The last word: Veteran politicians on opposing sides of EU referendum debate make the final case for your vote

The debate has been at times heated as campaigners on both sides vociferously make their case.

In south Essex, two political heavyweights of recent decades make one last attempt to convince Echo readers to side with them.

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LEAVE

Sir Teddy Taylor

Conservative MP for Glasgow Cathcart 1964-1979, Rochford and Southend East 1980-2005

FORTY five years ago I believed that the threat to our democracy and to our people’s right to determine our own future was so substantial that I resigned from Ted Heath’s Government.

I was in no doubt joining the Common Market would necessitate the surrender of a major part of our democracy and we would be joining up with an economy in structural decline, throwing away a lot of goodwill with the Commonwealth, which had huge trading potential.

I feared we would move from being a major world power committed to democracy to become a minor player in Europe.

The referendum in 1975 was fought as if it was a decision whether we should be part of a trading area or not. This was a misleading message and millions of people who supported remaining lived to regret their decision.

In the passage of time we have witnessed more and more powers transferred to non-elected bureaucrats in Brussels and away from our elected Members of Parliament. But the British people have not been consulted or given their permission for this to happen.

More than 50 per cent of our laws are now dreamed up by the EU. Trade agreements are decided without British interests being at there core, and the UK’s taxpayer’s money is spent on projects dear to the EU, but not necessarily in our interest.

UK businesses must comply with all EU regulations despite the fact 79 per cent of our trade is internal to the UK. Only 10 per cent of our business is with the EU. Our trade with the EU is in deficit by £61billion a year and falling, whilst our trade with the rest of the world is in surplus and rising.

As a member of the EU we are not in a position to negotiate our own trade deals. As a country with a long history of international trade, far higher than other EU member states, British businesses currently lose out on opportunities in the world’s fastest growing markets such as India and China.

The United Kingdom is the fifth largest economy in the world and we should be confident that Britain will prosper as an independent country.

So here we are again, going to the polls being told we need a single market, being told there will be no more transferring of power and being told there are no plans for an EU army or for Turkey to join.

The truth is that the small changes that David Cameron “negotiated” can still be reversed by the EU institutions, they are not yet ratified. Only last week the EU agreed to accelerate and invest billions more of your money to facilitate Turkey’s membership and James Duddridge MP has revealed papers he has seen that prove an EU army is planned.

There can be no arguing that the EU has been on a one way journey towards becoming an ever expanding super state with a common foreign policy, trade agreements and army.

So my message is clear and simple. Preserving democracy and the right of the UK voters to decide issues is the only way we can ensure a destiny focused on the interests of our country.

That’s why on Thursday I urge you once more to Vote Leave and take back control of our freedom and liberty.

REMAIN

Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon

Labour MP for Basildon 1997-2010, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords 2015 to present

THIS referendum campaign on our EU membership is one of the most bitter ever.

Too few Labour voices have been heard. We’ve heard more about internal Conservative party squabbles, but this issue is more important than that.

I’m voting remain, without hesitation. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want changes to the EU, but it means that I want to be part of those changes. I don’t want us to be isolated economically and politically from our nearest neighbours.

Some of our most serious problems like the lack of homes, too few police officers, poor and expensive public transport and a struggling health service are not the fault of the EU – so can’t be solved by leaving.

The biggest fiction is we’ll have an extra £350million pounds to spend on the NHS. It’s not true. Don’t just take my word for it, check out the experts.

So many of those Conservatives now arguing to spend more money on the NHS have always voted in Parliament for budgets making terrible cuts to the very public services that they now tell us they support.

Yes, we pay a ‘subscription’ but in return not only do we gain various grants and investments that support research, industry, farming and education, but become part of the largest ‘single market’ in the world.

That means UK companies don’t pay tariffs to export to EU countries, and we don’t charge tariffs on imports, which would undoubtedly put up prices. 200,000 UK companies trade with the EU with exports worth £220 billion a year. Our exports to Brazil, Russia, India and China are just one sixth of that.

And there’s more support to be had, but this Government has failed to make the most of funds available from the European Investment Bank. Another £35 billion could be claimed – just think what that could do for the UK.

Interestingly both Norway and Switzerland pay proportionality the same as us so they can trade – but have no say in any of the rules or measures agreed by the rest of us.

But the EU is about more than the economy. As we emerged from the devastation of two world wars, the plan was not just to create a trading Europe, but a peaceful Europe. A Europe of independent countries that would work together, trade together and protect the peace together.

It’s not surprising that refugees from Syria and conflict ridden countries risk their lives to find safety in Europe. They’re seeking the very peace and stability that we have created. But the answer is not to risk our stability at home, but to work harder and better within the EU, with the USA and the UN, to tackle conflict and seek greater safety across the world.

As well as those from EU countries working here, over 2 million British citizens are living and working in the EU, so it works both ways.

Across Europe we have taken action to protect the environment, to tackle climate change and protect wildlife. Both the RSPB and WWF support remaining in.

And as the world seems more dangerous is this really the time to want to be more isolated from those countries nearest to us?

For most of us this is the biggest political decision we’ll ever make – for us and future generations.

That’s why I’m voting remain.