In Europe for Britain
This referendum will not be like a normal election. MPs and councillors are elected for a fixed term and, if you don’t like them, you can vote them out next time. This vote is different. This is a once in a generation referendum; and it’s not reversible. Out means out. This is a decision for your lifetime and your future.
Our parents and grandparents addressed the problems of the generations who had fought two world wars. They were so successful that we have enjoyed a longer period of peace and a higher standard of living than any other generation ever before. And we must never take that for granted.
When Britain joined the then EEC in 1973, Britain was the economic basket case of Europe. Today, we have eliminated border tariffs and replaced 28 national rule books with just one common set of rules; and in so doing, created a market of 500 million people living in 28 countries. It's a market which, for all its weaknesses, is still the world's largest, wealthiest, market by quite a long way. Bigger than China, bigger even than the USA.
And that's important to Britain: the European Single Market accounts for 45% of our exports which is worth £229 billion pounds a year; and, incidentally, £9.7billion (or 0.013% of the government's annual budget) was the cost of membership in 2014 . Today, Britain is the world’s fifth largest economy; we have the fastest growth, the highest inward investment and the lowest unemployment in the whole of the Europe. Over 3 million jobs are linked to exports to other EU countries alone . All this has been achieved within the Single Market.
The world is changing
Our economy has not suddenly become uncompetitive, but rather the emerging world is catching up with us fast. War and unrest means the world is a more dangerous place, not less, and we are confronted by huge refugee problems (greater than much of the Second World War). Climate change and the unequal distribution of wealth in this world are leading to greater global economic migration flows.
Yet surely, retreating into isolation can never be the answer. History has taught us that when we Europeans work together we are hugely effective. After all, we turned a war-torn continent into a haven of peace and prosperity. Yet now we face new challenges that require collective solutions.
Working together
But here is the point. Whatever you think of Europe, it is not a supra-national super-state. Instead it is a 'tool' of 28 like-minded countries, who all agree to work together to achieve common specific goals and to find ways to resolve shared problems. When states enter into agreements or treaties to achieve common goals it defines how those nations shall act and it obviously restricts the power to act independently. The UK understands that very well, we have been doing it for a very long time: NATO, The UN, WTO and yes, the European single market.
For the out campaign to say they want to benefit from the single market, but they are not prepared to abide by the rules is to say "they want to have their cake and eat it". That's not on offer. Interestingly Norway, which has to comply with every rule but with no seat at the table, has less sovereignty than the UK. Leaving the EU will reduce our sovereignty by making us lose our voice at the EU negotiating table.
The choice
Britain will be safer, more secure, and better off in a reformed EU.
Or take a leap into the unknown.
On June 23rd you decide.
Richard Ashworth MEP
Richard is the UK Conservative spokesman and member of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Budgets and Budgetary Control committees. He is also a member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. As a member of the Budgets committee he has been closely involved in developing the innovative European Fund for Strategic Investments and negotiating the EU’s next Multi-Financial Framework which set spending parameters from 2014 to 2020.
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