EU supporters

Having recently read that Freedom of Movement has allowed more than 50 dangerous criminals from the continent to our shores, I understand that no EU member state has any obligation to inform others of people with criminal records. In other words, we don’t have a clue whether these migrants are criminals . I want to know how you can promote freedom of movement, when it opens us up to murderers and rapists. Yes, I know you will state that the EU and the freedom of movement is not perfect, but comments like that don’t solve the problem.

It is often stated that EU migrants don’t claim benefits and pay in more to the state than they take. True for many, especially highly skilled workers who will get a good wage, pay tax and claim little. But what about the many unskilled, low paid migrants who are here? If they are paid so little that they fall below the tax threshold, they will pay nothing in. And given that many British struggle to pay high rents and bills, how do these low paid migrants cope? They will get tax credits and some even claim child benefit for a child that doesn’t reside here. Many will pay in more than they take, but many at the opposite end of the spectrum will claim more than they put in.

Given our current housing crisis, caused by lack of building, the disastrous Right to Buy scheme and a high population, how can you justify total free movement of people to our shores, without any for of control. Not only is this counterproductive, it is also quite dangerous. Of course our government has never had a good track record of controlling immigration. They don’t seem to control it from outside the EU, and that must change. But we have the power to say no to people from outside the EU, we have no say whatsoever on who from the EU, or how many. Control is fundamental for us to estimate how many people will be here each year. We are building houses for the people who are here and growing up now. How can we possibly know how many houses, plus school places, hospital beds and even how much power we will need, if people can come, at the rate of 300,000 a year plus. Sooner rather that later, our public services will implode thanks to the likes of Cameron, Blair and Major, who stated that we should stay in the EU “no matter what”. No matter how strained our NHS gets. And I know you will state that hospitals are under pressure because of people living longer. This is true. God forbid it is anything to do with some of the highest net migration this country has ever had. Oh no, lets blame it on all the old people. I’m afraid that this is what you get from politicians all the time. They will put the blame for over-stretched services on anything other that immigration. Corbyn goes further, stating we need more and more people to come here. In his eyes, there is no problem here. Well, I will say what most people think. There are too many people coming to this country. It has an adverse affect on housing, school places and social cohesion. Of course, high immigration is not the only cause of these problems, but it is partly.

We are told leaving the EU will cause isolation and no influence. So we stay in the EU. We have a major issue that is affecting our country. We discuss it with other member states. There is a vote. We say yes, the rest say no, as It so often goes. We get nowhere, but at least we have a say and we had to pay for the privilege. I worry that as the EU expands, and it will, our influence will be diminished. You may think I am wrong but think about it. We are 1 of a 28 bloc. We have 1 in 28th chance of changing the fabric of the EU. But, as the EU grows to say 30 states, perhaps even 35, our voice is now 1 in 35. If we don’t get nations on our side, we have very little influence. Yet countries all around the world do pretty well, without political union. I doubt the USA has to answer to anyone about its immigration policy or VAT. And as for isolation, the IN campaign must think that if we leave, we will pull the drawbridge up and sail away into the middle of the Atlantic. Get real. We have traded with Europe for thousands of years. Many other EU nations are now demanding an in out referendum. People are starting to question why we need this bloated political machine, when all we need is a free trade bloc like many other nations are part of. They do not take part in freedom of movement or political union. I say YES to Europe, NO THANKS to the EU.

Matthew Hobson

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