EU Referendum: Government leaflet campaign is money well spent

Controversy has continued to rise over the Government’s £9 million campaign to promote EU membership. A petition opposing the leaflet campaign has now gained the 100,000 signatures needed for it to be considered for debate in Westminster.

Leave campaigners have complained that the leaflet, to be sent out to 27 million homes across the country, amounts to one sided propaganda. However as the Prime Minister has rightly pointed, the Government is not neutral over EU membership and I tend to agree with him that with three million UK jobs linked to EU exports the cost of the campaign is “money well spent”.

It is telling that the leave camp has chosen to focus on the process of the campaign rather than the substance contained within the leaflet. What is really behind the complaints of leave campaigners is fear. Fear of the comprehensive argument set out by the Government for remaining part of the EU. An argument that they have no answer to. This is why we should actually welcome a Parliamentary debate on the leaflet and in particular the compelling argument it makes for a remain vote on 23 June.

In among the clear economic and political benefits of EU membership outlined in the leaflet is one point that is particularly damning to the leave side. That is that no other country has managed to secure significant access to the single market without having to follow EU rules which they have no say in, pay into the EU and accept freedom of EU citizens to live and work in their country. This shows the contradiction at the heart of anti-EU arguments, UK cannot ‘regain sovereignty’ (though I would question what this actually means) and maintain trade links to the EU.

On 23 June people across the UK will cast one of the most important votes of their lives. Decisions are made by those who show up, don’t be left out, it’s your future too: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Callum Trimble-Jenkins