EU Expansion

Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union at midnight. So now we’re part of a community of 27 rather than 25.

I welcome the accession of the new states and the continued expansion to include, in time, Croatia, the other Balkan states and Turkey. Not least because I firmly believe the bigger the Union the less likely moves towards political integration.

One of my first political memories is of my Mum stopping in at the polling station to vote in the 1975 European Community referendum on her way to take me to school.

My parents voted ‘Yes’ to staying in the Common Market as it was then called. They voted to stay in a trading block, not to confirm an eventual political Union.

I’ve seen the effects of the gold plating of European legislation by this government on my business. It’s caused an incredible increase in bureaucracy and cost.

The Liberal Democrats favour greater European integration and the ultimately the introduction of the Euro.

I see no benefit in either of these courses.

We need to engage constructively with Europe, with the goal of renegotiating our membership. We should obtain more opt outs, not fewer, from the Union in order that we can return to managing the majority of our affairs. If this agreement isn’t forthcoming then reluctantly I’d support a referendum on our future participation in the Union itself.

The balance needs to be shifted back in our favour, the sovereignty of the UK’s parliament must be paramout when considering the laws that effect us all.