Choosing to stay within the European Union is a clear and pragmatic decision. The many benefits we receive from our membership of the EU makes voting to remain an obvious choice, and the right choice, for Britain. Over the past couple of months I have been debating and campaigning to ‘remain’ and as we approach the final week of this referendum campaign, I want to put to you a constructive case; how the EU directly benefits our region and why East Anglia should remain within the EU.
Across the UK, 3.3 million jobs are directly linked to the European Union, 10% of which are here in the East of England. This includes some of the 250,000 jobs our tourism industry provides as we accommodate 1.4 billion inbound visitors from the EU - 65% of all international visits - to our regions hotspots like our cherished coastlines and beaches. As an aside, 95% of all UK beaches like Great Yarmouth are kept clean and safe to enjoy as a result of EU regulation.
Vice versa, UK residents enjoy the huge benefits of free movement and reduced tariffs across Europe. For instance, in 2014 Britons made nearly 44 million visits to the EU, whether for work, study or holiday. 1.2 million British citizens have made a permanent move to live within another EU country, choosing to retire abroad with the guarantee of EU travel to access the family and friends they leave behind.
Our lifestyles and interests are so closely integrated with the benefits of our EU membership that, to leave would pull the rug out from under our feet. Should BREXIT succeed on 23rd June, there is an immediate intention to end free movement in the hope of reducing immigration. Yet our own movement to the EU would be restricted as it is inconceivable this would be a one way agreement and could certainly prevent any new trade deals being negotiated with the EU.
The unseen benefits to our local infrastructure are as a direct contribution of our membership to the EU, for instance, last year Norfolk and Suffolk secured £86 million from the EU towards the Local Enterprise Partnership for onward investment in local projects, business and the economy. In this way, decisions around funds are delivered for the local area by the local area, not - as some leave supporters would suggest – dictated to us by the EU.
Moreover, the vitality of our services rely on the freedoms we gain from the EU. My local West Suffolk Hospital, employs 2,043 EU national staff on who we wholly depend on, to deliver high quality local care.
Thursday’s vote as to whether we choose to remain within the EU, is about maximising the benefits of our relationship. Every day, the EU directly delivers benefits to us as a region and as a country. It is these gains we make from the membership we enjoy, which makes voting to remain in the European Union, the right choice.
Published in the East Anglia Daily Times