How about some Real Facts about EU?

❚ The UK is the fifth largest economy in the world, has the largest financial centre in the world (London), and is the fourth largest military power

❚ The UK is the rest of the EU’s (the EU-27’s) largest single export market, bigger than the USA and China

❚ Only 6% UK businesses trade with the EU

❚ Only around 13% of the UK economy is trade with the EU; most trading is within the UK – much less than other EU nations. But all 100% must impose EU laws

❚ The UK now trades more with Rest of the World than the EU: 56% to 44%; the EU’s share is dropping

❚ Switzerland exports over 4.5 times as much as the UK per head to the EU despite not being in the EU

❚ Non-EU European countries such as Norway do not pay for access to the EU Single Market as claimed, only fees for European programmes and voluntary aid contributions

❚ Net immigration to the UK averages around 250,000 a year, and in 2015 net immigration was 333,000 – larger than a city the size of Newcastle every year. The Government has underestimated immigration by 1.5 million people (2011-2015): equal to five Newcastles. The UK is on course to overtake Germany as the largest EU country in 30 years (2047)

❚ Over half of UK laws come from the EU - the House of Commons Library states 60%. The CBI estimates 70% business regulation is from EU, and the Government that half financial services laws are. EU regulations cost £33 billion a year; £600 million a week.

Now ask yourself - How scary is it really to Leave and vote for sovereignty?

!0 Myths about leaving the EU

We are better off out - I have no doubt about that.

And I am becoming increasingly concerned about the Remain Fear Brigade who seem to think they have some divine superior knowledge about what is best for our country and who think they are so totally right. It's sheer arrogance!

Even a local Labour councillor - the not-so-nice Cllr Ross has taken to calling people who want to leave - Little Englanders - who do these people think they are?

(As an aside, the left are actually not-so-nice when it comes to you disagreeing with them - which is why they keep trying to highlight the differing views on EU within Tory party - totally hypocritical unless they want to tell me all Labour members are going to vote to remain - don't hold your breath).

So let me start by saying this - sorry to disappoint the all-knowing, all-patronising Remainers - there is no wrong or right - there is no way of truly knowing - there is no way to even find out after the deed, because we will never know how the alternative would've panned out.

There is only opinion, facts and myths alongside beliefs and individual values.

I found this - which reflects a lot of what I've blogged about in the past - the absolute myths, littered with facts that should help you to see - We can have our country back, still allow controlled immigration, still trade (as will be EU's legal requirement under the Lisbon treaty) and still create our own laws.

Here is the link for 10 Myths about Leaving the EU

BETTER OFF OUT

The Step by Step Guide to Leaving Europe - by David Bannerman MEP

Previous posts on my blog have seen me post comments on Europe myths and truths as expressed by Bannerman MEP in his book The Ultimate Plan B.

I met David a couple of years ago when he presented this discussion, in Ipswich, and also chatted more to him when I gave him a lift to Ipswich station. He is a credible, intelligent guy and had been speaking to us about the virtues of leaving Europe, which by definition will mean him losing his job! He was party chairman for UKIP for 7 years before returning to the conservatives in 2011 (he had previously served for 20 years with the Conservatives including as a special advisor on the Northern Ireland peace process)

Now if I'm going to fall down any side of an argument, when I am still undecided, it will be down the same side as those who are willing to speak the truth, even if it cuts off their own nose to spite their face. David is on the inside and knows a lot more then most people in this country or in Westminster.

David sent me an up to date version of his book recently and so I wanted to expand my posts to complement the previous ones and to share what he says about the practicalities of leaving, should we decide to in the referendum.

I will update my previous posts but in the meantime, I would like to summarise his chapter 3 - Why leaving is Easy.

I have spent many years undecided about Europe, going backwards and forwards depending on whose points of view I was listening to. It is not a decision to take lightly but I have finally made up my mind, mainly through an intuitive reason built on all the pieces of information I have gathered (& also some forgotten on a conscious level)over the years.. I am willing to see what David Cameron can do in Europe to allow us to take back our power and introduce caps on  immigration of European members, because it's only fair and honest that we should all have as many choices as possible in the debate leading up to the referendum. However if I am not happy with their concessions, I will be voting OUT.

So here are the steps:

1) The government to announce an immediate halt to implementation of new EU directives or enforcing new EU Regulations. Open negotiations for a UK/EU Free Trade Agreement with the EU and start the drafting of an ECA Repeal Bill

2) Repeal Bill introduced and passed by both houses to become the Repeal Act.
Continue to honour certain regional grants and other payments until the Special Independence Budget is announced. A draft EU/UK Free Trade Agreement would be produced and Deregulation committees established

3) The Trade Agreement would be presented for approval to UK Parliament and ratified. Withdraw representatives from the European Parliament and all financial contributions ceased.
Once free of EU, measures to be introduced to reassert control.

4) Establish key areas of co-operation in the new Trade Agreement with EU such as sea navigation, telecommunications, air safety, respect for property, intellectual rights, transition time-scales.
Following public consultation, the Deregulation committees would present ongoing legislation to Parliament which allows time for UK citizens to plan for the changes and this would be supported by Transition committees in each govt department. Funds normally dedicated to EU membership could be re-allocated to individuals and companies to aid the transition.

and I quote fully the last paragraph:
'Once this procedure is complete, Britain will have restored full sovereignty and total control over British laws to the British people and their representatives in Westminster. Moreover, the relationship with the EU would now be mutually beneficial as it will be based on friendly trade, not political control by remote, unaccountable EU bureaucracy.

Next time I will update previous posts and share with you some of teh EU regulation burden that we will be free of, if when we leave.