> The EU can use the rest of UK to create an example, so no other country will leave in the future. If the EU shows that the only way it can maintain unity is

> The EU can use the rest of UK to create an example, so no other country will leave in the future. If the EU shows that the only way it can maintain unity is by punishing those who try to leave, many will leave. They will absolutely not 'create an example' of the UK because that would amount to fueling the nationalist voices in France and the Netherlands. Even in Poland there are people who are now uncertain that they want to be in the EU.