Britain’s continued membership of the European Union is the most important political question of our lifetime.
It is perfectly clear that the Prime Minister’s renegotiation is of very little consequence. Nothing fundamental is even on the table, nor up for debate. Free movement, the cost of our membership and making our own laws are not even being discussed.
The forthcoming referendum on whether to “Remain” or “Leave” is so vital because it will determine whether we want to be in a United States of Europe or whether we wish to be a self-governing, independent, United Kingdom.
Today, it is clearer than ever before that if we remain in the European Union, further, deeper political integration is inevitable.
As we’ve seen from everything from the eurozone’s worsening economic state to the migrant crisis, the answer in Brussels will always be “more EU”.
This referendum is far bigger than party politics. It transcends the old Left-Right divide in a way that little else does.
Whatever differences there may have been between the parties during the European elections and the general election, these are irrelevant compared with this greater cause. We must join forces to make the case across the country – face to face with voters – for Britain being better off outside the European Union.
This is why a group of politicians from across the political spectrum have joined together to launch a new campaigning organisation to unite those who want to leave the EU.
Grassroots Out (or GO for short) is aimed at drawing together all of the disparate ‘leave’ groups at grassroots level, on a cross-party basis, to avoid duplication of effort, field staff, and wasted campaign finance.
So, GO, rather than setting up another out campaign, does the reverse. It brings together existing ‘leave’ campaigns and gets them to work as one in local areas. There will be a constituency by constituency plan and strategy which will concentrate heavily on voter identification.
Taking place on January 23rd in Kettering, Northamptonshire, will be the first of dozens of large-scale public meetings and constituency-level campaigns being organised across the country by Grassroots Out.
The launch will include myself and fellow Conservative MPs Tom Pursglove and Philip Hollobone. Also joining us will be senior Labour MP Kate Hoey, UKIP MEP Margot Parker and UKIP’s leader Nigel Farage. This historic event is open to everyone and free tickets can be obtained via
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/GrassrootsOut.
Along with members of our parties from across the country, and side by side with those with no party affiliation, we intend to spend the weeks and months ahead campaigning hard to convince people that Britain is better off out. We will stand shoulder to shoulder putting country before party.
No matter what your political affiliations are, this is an exciting time in British politics. This will be our only chance for a generation to free our country from the grip of the EU and transform the nation’s prospects for the better. We must seize this opportunity and work together to win.