What would leaving the EU mean for Caerphilly? Campaign groups have their say

On Thursday June 23, the nation heads to the ballot box to vote on whether the UK should stay or leave the European Union.

Britain joined the EU in 1973, and its membership has been the subject of discussion ever since.

As part of the Conservative manifesto in the run-up to the 2015 General Election, Prime Minister David Cameron promised voters the chance to decide on Britain’s membership to the EU with a referendum – in response to growing calls from his own MPs and members of UKIP.

The EU is a partnership of 28 countries, which was set up in the wake of World War Two to help grow economic co-operation and trade.

Eurosceptics – people who are against Britain’s membership – argue that the EU has changed significantly over the past 40 years.

It has since become more than just an economic partnership, allowing goods and people to move around freely in what’s known as a ‘single market.’

Mr Cameron is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU after negotiating new terms of Britain’s membership back in February, including cutting the amount of benefits migrants receive and ensuring Britain can still run most of its own affairs.

However, several of his own MPs, including Boris Johnson and Michael Gove are campaigning to leave.

Caerphilly Observer has approached the two main campaign groups in Wales to explain what a vote either way would mean for you.

Wales Stronger In Europe

WALES benefits perhaps more from our EU membership than any other part of the UK – we get back £245 million more than we give, and that’s before you consider the importance of the single market, which is worth £5 billion to our businesses and supports 200,000 jobs.

On top of this, European laws support hard-won rights for workers and employees. These include paid holidays, maternity leave and paternity leave.

Wayne David, Caerphilly MP, said: “Our place in Europe is vital to Wales’ future prospects – the single market is a cornerstone of our economy, while investment from the EU supports jobs and opportunities.

“It also ensures fair treatment for workers, guarding against potential efforts by domestic governments which might look to reduce or restrict certain privileges.

“Membership of the European Union offers guarantees of investment, trade and protection for those in society who need it most. Leaving offers none of this – all it offers is economic uncertainty and dubious promises.”

Despite the relatively low level of migration in Wales – less than 3% of our population comes from other EU countries – many voters will have justified concerns, and they will have heard claims from Vote Leave that leaving Europe would give us more control of our borders. This is simply not true.

Britain is not part of Europe’s border-free Schengen Zone – and our current deal means we will not be joining it. We have also been able to push border controls across the Channel into France. This situation would be unlikely to continue in the event of a leave vote.

Some campaigners have claimed a points-based system would reduce the number of people coming to live in the UK, holding up Australia as an example of what our future could look like. This neglects the fact Australia has a higher per-head migrant population than the UK.

EU Structural Funds will see Wales receive more than £2 billion up to 2020 – far more than any other part of the UK.

This will be targeted to help the long-term unemployed, the young, those out of work who are most at risk of poverty, and those who are especially disadvantaged in the labour market, to improve their prospects of achieving sustainable employment, as well as boosting small businesses.

Completed EU-funded projects include the upgrading of the Brynmawr-Tredegar section of the Heads of the Valleys Road, with £82 million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The section was opened in September 2015, with the whole Heads of the Valleys Road project due to be completed by 2020, making a big difference to one of Wales’ major transport routes.

Our membership of the EU means we can collaborate with other European countries to tackle international threats more effectively. Wales benefits from the European Arrest Warrant, which has been used to send 101 criminals to other EU nations since 200 and bring 17 back to face justice in the UK. On top of all this, European funding and sharing of knowledge is helping our universities to carry out ground-breaking research and push the boundaries of innovation.

Membership of the European offers jobs, security and investment for Wales. Leaving offers nothing more than empty promises and false rhetoric. It is a leap into the dark Wales simply cannot afford to take – and that is why we should vote to Remain on June 23.

Vote Leave Cymru

Turnout at elections in Caerphilly is typically low, and just 43% of eligible residents voted in the Assembly elections in May.

Whilst many people feel a sense of frustration around politics – some towards the UK Government, others towards the Assembly in Cardiff – we shouldn’t forget that this debate goes beyond party politics.

It’s about freedom and democracy, and about having control of our own affairs; whether that’s the ability to control our borders, or the ability to trade with the rest of the world, or to intervene and protect our steel industry from the dumping of Chinese steel.

That’s why it’s so important that we all vote, because for as long as we remain in the EU none of those things are under our control.

Sadly, the remain campaign has tried to scare people into voting to stay and it’s clear that the tone of their campaign has caused many people to switch off.

Earlier in the campaign, Andrew RT Davies AM called for an honest, open and positive debate on all sides, but from the remain camp the scare stories continued to flow.

People see through it, because if World War III really was waiting just the other side of a vote to leave the EU then we wouldn’t have been given a say at all.

Those who back a vote to remain should at least be honest and open about their plans for Wales’ future. On the Jason Mohammad show earlier this month the Chair of Stronger In Wales said he’d like to see “much, much closer integration” across the EU.

Perhaps there are plenty of people who would support the idea of the EU taking on more and more of the functions of a nation state, like tax-raising powers, or control over the Welsh NHS.

But that’s not the case being put to voters, who are instead being encouraged to fear the idea of change – not invited to buy into a positive vision.

This is a once in a generation opportunity to vote to leave the EU and take back control.

It’s a chance to put power back in the hands of our local communities, and in to the hands of politicians we choose and that we can throw out if we want change.

All too many laws affecting our everyday lives are being taken by unelected politicians from other nations – instead of by local politicians, in the Welsh Assembly. But now we have a chance to take a different path, and deliver a shot in the arm for democracy.

And then there’s the question of money: the UK currently spends £10 billion a year more than it receives in so-called EU funds but it’s our money already and Wales would be entitled to its share of that dividend if we Vote to Leave. Caerphilly would get its share too.

If we leave the EU we can spend that extra money on Welsh priorities, like the NHS, schools and housing.

And we can once again be masters of our own destiny, free to sign trade agreements with new trading partners the world over – creating new jobs.

The question being put to the British people on June 23 is one of generational significance, and it may be the last time most of us have a chance to have our say on Britain’s EU membership.

Some Caerphilly residents may remember the campaign, or indeed may have voted back in 1975 – but the EU was a very different beast in those days, and on June 23 we have an opportunity to take back the control that we have lost in the 41 years since the last vote; a chance to chart a new course for Wales and the rest of the UK.