For many anti-Brexit voices, it's not for UK people's sake

THE UK referendum on whether to stay in the European Union (EU) or to leave it is now less than three weeks away and the rhetoric is flying. Before the end of May, the Remain campaign benefited from the ability to use the full resources of the Civil Service to back its position. This is because the official government policy is to remain in the EU and those members of it who support the other side have "broken away".

As a result, we were treated to a succession of dire forecasts on the economy, should the decision be taken to leave. These came from within government (the Treasury), from quasi government (eg, the Bank of England) and from independent sources (eg, the International Monetary Fund and, laughably, outgoing US President Barack Obama).

The message was quite simple - the UK will shrivel up and die economically if it leaves the EU. Sterling will plummet, house prices will be wrecked and unemployment will rocket. Major international investors will leave in droves, because they will no longer have easy access to the European market.