Those who have wanted the UK out of Europe since the country joined in 1973 are feeling rather gleeful as they could scarcely have chosen a better time for the upcoming EU referendum.
The UK is riding a wave of economic buoyancy in contrast to gloomy clouds over the eurozone and beyond. The EU has suffered several crises: first Greece, then refugees and now a new Polish government that is joining Hungary’s in trampling on liberal democracy. The Schengen Area of free travel and trade is diminishing as border controls are reintroduced to keep out refugees; in the wake of the Paris and Brussels attacks, fears about terrorism and immigration are increasingly alarming. In these insecure times, the emotional appeal of cutting ties with the EU may seem compelling.