The British electorate does not need Americans to tell them how to vote in the June 23 referendum, and I wouldn’t dare try. I have always had great admiration for the British people -- and great respect for the country’s democratic traditions. But from across the Atlantic, we Yanks are watching the campaign closely -- and many of us who have deep personal and business ties to the U.K. can’t help but take a close interest.

The special relationship between the U.K. and U.S. holds a special place in my heart, and not just because I had the great privilege of being named an honorary Knight of the British Empire by the Queen in 2014. I consider London my second home, my daughters hold British passports (thanks to their British mother), the company I founded employs nearly 4,000 people here, and we have long supported some of London’s world-class cultural institutions.

David Cameron and Boris Johnson, while on opposite sides of the debate, are both good friends and have assured me that no matter what the outcome of the vote, thanks to the Freedom of the City of London I was awarded in 2008, I will still have the right to herd sheep and cattle over London Bridge, and to carry a sword around Piccadilly Circus or anywhere else. Thank goodness for that!

Of course, there is so much more at stake in next month’s referendum, economically and politically -- first and foremost for the British people, but also for Americans and the world. I recognize that, as in most political campaigns, some of the rhetoric on both sides has been wildly exaggerated. But there is no disputing one fact: Given the uncertainty of Brexit’s potential impact, a vote to leave is a risk. The question is: Is the risk worth taking?

I should note: I’ve never been averse to taking risks. In 1981, I started a company to create a product that had no demand, with technology that didn’t exist. Twenty years later, I ran for mayor of New York when no one thought I had even the slightest chance of winning. Against the odds, both decisions turned out better than I could have ever dreamed of. But over the course of my career, there are certain risks that I have refused to take (including running for U.S. president this year) after weighing the evidence and concluding that they were likely to produce more harm than good. Some risks are just not worth it.

As the founder of a business that specializes in financial data, news and analysis, I have carefully evaluated the question of Brexit and concluded that the risks involved are troubling. No one can say for certain if an “Out” vote would shrink the financial services industry, which accounts for about 12 percent of the U.K.’s economic output and the bulk of our customer base. But in my conversations with chief executives of banks and other industry leaders, with rare exceptions, they see Brexit as a serious complication that could lead some jobs to shift to the continent over time. Some in Frankfurt and Paris are rooting for Brexit for this reason.

David Fuller's view

This is one of the best articles that I have read and also posted on the subject of Brexit. 

Personally, I am less worried about the UK’s long-term prospects outside of the EU but I think this decision is too important internationally for it to be taken entirely on the basis of what fellow UK citizens think is best for our country.  While no one can be certain of what the future holds, I do think Brexit would be extremely divisive.

As for Michael Bloomberg, I regard him as one of the most successful entrepreneurs of my generation, and also the best Mayor of New York that I have seen.  He is probably also one of the best presidents that the USA will never have.