THE EU referendum moved a step closer this week, with the proposed deal from EU president Donald Tusk being announced on Tuesday. David Cameron has been negotiating on our behalf on four key areas designed to improve not just our relationship with the EU, but the EU in its entirety.

The first area is sovereignty, and a clear worry for many people that the move to “ever closer union” will erode our national status. The deal excludes the UK from that process, and adds weight to the decisionmaking process of national parliaments over that of the EU.

We also wanted to deal with the issue of competitiveness and the problems of red tape. This, again, has been addressed and there is a commitment to tackle this problem.

Thirdly, we wanted protection as a result of being isolated outside the eurozone. We have already committed to never joining the Euro, but the deal provides for a number of measures that ensure we are protected from things such as eurozone bailouts and trading rules, strengthen- View from Westminster ing our position as an international finance hub.

But it is the fourth area – immigration – that has people most vexed.

European migrants are attracted to our shores by a number of issues – not least that we have the best employment opportunities in the whole of Europe. One of those pull factors is our benefit system, and we have secured a number of wins in this area, as well as an emergency brake to halt migration if it is affecting our public services. This can take effect immediately after the legislation is in place.

So we have five absolute guarantees: we will never be part of the Euro; we will never be part of the Schengen Zone, the border-less part of Europe; we will never be part of a European army; we will never have to bail out eurozone countries and we will never be part of a European super-state.

This deal needs to be ratified later this month, with a probable date for the referendum in June. So for the next few months, battle will commence.

I see it as my role to have an opinion on this and to make sure people have the facts. This question will be resolved soon.

CONTACT YOUR MP

  • Email: mark.garnier.mp@parliament.uk
  • Telephone: 020 7219 7198 or 01562 746771
  • Write: 9a Lower Mill Street, Kidderminster, DY11 6UU, or House of Commons, Westminster, London