The argument for leaving put simply.
We find ourselves increasingly governed by people whom we do not elect and who we cannot remove.
The European Court of Justice overturns our own laws, whilst the unelected European Commission increasingly is making laws for us to live under. In these processes the European Parliament is a white elephant. It cannot initiate legislation of its own, and it has no power over the bureaucracy, the European Commission, or the Court where real power lies.
As a consequence, we have lost control of our own borders, over who can receive benefits, and so many other aspects of our national life.
Many of our fellow countrymen accept these limitations on our democracy, and urge us to remain despite them, because they fear the economic consequences of leaving the EU. They believe we will be more prosperous if we stay.
Frankly, a nation that is prepared to give up its right to govern itself, for the sake of its prosperity, deserves to have neither.
My argument however, is that, for us in the UK, this is a false choice: we can regain our right to self-government by leaving the EU and at the same time become even more prosperous.
Far from securing prosperity for us, EU membership does not suit our economy and is making us poorer. Every year we run a substantial trade deficit with the EU. Last year that deficit was a staggering £68 billion. Our trade is predominantly with the rest of the world and it was never in our interests to have joined a club that discourages trade outside ‘Fortress Europe’. The reality is that this fortress has been crumbling for years. When we joined all those years ago, its share of the world economy was almost a third, now, notwithstanding adding 20 more members, that share of the world economy has almost halved to just 17%.
In addition, the EU’s single currency experiment has proved an unmitigated disaster. Yet those who warn us of catastrophe if we leave the EU, are the same people that told us that it would be disastrous for us if we didn’t join the single currency.
It is time to declare that the Emperor really is wearing no clothes, and to take back control of our country.