By businessman Alastair MacMillan
EU, such as the United States. I use 2013 figures as these are the latest available, in part because it is at least a year following payment of our gross subscription before the rebate is paid back.
A supplier of mine told me recently: “We want to trade and co-operate with the countries of the EU but we don’t want to be run by Brussels.” We have heard from successive governments slogans such as: “In the EU but not run by it.” Instead what has happened has been a gradual tightening of the ratchet as inch by inch it has acquired ever greater powers over how our country is governed. Qualified majority voting (QMV), originally limited to single market product regulations, is now used in 80 per cent of the decisions by the Council of ministers. It appears at first sight to be entirely sensible until you think that on the 72 occasions when the UK has objected to a particular directive it has been overruled 72 times. With EU law being superior to UK law, our parliament has had to wave through laws applicable to the UK that has been positively objected to by our elected government.
The ink was barely dry on the Prime Minister’s recent agreement with other EU heads of government, which was meant to opt the UK out of further political union, when the Port Services Directive became law. This directive allows for an EU regulator to be appointed to oversee all ports in the EU. It was objected to by virtually all UK political parties, port owners and unions, yet we have no option but to cede control of our ports to EU control. Why? What is gained by this other than another small step on the path to political union?
I see the EU as being like a large tanker, designed in the 1950s, commanded by a committee that only talks to the crew via the intercom and only capable of moving in one direction. The smaller vessels around it nimbly going about their business are the other countries of the world. In today’s world of the internet and global sourcing the UK needs to be like a Clyde-built frigate – fast, manoeuvrable and with a clearly accountable chain of command.
The choice on Thursday is whether we remain on the tanker taking our orders from a remote unelected commission or join me and Vote Leave to take back control of our country by restoring responsibility for its future to those we elect to our parliaments.
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