The EU My letter to our local newspaper, in response to one from a local Ukip councillors, has appeared today: In contrast to Victor Webbs misleading letter last week (Eurozone is a disaster zone), the true situation is as follows: The HM Revenue & Customs website currently states that the first estimates of overseas trade for the whole of 2013 with the EU are: Exports: £150.8 billion compared with £149.8 billion in 2012. An increase of 0.7 per cent. Imports: £216.8 billion compared with £207.0 billion in 2012. An increase of 4.7 per cent. And non-EU: Exports: £148.5 billion compared with £146.7 billion in 2012. An increase of 1.2 per cent. Imports: £192.3 billion compared with £199.3 billion in 2012. A decrease of 3.5 per cent. His inclusion of Internal trade, and the Eurozone, plus its unemployment (high like our real total) is a complete red herring. Internal trade would still exist, irrespective of EU membership, and we are not in the Eurozone! The prime cause of “strain on public services” is our government’s controversial austerity policies, not “immigration”; the figures for which include short-stayers, like profitable foreign students. Government and independent figures show that immigration actually produces a small net financial gain for the British people. If we should exit the EU, illegal immigration and smuggled goods would exponentially increase - across our islands’ 20,000 miles of coastline, and our land border with the Irish Republic (plus Scotland soon?) - with significant black economy and tax revenue implications. Few people are aware that only a miniscule proportion of total incoming boats and aircraft, including at main air and sea ports, is currently physically monitored or searched for unauthorised passengers and goods. To do so, and subsequently “catch” those that still slip through, would require the imposition of a police state and all its associated financial and other costs! Furthermore, we should have to pay import and export tariffs on all EU traded goods and services. The latter would also require vastly increased, and costly, documentation, customs and border controls and time-consuming negotiation of new trade agreements. This is why most businesses are against exit and many have said that they would transfer elsewhere, taking investment, manufacturing and jobs with them. Therefore, the eventual and ongoing net financial, social and other costs of exit would far outweigh its ill-perceived benefits. I fear for our and our children’s future in the resultant impoverished, isolated, Little Britain! John Dutton
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 08:10:16 +0000
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