Brexit - Is it gonna happen? (Update: UK votes to leave EU)

With the June 23 national referendum approaching, new polling shows 55 percent of Brits favor leaving the the EU.

The idea is basically that the Union's growth struggles and central monetary policy are holding the UK economy back - while, at the same time, the nation pays high membership fees and is bound to lax immigration rules that are becoming problematic. Opponents argue that the step back from regionalization and globalization will be harmful. For example, some international business institutions have stated that they will have to pull jobs out of the UK (when those operations were able to support, from within the UK, the entire EU program for that company).

In the States, the worry is that a Brexit would be destabilizing, and potentially launch of wave of similar referenda to consider withdrawal. In fact, the mere possibility has already begun to inject volatility in currency markets and sovereign debt auctions . . . volatility that could easily bleed into the broader market.

What do our UK members think will happen? It sort of feels like the run up to the Scotland referendum, that seemed to get much closer in the polls just before the vote - which turned out to not be that close in the end.

The UK's EU referendum: All you need to know - BBC News

New 'Brexit' poll shows Brits leaning toward leaving, hits markets