Cambridge’s Brexit fears

MORE than 200 Cambridge University professors, dames, knights and Nobel Prize winners have expressed their “grave concern” at the impact on British universities of leaving the European Union. In a letter published in The Daily Tel

egraph today, the academics warn that the funding black hole created from a Brexit could not be filled by the UK government alone.

They also suggest that Britain’s border security and economy are better served inside the EU because most “issues of our time” take “no account of national borders”.

Some of the university’s most famous names including Lord Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Sir Richard Evans, the historian, have signed up.

Also Cambridge college heads including Dame Barbara Stocking, President of Murray Edwards, and Susan Smith, Mistress of Girton, have added their names to the list. The signatories write: “As senior members of Cambridge University, writing in our personal capacities, we wish to express our grave concern for the future of our universities and country if Britain votes to leave the EU.”

They go on: “The major issues of our time – in security, energy, environmental sustainability, health and the globalised economy – take no account of national borders.”

Turnout among students and younger Britons could be a major factor in determining the EU referendum result, according to campaign strategists. Young voters tend to support staying in the EU but are less likely to turn out to vote, according to the polls.

In a separate development, Prof Stephen Hawking said that Britain needed to stay in the EU to protect its scientific research being undermined by the Government’s austerity cuts.

Matthew Elliott, Vote Leave’s chief executive, accused Prof Hawking of making a “patently ridiculous” argument for retaining membership.