1. News
  2. UK
  3. UK Politics

EU referendum: Bill Gates says Brexit would make Britain ‘significantly less attractive’

'It will be harder to find and recruit the best talent from across the Continent; talent which, in turn, creates jobs for people in the UK'

bill-gates.jpg
Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates AFP

Bill Gates has waded into the European Union referendum debate claiming that Britain would be a “significantly less attractive place to do business and invest” in the event of a Brexit.

The intervention from Mr Gates, the world’s wealthiest man who has invested more than a billion dollars in the UK, came after several polls throughout the week suggested the Leave campaign had edged ahead. On Thursday a poll showed Leave with 53 per cent of the vote while Remain slipped behind with 47 per cent. 

In a letter to the The Times the American businessman said Britain would be “stronger, more prosperous and more influential” inside the EU. 

EU Referendum: Latest Poll
Read more

The world is on hold over the EU referendum

Mr Gates, who founded Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – a philanthropic organisation – also said Britain's EU membership and access to the single market played a role in the decision to place the company's research facilities in Cambridge.

“While ultimately a matter for the British people to decide, it is clear to me that if Britain chooses to be outside of Europe, it will be a significantly less attractive place to do business and to invest,” Mr Gates added.

“It will be harder to find and recruit the best talent from across the Continent; talent which, in turn, creates jobs for people in the UK.

What has the EU ever done for us?

What has the EU ever done for us?

  • 1/7 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe

    As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states.

  • 2/7 2. It sustains millions of jobs

    A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UK’s exports to the EU.

  • 3/7 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer

    Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed.

  • 4/7 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off

    Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EU’s single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe.

  • 5/7 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime

    Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime.

  • 6/7 6. Our businesses depend on it

    According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business.

  • 7/7 7. We have greater influence

    Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: “For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence.

“And, it would be harder to raise the investment needed for public goods such as new medicines and affordable clean energy solutions, for which we need the scale of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and financial backing that the combined strength of the EU provides.”

Comments