June 1, 2016 11.15 am This story is over 93 months old

Better off with a vote to leave – MEP Emma McClarkin

Emma McClarkin was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament representing the UK in 2009. In 2014 she was re-elected as one of two Conservative MEPs for the East Midlands. Emma is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU. As an MEP since 2009 I have had a front row seat on watching…
Conservative MEP for the East Midlands, Emma McClarkin

Emma McClarkin was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament representing the UK in 2009. In 2014 she was re-elected as one of two Conservative MEPs for the East Midlands. Emma is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU.

As an MEP since 2009 I have had a front row seat on watching the Parliament and the EU project and it’s my first-hand experience which I want to share with voters. Over the last seven years I have watched our democracy being eroded away every day in the course of my parliamentary work.

The boundaries for the EU’s competence are pushed as it continues to find ways into every part of our day to day lives. It shouldn’t be wasting time deciding whether a Twix is one portion or two, worrying about the font size on a packet of chewing gum or banning oven gloves – but it has and does.

On the front line I do everything I can to defend the UK’s best interests, but sadly more often than not we win the argument but lose the vote. Even if every one of the 73 British MEPs voted together we make up less than 10% of the Parliament so our interests are outvoted.

But stoically we play by the rules, implement legislation even though other member states blatantly ignore them.

This situation continues despite the fact we are the second largest contributor to the EU budget and one of the major players in the EU. Sadly the renegotiation process shows just how much the EU listens to the UK.

If anything the minuscule concessions given to the Prime Minister only go to prove that the EU is reluctant to change, unwilling to reform and completely deaf to British concerns.

We have been diluting our decision-making in the EU and we now need to understand just what motivates our new Eurocrats in Brussels who want to take those decisions for us. This at least is now clear.

Should we chose to remain we are joined to an EU whose sole aim is to create a federalist United States of Europe. An EU that look inwards on itself and not outwards to the rest of the world. An EU that is flatlining and the only region in the world not growing.

An EU for whom the only answer is more money, more power, more Europe.

But should we believe in Britain and vote to leave we would throw off the shackles of an overly bureaucratic EU that thinks differently from us on so many issues.

We could make decisions about who comes in and out of our country which would make us more secure. We would be able to do trade deals with countries around the world boosting our economic fortunes and securing our young people’s futures and crucially we would increase our democracy by being able to hire and fire the people making the laws that govern our country.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to reset our relationship with the EU, increase our presence on a global stage and to create a more democratic, prosperous and GREAT Britain.

Our bright future is waiting. It’s time to Vote Leave.

For the latest Lincolnshire coverage in the run up to the referendum on June 23, follow the EU Referendum category on The Lincolnite.

Avatar photo

Emma McClarkin was first elected as a Member of the European Parliament representing the UK in 2009. In 2014 she was re-elected as one of two Conservative MEPs for the East Midlands.