Reasons I am voting to remain in the EU

So its the EU referendum tomorrow. Probably the biggest political decision in a generation. And one which could effect several generations. I am sure you already know what I will be voted based on my posts but just wanted to write down, some of the reasons I am voting to remain in the EU (although in a way its more reason NOT to leave – which I go on to):

• Living in Manchester, we have had many benefits from being in the EU such as in £100m+ in funding to support development, jobs, apprenticeships etc. This includes the new Victoria Station, funding for museums, part funding for the National Graphene Institute to develop graphene into actual products – keeping Britain, and Manchester in particular, at the forefront of its research. Back in 1996, the EU pledged £21.5m to help rebuild Manchester after the bomb – the UK government pledged £450k.
• The EU has banned cosmetic animal testing, ended the trade in fur from cats, dogs, seals and basically improved animal welfare.
• Being part of the world’s largest trading block
• The EU boosts UK businesses and jobs.
• Freedom to live and work anywhere in the EU (and cheap mobile roaming – which is always a good thing!). 🙂

Now the Leave campaign have mentioned numerous things like immigration and about the cost of being in the EU.

• First the cost. They are claiming it costs £350m a week to be in the EU. This is NOT true. Its £190m a week after rebates etc. And if we leave the EU, we would need to spend about this much to access the common market.
• According to organisations like HM Treasury, Bank of England, Oxford Economics, OECD, National Institite of Economic and Social Research, leaving the EU would have a negative effect on the British GDP. So surely you would listen to all thse organisations who are experts when it comes to knowing about the economy. Unless your live Michael Gove, who ridiculously said the British public doesn’t want to hear from experts. Experts!
• The other main thing the Leave campaign have been talking about it immigration. Now if we left the EU it would not automatically mean an end to immigration – unless we build a big, giant wall and completely close us off from the rest of Europe and the World. But who in their right mind would thing about building a big wall ….. If we do leave, if we want to remain part of the single market, we would need to allow free mobility of labour both in and out of the UK – if the deal is like Norway or Switzerland. (But if we go for a looser trading arrangement, we lose out a lot more from loss in trade and foreign investment).
• Continuing on the point about immigration. Its worth pointing out that EU migrants over the last decade on so have paid more in taxes than they have in benefits – a net fiscal contribution of £20bn in fact.
• Another thing is about all the regulations and stupid rules. For example the rule about the banning of curved bananas. Or about wanting to leave because of the interference of the European Convention (on Court) on Human Rights. This is a separate treaty from the EU and this whole Brexit vote would not affect it. Another example was about 109 EU laws to do with pillows – when in reality these 109 laws had ones nothing to do with pillows at all. One was to do will cereals and their shape (or something like that) and another was about some sort of “pillow air pump”.

The Leave campaign, and to be fair also the Remain campaign is at fault of this but not as bad, is lots of lies, xenophobia and scaremongering. The whole EU ref “campaigns” have been horrible and it times its like a bunch of 8 year old kids fighting in the playground. Although Nigel Farage seems very “good” at this – he always seems to have a go at someones personal appearance i.e. like a school child.

Now if are these things above were not enough to convince me (and hopefully you) to vote to Remain, look at the people/companies/countries who are on the side of Remain compared to Leave.

Remain

Obama, China, India, the EU, Sir Richard Branson, Sir Patrick Stewart, Stephen Hawking, Jeremy Corbyn,

Leave

Boris Johnson
Nigel Farage
Katie Hopkins
Keith Chegwin
Putin
Donald Trump
Griffin