Brussels. While European leaders tried to convince Cameron that he is asking too much, and that too at a very delicate time of their coexistence, the British leader was unrelenting. The agreement guarantees that Britain will never be forced to bail out members of the eurozone, and have the right to supervise financial institutions and markets to preserve financial stability.

Now that the deal will be put to vote, there is no dearth of dissenting voices inside Britain. Justice Secretary Michael Gove told his cabinet colleagues that he will favour leaving the EU. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, dubbed the deal as a ‘sideshow’ but threw his weight behind the Union. It is going to be one of the biggest decisions that the electorate have made, and at the same time one of the rigid stances that political parties have ever advocated. It is all about jobs, financial security and sovereignty. But for many it is a question of solidarity, as the future of Union Jack hangs in the balance. An exit vote could trigger the break-up of the UK by prompting another Scottish independence vote. With around 120 odd days to go, the time is on the politicians’ side to steer Britain away from Brexit.