Brooks’ comments on Europe: ‘From National to Local Interest’

When David Cameron vetoed the proposed EU treaty on December 9th, he made a tough choice to ensure that Britain’s national interest, and local interests, were put first. He stood up against the other EU members and decided that their treaty came at too high a price for the British people and those living in our area.

Free trade in the EU is good for us in the UK. It is the reason why household incomes are up to £3,000 more than they would be otherwise. It is also the source of a lot of local jobs in our area which amount to around 3.5 million across the country. But this treaty, which is meant to further regulate the EU economy and to help the ailing Euro, is bad for Britain and would be bad for our local community.

Without the modest safeguards for Britain that the Prime Minister required, the treaty would pose serious threats to Britain’s financial services industry and hurt local businesses and businessmen. It would mean European red tape and regulation where this government has cut it. Britain has chosen not to join a train going in the wrong direction of ever closer fiscal, monetary and political union.

So the Prime Minister wasn’t happy letting other countries’ bad financial management provide an excuse to rope Britain into an agreement that would punish us for keeping our house in order. The Government has worked hard to maintain our Triple-A rating, to reduce our budget deficit and to seek to live within our means. This has meant low interest rates for our local businesses and low mortgage rates for homeowners. The Prime Minister acted in our national interest and in our local interest and we should be proud that he stood firm in putting Britain first.