Stephen Gethins MP, vice-president of European Movement UK, has today been given leave to call a debate in Westminster on the impact of the 2016 referendum on the UK. The debate will begin shortly, at 16.30 in Westminster Hall.
Stephen Gethins MP will say:
“It is no surprise that those who shouted the loudest about the benefits of leaving the EU a decade ago are the quietest on its effects now.
“Consistent polling shows that the UK public are in support of rejoining the EU. In my own country of Scotland, a whopping three quarters of all voters of all ages would rejoin. More broadly in the UK, the number is especially high amongst young people, with a recent poll conducted by Savanta showing that 83% of 16-24-year-olds would vote to rejoin the EU.
“The removal of rights and opportunities enjoyed by previous generations was one of the most appalling aspects of Brexit. Whilst the belated plans for the UK to rejoin the Erasmus programme are to be welcomed, it does not go far enough to address the breadth of experiences that our young people are missing out on by no longer being able to benefit from freedom of movement across Europe.
“We are also poorer by remaining outside of the EU, with analysis by the House of Commons Library showing that because of Brexit, the UK Treasury is losing £90bn a year. This begs the question as to why the Government remain steadfast in their commitment to their red lines around staying outside of the Single Market and Customs Union.
“Even in areas where the Government has committed to a closer relationship with the EU, such as the UK-EU security and defence partnership announced in May last year, they consistently fall short of delivering any policy of substance. The recent collapse in negotiations regarding the UK involvement in the €150bn SAFE financial assistance programme is not only detrimental to the UK defence industry, who would have gained from access to this funding, but it also hinders the potential to improve defence capabilities across our continent.
“Europe has also pulled together to become more self-sufficient to ensure greater energy and food security for its citizens. In contrast, since the UK left the EU in 2021 more households in Britain are food insecure. The UK continues to have significantly higher electricity costs when compared with other European countries, which is yet another issue worsened by Brexit that adds further pressure on British households already struggling with the cost of living crisis.
“It is beyond time for Westminster to face up to the consequences of its decisions on a hard Brexit that leave us poorer and less secure. Anniversaries such as this provide an opportunity for reflection on success and the benefits of learning from failure, and as we mark ten years on from the referendum, it is clear that the project to leave the EU has failed the British public. We need to ensure that Europe remains on the agenda at Westminster and that is why debates like mine today are critical for providing opportunities to make the case for a closer relationship with Europe.”
This article is based on a media release from European Movement UK.
