With the deadline for registering to vote in the upcoming EU
referendum fast approaching, I wish to take this opportunity to clearly set out
my position on the matter, as well as clarify some confusion surrounding the
issue.
Firstly, following a number of enquiries from constituents,
I wish to make it absolutely clear that if you are already registered to vote
for regular elections – you will be registered to vote in the Referendum. You
do not need to take any further action. If not, you have until June 7 to
register.
If you wish to vote by post, you have until 5pm on June 8 to
complete, sign and return your application form to your local electoral
registration office. If you are one of those many people who choose to vote in
this way, please make sure you exercise your democratic right and return your
ballot paper. This is your chance to be part of one of the most important
choices to face the UK in a generation.
I have always made my Eurosceptic views clear; I believe our
relationship with the EU is no longer working in Britain’s best interests and
on June 23, I will be voting to leave the European Union.
One of the key issues for me is Parliamentary sovereignty;
who decides how our country is being run. I strongly believe we should be able
to make our own laws and run our own society and the UK would be a better place
free from restrictive EU rules and regulations.
Another area of concern for me are the costs involved in
being a member state. We send around £19 billion a year to Brussels, but only
get around £9 billion back. Far from EU funding being an extra pot of money
that we would be detaching ourselves from upon a Brexit, it’s just a small
proportion of our money being handed back to us with strict conditions attached
on how we can spend it. While I recognise Cornwall has benefited from EU
financial support, if we voted to leave, the Government would be able to better
manage and target areas, such as St Austell and Newquay, which need support,
without being constrained by EU rules.
However, by far the biggest risk in my opinion is staying in an EU which is increasingly
having to deal with crisis after crisis. In recent times we have seen the
Eurozone meltdown and a migration crisis. I have genuine concerns that if the
EU cannot cope with these issues now, how is it going to tackle even bigger
issues in the future and for me, there remains a very big risk that the EU will
pull us and our great country down with it.
It is important to remember however that the ultimate decision does not lie with
politicians. This will be an opportunity for the people of this country to have
their say on our future relationship with the EU for the first time in 40 years
and I strongly believe voting to leave is the best way forward for our nation.
Cornwall Council
run elections in Cornwall and for more information on registering to vote or to
vote by post or proxy, call them on 0300 123 1115 or see their website https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/
As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole
constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone
needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then
please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk.
Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the
constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events
