CNN columnist suggests the UK become the 51st state of the US following Brexit vote

A columnist for CNN has an interesting proposition for the UK after voters decided to leave the European Union in a historic referendum: join the US as its 51st state. David Wheeler claims it is the perfect time for the longtime diplomatic partners to join in a "permanent political and monetary union".

According to Wheeler, there are "four irresistible reasons" why the UK should consider pairing up with its former colony in what he dubs the "Brentrance". First on his list? Trade. Wheeler argues that as the second biggest trading bloc, the US is the most reasonable replacement for the UK following its split from the EU.

Wheeler cites regulation, or rather the US' lack there of, as reason number two Britain should consider a serious relationship with America. "[B]y becoming the 51st state, the Brits would get no-fuss trading with all other US states, without the pesky regulations. We're so lax about regulation, we let kids eat mac and cheese with Yellow Dye No 5 and No 6—both banned in Europe!" Wheeler writes.

Coming in third place is travel. Travellers from the UK will soon have to join the pesky "Non-EU" passport lines in airports around Europe, but Wheeler sees that as an opportunity for British travellers to visit some of the US' most exciting sites, including the Parthenon replica in Nashville, Tennessee.

Wheeler adds: "Do you have any idea how easy it will be at American airports when you have a US passport? Do you have any idea how much faster the verbal abuse will go by when you're American?"

As his final reason behind "Brentrance," Wheeler cites Americans deep love for everything British. "We love everything the Brits do, everything the Brits make, and everything the Brits say (or at least the way they say it)," he notes. As an added bonus, Wheeler suggests the royal family pair up America's version of royalty—the Kardashians. "They have about the same power over the government, and they're just as much fun to photograph," he says. Now that's a TV show people would tune in to.

While Wheeler seems to have "sound" reasoning behind his quest to see the UK become the 51st state of the US, a 2014 report by the Independent noted the UK would not fare too well under American command. According to the Independent, the UK would rank 50th out of 51 states based on gross domestic product per capita figures and cost of living.

Fraser Nelson, of The Spectator, found that Britain would be poorer than most other states, including Kansas, Alabama and Missouri. "We certainly have our problems; we're just better at concealing them," Nelson said at the time.