Britons must face up to Brexit consequences

It is pure fantasy to believe that a British exit from the EU would not have a seismic impact on myriad areas. Policies must not be cherry-picked to convince the people, writes Ana Palacio

The prospect of a British exit from the EU is well and truly upon us. It seems increasingly likely that the upcoming European Council meeting will result in a deal on the conditions of the UK’s EU membership — a deal that will be put before British voters in a referendum, possibly as early as this summer.

But, just as everything rushes forward, Britain and the EU need to take a moment to think carefully. After all, despite assurances from both sides, no one knows how the referendum will unfold, much less how to navigate the aftermath if British voters chose to leave.