The Story so Far on EU renegotiations

So, I set my stall out weeks ago.

It doesn't matter what DC brings back, I will be voting to leave, for reasons I've already said but the main ones being:

We will never get this chance again and thanks to David Cameron's promise, we have a real say - but if we leave and don't like it, we will be able to re-enter at a later date. That second chance will not be given to the Staying In option

The EU is a corrupt, socialist experiment that has turned ugly and I don't think it will ever get back on track.

It has now been infiltrated by terrorists and I don't ever want them finding an easy way through to us on EU citizenship.


That said and in the name of fairness the following is what DC has achieved so far and for those that are quite pro-EU but wavering, I would say it's actually good progress - I just can't be persuaded even if he brought home gold and silver.

At the beginning of this process of renegotiating our relationship with Europe, the Prime Minister set out the four areas where Britain wanted to see substantial change, and the draft agreement published today covers that change.

Of course there is still detail to be worked on  – but they are all in the draft document. 

The four areas of change:

1.      Sovereignty

 What we said:

 ·         We would take Britain out of ‘ever closer union’ and get more power for our Parliament, so that we can never become part of any kind of United States of Europe and are permanently protected from any further European political integration.

 What we are delivering:

·         The draft text says that the UK is not committed to ever closer union in Europe.

 ·         It actually goes further and says that ever closer union cannot be used to justify steps towards political integration in Europe.

 ·         In keeping Britain out of ever closer union, we also wanted to strengthen national parliaments. There is now a proposal for a legally binding agreement that our Parliament can, acting with some others in Europe, block unwanted EU laws with a ‘red card’.

 ·     We have secured a new mechanism to ensure that the EU’s commitment to ‘subsidiarity’ – that decisions should be taken at a national level where possible – is fully implemented, with clear proposals to achieve that.

2.      Competitiveness and creating jobs

What we said:

 We would make Europe more competitive, so we create jobs and make working people in Britain more financially secure.

 What we are delivering:

·         A new commitment ensuring that every year the European Commission will review the burden of regulation and every year the European Council can press to repeal measures that impose a disproportionate burden.

 ·         So every year, the EU will review how much red tape it is imposing on business; and if it is too much, we will demand that it is cut.

 ·         There is a specific focus on cutting red tape on small businesses, and for key sectors.

3.    Not a single currency club

What we said:

·         We would get new protections for Britain to ensure that those countries outside the euro cannot be discriminated against under EU rules, so we keep our economy secure.

What we are delivering:

The draft agreement ensures:

 ·         Britain will keep the Pound and never join the Euro.

 ·         Never again will British taxpayers be liable for Eurozone bailouts.

 ·         Never again can British business be discriminated against because they’re not in the Eurozone.

 ·         The British Government and the Bank of England, not Brussels, will keep an eye on the banks so we can continue to keep our taxpayers and savers safe.

 ·         Britain can never be forced to join or be affected by any changes the Eurozone decides to make to support itself.

 The draft also set outs the safeguard that the Prime Minister called for which means Britain can uphold these principles so we can protect our national interest.

 All these changes would be legally binding.

4.      Controlling immigration from Europe

What we said:

·         We would reduce immigration from Europe by cutting the benefits EU migrants get, so we prevent our welfare system acting as a magnet, create a fairer system for people who work here and play by the rules, and put an end to something for nothing.

 What we are delivering:

 ·         A new law to prevent EU migrants working here from sending child benefit overseas at UK rates.

 ·         An emergency brake that will mean people coming to Britain from within the EU will have to wait four years until they have full access to our benefits.

 ·         This brake will take effect directly after the referendum, once the necessary legislation is passed. And the European Commission has said very clearly that Britain qualifies already to use it.

We have already achieved our two other manifesto commitments to control immigration from Europe:

 ·        EU migrants will no longer be able to claim Universal Credit while looking for work.

 ·         And if those coming from the EU haven’t found a job within six months, they can now be required to leave Britain.

AND: five guarantees:

This draft agreement secures five guarantees. We will:

·         Never be part of the Euro.

·         Never be part of the Schengen borderless area.

 ·         Never be part of a European Army.

 ·         Never be forced to bail out the Eurozone with our taxpayers’ money.

 ·         And never be part of a European Superstate.

So YOU DECIDE!