As historians of Britain and of Europe, we believe that Britain has had in the past, and will have in the future, an irreplaceable role to play in Europe. On 23 June, we face a choice: to cast ourselves adrift, condemning ourselves to irrelevance and Europe to division and weakness; or to reaffirm our commitment to the EU and stiffen the cohesion of our continent in a dangerous world.

As classicists and ancient historians, we call for Britain to remain in the European Union. The study of classical antiquity has been pan-European since before the Renaissance; today, these intellectual exchanges are supported and encouraged by EU institutions. We believe that the interests of British universities, their staff and students, as well as the wider future of our country & our continent, are best served by staying In.

As academics in language-based disciplines in the UK we firmly believe that Britain should remain in the European Union. The entire foundation of our disciplines is in the reaffirmation that, through the study of languages, cultures and societies, we can gain understanding of other cultures and strive to break down barriers between nations. Membership of the EU is fundamental to these principles, not least to enable greater mobility of all members of our society across the EU, our students first and foremost.

As economists, we believe leaving would entail significant long-term costs. The size of these costs would depend on the amount of control the UK chooses to exercise over such matters as free movement of labour, and the associated penalty it would pay in terms of access to the single market.