Staying 'IN'
In a few months time Britain will have a choice. Do we stay in the European Union (EU) or leave it? I am firmly in the yes campaign and believe that we are generally better off staying in the EU and that is where my vote will be going. I am happy to wear that out and proud. I would personally like even more involvement in the EU and would actually like to go and join the euro and stuff like that (imagine not having to go to a bureau de change to get your holiday money for somewhere like Spain).
That is not going to happen any time soon though so what reasons do I believe we have for staying in. I have done the research and found some prime examples. These are by no means exhaustive but these are some damn good reasons for staying in.
1. For every £1 we put in to the EU we get £10 back. That comes back in trade, commerce and things such as tourism and students coming to study. That has to be considered worth it. Where else in the world can you get a good deal like that?
2. 400,000 Brits living on the continent might have their pensions frozen. This was announced this week. There are that many who are living abroad after retirement and rely on their state pension but this is something they might lose. The depressing thing was that people living abroad the other day were interviewed and said they wouldn't be surprised if Britain left the EU as there are so many foreigners living there. Actually that is not depressing, that is hypocritical. I wonder what they think now they have heard they might lose their pensions?
3. 3.5 million jobs are linked to Britain's membership of the EU's single market. That is a lot of jobs at risk if we leave. That is roughly 1 in 10 jobs.
4. The EU buys around 50% of our exports. We would struggle to find another market for that. Currently we have trade agreements that other EU states will buy our products and we will buy their's. That is what the single market and free trade means as a member state. Going it alone would mean competing with Asian markets mostly.
5. US and Asian EU firms build factories in Britain because we are a member of the EU single market and it gets them access to the rest of Europe. These firms have expressed concern about Britain should we leave and would seriously reconsider their firms being based in Britain. That would be bad as it would mean a loss of jobs for the UK.
6. Back-up for trade agreements. The EU helps all member states to develop trade agreements with foreign markets outside the EU. If Britain left then we would need to negotiate these contracts and agreements ourselves and this could be difficult to do.
7. Consumer benefits - compensation, lower roaming charges, etc. We have the same rights here as anyone has in Spain, France, Germany, Greece, etc.
8. Speaking of Greece, the EU could bail us out. Not that we are in quite as much trouble as Greece. Greece was able to borrow from other EU states, such as Germany, as it is in the interests of the rest of Europe to make sure other member states stay afloat so there can be trade and travel between them. Just over a year ago we were talking of a 'Grexit' or Greek exit from the EU and now we are looking at them staying in and we are the ones talking about whether to leave (Brexit - terrible name right?) or stay.
9. EU standards of cleanliness and public health. Things like facilities and beach cleanliness are judged to the same high standards around Europe. So whether you are on the English coast or the Spanish, you know the beaches have been graded to the same high standards.
10. The EU has taken on the multi-nationals of Microsoft and Samsung (among others) and won when it comes to competition rules. This protects our industries and gives EU consumers a real choice so we are not locked into expensive contracts without other options.
11. Freedom to travel and study abroad. For various reasons there are currently 1.4 million Brits living in the EU. This proves that immigration works both ways. Next time someone complains that EU immigrants are coming over here and taking jobs just remind them that they are free to do the same and go the other way. We can go and work or study in any one of the countries and the fact that we have the right to do so should be protected.
12. Can you drive in the UK? Hold a full licence? Fantastic. That licence is also valid across the EU. You can literally jump in your car and go on the ferry or Eurostar and get your car the other end and drive wherever you want. It also means you can hire a car on the mainland continent and you can go and work out there as a driver if you so want. No other nasty tests to worry about.
13. Peace and democracy is preserved by the EU. It has been secured in places like Spain and the former Soviet bloc. Peacekeepers work with the United Nations to keep the peace around the world too.
14. Equal pay is set and protected by the EU. This means there can be no discrimination between race, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. Without that protection then we are at the mercy of our own government or companies doing whatever they want with no one to hold them accountable. It is just that extra layer of protection for all workers in the EU.
15. The Common Market cuts through red tape and makes trade easier without all that form filling and complicated stuff that holds companies back in other markets. It also means that there is the same regulations for all trade and companies.
16. It is easier to extradite criminals who have escaped to the continent and we work with police forces throughout the EU to tackle organised crime which often expands beyond one country and would be difficult to deal with without that cooperation.
17. Research funding from the EU is vital to British universities and is set to be an even bigger source of income in the future. This is important for us and it would be a shame to lose that because we leave the EU. Right now our universities are world leaders in research of all kinds from science to medicine to business and we need to embrace that. We couldn't do all we can do without the grants from the EU though. The research we undertake benefits the whole EU and beyond.
18. Farmers get subsidies from the EU because it allows them to produce what the EU needs in terms of produce, milk and meat. Without this money the prices paid for the farmers' produce would not be enough to keep them afloat. This would mean more farmers would have to give up without that money to help them out and would mean the country would have to pay extra for imports from the continent to feed ourselves.
19. Imported alcohol, such as wine, would see an increase in price. This is because we would have to pay more for imports which are currently protected on price with our trade agreements through the single or common market.
20. We have a lot in common with our European neighbours and it would make sense to keep them on side. We also get along so well with the US and parts of Asia because they want that connection through us to Europe. We stand to lose an awful lot if we leave. We haven't had an empire in around 60 - 100 years (depending on views and when countries were set free from empire) and we are not strong enough to go it alone. What we can do though is stay and make a difference.
