John Oliver Explains Why Everyone Should Care About Britain Leaving the European Union

John Oliver told his 'Last Week Tonight' viewers that Britain leaving the European Union would be an "absolutely insane" move.

June 20, 2016

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John Oliver had global concerns on the brain during the latest Last Week Tonight takedown. As you may or may not have heard by now, this week marks the potential resolution of the ongoing Brexit—i.e. the British exit from the European Union—controversy. As Oliver explained to his audience Sunday night, Britain leaving the European Union would by no means be an isolated, regional problem.

"The European Union is not perfect," Oliver said. "It's large, confounding, and relentlessly bureaucratic. Think of it like Gerard Depardieu. It's an unwieldy European body that's a source of great bewilderment. But Britain leaving it would be a huge destabilizing decision, so we would expect the Brexit camp to have some pretty solid arguments. Unfortunately, many of them are bullshit." Tell us how you really feel, John.

All jokes aside, Oliver insists that Britain leaving the EU would be an "absolutely insane" move. Thankfully, world leaders agree. Obama, Japan, China, and other global influencers are staunch opponents of Brexit. "If leaving is so universally seen as a bad idea, then who the fuck is in favor of it?" Oliver asked, before answering that inquiry himself by pointing viewers to the UK Independence Party, who believes that Brexit would "significantly reduce" immigration.

But that theory, according to Oliver, is also bullshit. "Here's how I feel about the EU," Oliver said. "It's a complicated, bureaucratic, ambitious, overbearing, inspirational, and consistently irritating institution and Britain would be absolutely crazy to leave it. Especially because, if it stays, it can reap all the benefits while still being a total dick about everything." As Oliver explained, that would be the true "British way."