Nobel economists warn UK of lasting damage from Brexit

LONDON – Ten winners of the Nobel Prize in economics on Monday warn that leaving the European Union would “create major uncertainty” over Britain as a trading nation and inflict lasting economic damage.

“We believe that the UK would be better off economically inside the EU,” the economists say in a letter to The Guardian newspaper.

“British firms and workers need full access to the single market. Brexit would create major uncertainty about Britain’s alternative future trading arrangements, both with the rest of Europe and with important markets like the USA, Canada and China,” they add.

The economists are George Akerlof, Kenneth Arrow, Angus Deaton, Peter Diamond, James Heckman, Eric Maskin, James Mirrlees, Christopher Pissarides, Robert Solow and Jean Tirole.

Britain will go to the polls on Thursday in a referendum on its EU membership, with latest polls predicting a tight result.

— AFP