If Britain stays in the EU then we can change the things we don't like. We have to make our voice heard and the only way to do that is to stay in. We can't do that as the crazy little island sat out in the North Sea all on our own.
That is not going to happen any time soon though so what reasons do I believe we have for staying in. I have done the research and found some prime examples. These are by no means exhaustive but these are some damn good reasons for staying in.
1. For every £1 we put in to the EU we get £10 back. That comes back in trade, commerce and things such as tourism and students coming to study. That has to be considered worth it. Where else in the world can you get a good deal like that?
2. 400,000 Brits living on the continent might have their pensions frozen. This was announced this week. There are that many who are living abroad after retirement and rely on their state pension but this is something they might lose. The depressing thing was that people living abroad the other day were interviewed and said they wouldn't be surprised if Britain left the EU as there are so many foreigners living there. Actually that is not depressing, that is hypocritical. I wonder what they think now they have heard they might lose their pensions?
3. 3.5 million jobs are linked to Britain's membership of the EU's single market. That is a lot of jobs at risk if we leave. That is roughly 1 in 10 jobs.
4. The EU buys around 50% of our exports. We would struggle to find another market for that. Currently we have trade agreements that other EU states will buy our products and we will buy their's. That is what the single market and free trade means as a member state. Going it alone would mean competing with Asian markets mostly.
5. US and Asian EU firms build factories in Britain because we are a member of the EU single market and it gets them access to the rest of Europe. These firms have expressed concern about Britain should we leave and would seriously reconsider their firms being based in Britain. That would be bad as it would mean a loss of jobs for the UK.
6. Back-up for trade agreements. The EU helps all member states to develop trade agreements with foreign markets outside the EU. If Britain left then we would need to negotiate these contracts and agreements ourselves and this could be difficult to do.
7. Consumer benefits - compensation, lower roaming charges, etc. We have the same rights here as anyone has in Spain, France, Germany, Greece, etc.
8. Speaking of Greece, the EU could bail us out. Not that we are in quite as much trouble as Greece. Greece was able to borrow from other EU states, such as Germany, as it is in the interests of the rest of Europe to make sure other member states stay afloat so there can be trade and travel between them. Just over a year ago we were talking of a 'Grexit' or Greek exit from the EU and now we are looking at them staying in and we are the ones talking about whether to leave (Brexit - terrible name right?) or stay.
9. EU standards of cleanliness and public health. Things like facilities and beach cleanliness are judged to the same high standards around Europe. So whether you are on the English coast or the Spanish, you know the beaches have been graded to the same high standards.
10. The EU has taken on the multi-nationals of Microsoft and Samsung (among others) and won when it comes to competition rules. This protects our industries and gives EU consumers a real choice so we are not locked into expensive contracts without other options.
11. Freedom to travel and study abroad. For various reasons there are currently 1.4 million Brits living in the EU. This proves that immigration works both ways. Next time someone complains that EU immigrants are coming over here and taking jobs just remind them that they are free to do the same and go the other way. We can go and work or study in any one of the countries and the fact that we have the right to do so should be protected.
12. Can you drive in the UK? Hold a full licence? Fantastic. That licence is also valid across the EU. You can literally jump in your car and go on the ferry or Eurostar and get your car the other end and drive wherever you want. It also means you can hire a car on the mainland continent and you can go and work out there as a driver if you so want. No other nasty tests to worry about.
13. Peace and democracy is preserved by the EU. It has been secured in places like Spain and the former Soviet bloc. Peacekeepers work with the United Nations to keep the peace around the world too.
14. Equal pay is set and protected by the EU. This means there can be no discrimination between race, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. Without that protection then we are at the mercy of our own government or companies doing whatever they want with no one to hold them accountable. It is just that extra layer of protection for all workers in the EU.
15. The Common Market cuts through red tape and makes trade easier without all that form filling and complicated stuff that holds companies back in other markets. It also means that there is the same regulations for all trade and companies.
16. It is easier to extradite criminals who have escaped to the continent and we work with police forces throughout the EU to tackle organised crime which often expands beyond one country and would be difficult to deal with without that cooperation.
17. Research funding from the EU is vital to British universities and is set to be an even bigger source of income in the future. This is important for us and it would be a shame to lose that because we leave the EU. Right now our universities are world leaders in research of all kinds from science to medicine to business and we need to embrace that. We couldn't do all we can do without the grants from the EU though. The research we undertake benefits the whole EU and beyond.
18. Farmers get subsidies from the EU because it allows them to produce what the EU needs in terms of produce, milk and meat. Without this money the prices paid for the farmers' produce would not be enough to keep them afloat. This would mean more farmers would have to give up without that money to help them out and would mean the country would have to pay extra for imports from the continent to feed ourselves.
19. Imported alcohol, such as wine, would see an increase in price. This is because we would have to pay more for imports which are currently protected on price with our trade agreements through the single or common market.
20. We have a lot in common with our European neighbours and it would make sense to keep them on side. We also get along so well with the US and parts of Asia because they want that connection through us to Europe. We stand to lose an awful lot if we leave. We haven't had an empire in around 60 - 100 years (depending on views and when countries were set free from empire) and we are not strong enough to go it alone. What we can do though is stay and make a difference.
If Britain stays in the EU then we can change the things we don't like. We have to make our voice heard and the only way to do that is to stay in. We can't do that as the crazy little island sat out in the North Sea all on our own.
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