Seth Meyers explains why you should care about the UK's Brexit vote on leaving the EU

(Image credit: Late Night)

last updated 11 May 2016

Next month, Britain is voting on whether to leave the European Union, and Seth Meyers took a "keener glance" at the Brexit on Tuesday's Late Night. "A Brexit would be a huge deal," he said. "This decision could have massive ripple effects for the global economy and diplomacy for years to come — which makes it the second-most-important vote British people will cast this year." The most important vote, he joked, was to name a research ship Boaty McBoatface, and that vote was overturned. He brought it full circle, though.

"With the Brexit vote, the results can't just be ignored," Meyers said. So Prime Minister David Cameron, who opposes leaving the EU, might regret putting it to a popular vote, "because when you put things to a public vote, crazy shit happens," Meyers said. "That's true with the British Boaty McBoatface or the American Orangey McOrangeface," a reference (obviously) to Donald Trump. Then he got serious.

"The EU has always been a difficult project, partially because while these countries share a continent, they don't have a common political system or a single political identity, and those differences bubble to the surface any time they debate an issue," Meyers said. "But now that project is at a crucial moment, and the UK leaving the EU could very well be the death blow. Because it's a much bigger deal for the UK to leave than for a country like Greece leaving. Look at it this way: When Zayn left, One Direction was okay, but if Harry leaves, that's it, it's over — and the UK is Harry Styles." Watch below to see the German finance minister offer to trade Greece for Puerto Rico, and the pro-Brexit reaction to President Obama publicly opposing a British exit. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.