What the Government didn t tell you about the EU Referendum

Transcription

1 What the Government didn t tell you about the EU Referendum

2 You probably received the UK Government s booklet explaining why they think we should stay in the EU...

3 Regain sovereignty and control of borders The burden and cost of EU bureaucracy The EU isn t working Reduce the cost of living EU reform isn t going to happen But what the government didn t give you were any of the reasons for leaving the EU. Here are a few...

4 Regain sovereignty (self-governance) When the EEC became the EU in 1992 it went from being mostly a free trade union (for getting rid of import duties and trade barriers) to being a political union. The EU is a level of government above the UK government, with laws over-riding our laws. Its mission: ever-closer political union, with centralised planning & control, by unelected EU officials in Brussels. The aim: creation of the United States of Europe by 2025, with all member countries as provinces.

5 Regain control of borders (with controlled migration) Mass migration into the UK Turkey and Balkan States (100 million population) likely to be admitted soon to the EU 300,

6 The burden and cost of EU bureaucracy The EU is far too big, bureaucratic, burdensome, complex and costly and it affects everything and everybody! Brussels bureaucracy is crushing us. It thwarts productivity. EU Bureaucracy It s estimated that the EU Single Market costs us at least twice, if not four times, more than we get from it

7 The EU isn t working Too big, too complex, too bureaucratic to work ever. Unemployment: UK and Germany: 5% Spain and Greece: 20%+ France, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Cyprus: 10%+ The rest: 6% - 10% Unemployed young people: 50% Young lawyers in Madrid, for example, are forced to find work in London as waiters. Debt: France, Portugal, Italy, Greece seriously in debt. Real risk of UK having to pay for bailouts if it remains a member.

8 Reduce the cost of living EU Budget contributions, Budget top-ups, and hidden payouts It means UK govt. costs more higher national debt, higher taxes 2. EU protective import duties e.g. cars coming from outside the EU e.g. USA It makes prices higher in the shops and showrooms 3. EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) against food imports Producing higher food prices in the shops 4. Heavy-handed EU environmental protection and complex green levies It means higher gas and electricity bills for consumers and businesses

9 Reduce the cost of living The cost of EU Single Market bureaucracy It comes out as higher costs across the board for everyone Mass EU migration into the UK pushes up demand for places to live It causes higher rental and property prices For example, Londoners now spend two-thirds of their income on rent compared to about half five years ago (Official figures released Jan. 2016). VAT is an EU sales tax, and we pay a proportion of that to the EU If we didn t have to pay that we would pay less VAT

10 Reduce the cost of living - higher wages Mass EU migration into the UK has shifted the whole supply curve for labour to the right = reduced wages. Leaving the EU would allow controlled migration into the UK (like NZ, Australia, USA) = increased wages. Price/Cost of Labour (wages) A B A B Volume/Amount of Labour

11 EU reform isn t going to happen Engrénage (the ratchet principle) The EU ratcheting in one direction for increasing power and control in Brussels. There has never been any devolution of powers from Brussels back to member states. The UK has attempted reform and/or protection of UK vital interests 55 times but has always been outvoted and rejected.

12 EU reform isn t going to happen UK influence and voice in the EU We re in the outer circle The UK and other non-eurozone countries The Eurozone Countries We re 1 of 28 countries: 3.6% UK Italy France & Germany European Commission ECJ Netherlands Luxembourg Belgium

13 That three million jobs thing! The Government is still implying there will be three million job losses if we leave the EU. This claim comes from a study done for the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR). Dr. Martin Weale, director of the NIESR, said the claim was pure Goebbels, referring to the Minister for Propaganda in Nazi Germany. Prof. Iain Begg of the LSE, author of the report, said: It has always been a bit of a false perspective to say that three million jobs would be lost.

14 Why some big businesses are EU-In Big influence and vested interests with the European Commission Unaware of the full cost of the EU Single Market Cheap Labour

15 Why we ll be much better off representing ourselves for free trade agreements With the fifth biggest economy we can do FTAs better for ourselves (much smaller economies do it successfully, why can t we?) We can negotiate FTAs much quicker than the EU. We already have good, international relationships on which we can build. The EU cannot very well represent 28 different member countries. The EU fails on business services; it s a big UK strength area not represented. This is a key reason why we ll be better off and stronger if we leave the European Union. I have played alongside teammates from all over the world... it s insane that, because we re in the EU, we cannot trade freely with these people. - Sir Ian Botham

16 Summing up the EU-In argument The European Union and our being in it is about peace, understanding, and bringing an end to war. And being one demos, one people, one family. It s about prosperity, strength, security, efficiency, and being competitive in a Single Market. And it s about quality of life and equality itself for working men and women. All this with freedom of movement of goods, services, capital, and people. As the EU moves to being a United States of Europe it still isn t perfect. It s a work in progress. So if the United Kingdom remains in the European family we can influence it for the good. But it would be a complete disaster for the UK and the EU if we were to leave. And it will be a leap into the dark and unknown. The EU and ever-closer union is about bigger markets, greater efficiencies of scale, legislative uniformity, freedom of movement, flexibility in channelling resources to where needed, protection against bank failure, and greater prosperity overall. By remaining we ll stay part of Europe, a stronger Europe, a reformed Europe.

17 Summing up the EU-Out argument If we remain in the EU it will mean (a) societal failure with mass immigration, (b) economic failure due to worsening of the Eurozone, and (c) democratic failure with the increasing power of the EU over our daily lives. If we leave we ll have broken out of a very costly and stifling supra-governmental bureaucracy in Brussels, controlled by unelected bureaucrats who believe they know what s best for us, over-riding our laws. We ll also be able to control our own borders. We stayed out of the Eurozone in spite of some people saying we d be ruined, with millions of jobs at risk. They re saying the same thing about us leaving, and also saying we shall all be poorer. It s part of the scare campaign. As for EU reform, it just isn t going to happen. This UK island nation is a dynamic combination with the fifth biggest economy in the world, an international tradition & outlook, and so many strengths. By leaving we ll have access to the Single Market and be free to forge our own, better future in a bigger world including yet beyond the EU.

18 The UK Government didn t tell you both sides of the argument. So how are you going to make an informed decision on June 23rd?

19 Learn more! To learn more about the arguments for remaining in or leaving the European Union, read this book rated five out of five stars on Amazon. An easy read, with up-to-date facts, and giving both sides of the debate. Reviews Very useful introduction to our vital debate about Britain s future An easy to understand guide to the pros and cons of the EU debate. A must read for the undecided Excellent material - Jim Mellon, prominent entrepreneur-investor. Excellent stuff - Ruth Lea CBE, eminent economist. Appeals to anyone who genuinely wants to get a grip on these issues from scratch - Professor Patrick Minford, Cardiff University Business School. Available from Amazon Any questions? Visit