Hawking believed a United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit) would damage the UK's contribution to science as modern research needs international collaboration, and that free movement of people in Europe encourages the spread of ideas.
Hawking percaya bahwa pencabutan keanggotaan Britania Raya dari Uni Eropa (Brexit) akan mengganggu kontribusi Britania Raya terhadap sains karena penelitian modern membutuhkan kolaborasi internasional dan pergerakan manusia secara bebas di Eropa turut mempercepat pertukaran gagasan.