I have waited to give my view on the upcoming referendum on our country’s membership of the European Union until after the Prime Minister had the opportunity to make a statement to the House of Commons. This has also given all sides the chance to make their outline case for and against remaining in the European Union.
The decision facing Britain is one of the biggest and most finely balanced of recent times. After much consideration and discussion, I think that Britain should remain within the EU and press the case for further reform. I came to this decision based on a calm but hard headed assessment of the facts.
The Chancellor has rightly referred to a dangerous cocktail of economic threats to the global economy. At a time when Britain has only recently recovered from recession and during a period of record breaking jobs growth, I do not believe that we should risk the further uncertainty and instability that withdrawal from the EU would bring. The jobs and livelihoods of my constituents and the British people are always at the forefront of my mind when making these decisions.
In addition to this, over the last few years the international situation has become increasingly dangerous. We face a belligerent Russia to the East and Islamic State to our South, and numerous other threats to the international order. Now is not the time to divide the west and unsettle the global order by damaging alliances that have helped preserve freedom and democracy for a generation.
I applaud the Prime Minister for his work in the renegotiation, and I note that this is the first time any country has worked to fundamentally alter its relationship within the EU. That in itself took courage, and the Prime Minister proved an effective negotiator as he has come back from a negotiation in Europe with a number of concessions. I am also proud to serve in the government that has given the British people this Referendum after being denied the opportunity by Governments in the past.
Should Britain vote to remain, we must also commit to ensuring that reform remains on the European agenda. The continued push for free trade and for a more integrated digital single market are in both the British and European interest. I am confident that Britain will continue to push for these kind of liberalising pro-business measures from within the EU.
I have never been one to bang on about Europe and I do not intend to start now. I will focus my efforts in the coming months on ensuring people have sufficient information to make an informed decision.
I am writing this message because my constituents deserve an explanation of the position I hold on this issue. Most of my constituents will want my focus to remain on delivering positive change for Reading East and implementing our manifesto commitments as Minister for Civil Society. While Europe is one issue that impacts on both of these roles, it is one of many and there are other extremely important issues that also deserve my attention.
I appreciate that for most people the EU Referendum will be a finely balanced judgement that some people will only finally decide when their pencil hovers over the ballot paper. The power to make the decision about Britain’s future is not solely in my hands, but in all our hands and I trust us to get it right.