Försvarsexpert: Nato blir viktigare vid Brexit

The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, also known as the EU referendum within the United Kingdom, is scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on 23 June 2016. Membership of the European Union has been a topic of debate in the United Kingdom since the country joined the European Economic Community (the "Common Market"), as it was known then, in 1973. In accordance with a Conservative Party manifesto commitment, the legal basis for a referendum was established by the passage of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 by the British Parliament. It will be the third plebiscite to be held throughout the United Kingdom, and the second time the British electorate has been asked to vote on the issue of European Union membership: the first was held in 1975, when it was known as the EEC. Membership was approved in that referendum by 67% of voters – but the nature of the EU has changed substantially since then and the result of this referendum is expected to be significantly closer. Some of those in favour of a British withdrawal from the European Union – commonly referred to as a Brexit (a portmanteau of British and exit) – argue that being a member of the EU undermines Parliamentary sovereignty, while some in favour of membership argue that in a world with many levels of supranational organisations any theoretical loss of sovereignty is more than compensated by the benefits of membership of the EU. It is argued by those that support withdrawal (most British Eurosceptics) that it would allow the UK to be better able to control immigration, be in a better position to conduct its own trade negotiations, and be free from what they believe to be unnecessary EU regulations and bureaucracy. Those in favour of remaining in the EU argue that leaving the EU would risk the UK's prosperity, diminish its influence over world affairs, jeopardise national security by reducing access to common European criminal databases, and result in trade barriers between the UK and the EU. In particular, they argue that leaving the EU would lead to job losses, delays in investment coming to the UK and risks to small business as well as the larger ones.