Angry Brexiteers are right - we have not made the most of our hard won freedoms, writes former Cabinet Secretary John Redwood. He argues that Britain finally needs a government with the confidence to back Brexit.
The Polling Reality
Latest polling confirms that UK voters have no wish to go back into the EU. Many Remain spin doctors take the polls which show many critical of Brexit so far as proof people now want back in when that is far from the truth. Brexiteers are angry that successive governments have not used enough of the hard won freedoms of Brexit, whilst Remainers remain critical of the whole idea. That frustration is not the same as wanting to rejoin.
Opportunities Ahead
We can do much more now we are out to lower taxes, improve and reduce regulations, promote UK business and trade, take a global view, agree trade deals with the rest of the world, revive UK fishing and help UK farmers recapture lost share from the damaging long years in the EU.
Brexit can be so much better. The last thing Brexit voters want is to go back in on worse terms. We are saving all that money promised on the side of the bus, and more. Rejoining would mean a likely £30 billion a year bill as a membership fee which we cannot afford.
Public Opinion
In a recent independent YouGov poll for Britain Unbound, 59% rejected the more limited idea of the EU reset, saying they do not wish to give some powers over our laws to Brussels for possible greater access to the single market. Only 27% thought that a good idea.
Last year, an extensive poll of attitudes commissioned by Queen Mary College London found that 60% of people wanted the UK government to make the decisions, the average for 20 crucial areas. Only 7% wanted the decisions made by the EU.
Even in the area of food standards, something this government wishes to cede to the EU, the public voted 65% for British standards and just 8% for internationally set standards.
Call to Action
Brexit remains a great idea. It needs a government with the confidence to use the freedoms and build on the Brexit successes we have already pocketed. We are £17 billion a year better off from not paying them fees and keeping our own tax revenues. We have removed tariffs on items we do not make or grow for ourselves, benefiting consumers. Let's have some more wins.
