On Saturday 23rd January, Jo Churchill MP confirmed her support for ‘Conservatives for Reform in Europe’ in an open letter to the Daily Telegraph.
Writing to the Editor, the group stressed the need to consider the advantages of EU membership and with the potential for significant reforms, the benefits a reformed European Union could deliver.
In the letter, the Conservatives for Reform in Europe wrote: “We take a hard-headed view of EU membership. We see the advantages of a market without tariff barriers, but have deep concerns about the loss of sovereignty, the drive towards a European super-state, over-regulation, and levels of immigration… A strong Britain in a reformed EU would have the best of both worlds; outside the Euro, and protected from deeper integration, but able to access the single market…We would need to be very sure about the alternative before throwing such an advantageous position away.”
In signing the open letter, Jo Churchill MP said: “Change in Europe is essential and changing our relationship with the European Union is just one part of that. It is only pragmatic to try to address the problems we have with Europe, before any hasty decision to depart from the Union all together.
Thoughts of leaving the EU do not guarantee we are relinquished from our European commitments nor do they in any way remove the current problems we face. We have renegotiated our position once before and I am confident we can do so again, with greater success.
The reforms currently being negotiated address concerns for our sovereignty, the limits to UK competition, our ability to manage our own economy and to control immigration. These reforms if successful, will significantly alter our relationship with the EU for the better, therefore I feel supporting them is the right thing to do.”