For Our Future, Vote Leave

By: Daniel King, Student Voices writer

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Source: Vote Leave/ Facebook

Every time a German tourist enters the coffee shop in which I work, I cannot help but indulge in a conversation in their native language. Aside from the generous amount of tips I always receive for this venture, the process provides me with a sense of personalised diplomacy, as if the political wellbeing in Europe is dependent on my use of “der, die oder das.”

In all truth, I love the fascinating and diverse continent of which we are apart. From the historic languages to the cosmopolitan cities, I place immense pride in the fact that we can call European nations our neighbours and allies. On a personal and inaner level, I would much rather have a night out with a group of Europeans than a group of Americans. Replicating this viewpoint on a geopolitical level, I believe our future foreign policy is dependent on closer ties with the Continent rather than a continued reliance on the outdated concept of a ‘Special Relationship’ with our American ‘friends’.

Nevertheless, for all that I love city breaks in Berlin and engrossing myself in novellas on European history, it has always been my belief that the United Kingdom and the continent don’t necessarily share common aims. Whereas, in recent years, the UK electorate has moved to a position of substantially opposing the idea of a domineering Union, many German politicians and voters continue to remain committed to the ideal of further integration. Indeed, during David Cameron’s futile push for reform in the early part of this year, Angela Merkel stated that concessions “given” to the UK (highlighting that in Europe we are nothing more than that rebellious university student asking questions of every decision on campus) should not impede the push for an integrated European Union. And what do the EU heavyweights mean when they refer to integration? Barely subtle, it is the euphemism for the almost-total harmonisation of laws and governmental policy across Europe, controlled from within the bureaucratic outposts of Brussels. It must be noted that all these laws and policies will be designed to the model that serves the Franco-German populace rather than a reflection of the needs of the many low-income European nations, whose economies have been pillaged by EU monetary policy. Indeed, the economy of Greece has contracted every year since the financial crash and the youth unemployment rate across the Eurozone stands at a staggering 21%. A one-size-fits-all policy has already lead to the near destruction of a currency union and it may soon lead to the destruction of the entire European Union. And it is time that we in this country ask ourselves- do we want the United Kingdom to be tied to and associated with this endless push towards the perverted dream of a federal Europe?

However, the reasons for my transition to the Leave camp do not only revolve around my objections to the political future of Europe. In actual fact, I would need to refer to the overused argument of immigration to emphasise my main reasoning for supporting a Brexit. I can almost hear the shouts of incredulity as you wonder why a liberal-minded, politically aware young person would have any interest in the rhetoric of Nigel Farage. Surely I should be out marching for the plight of the generously, sorry, ungenerously paid junior doctors or haranguing evil Tory politicians on social media? For me, immigration is a very local concern and the dangerous effects of population growth have been brought right to my doorstep. Since birth I have lived in the town of South Queensferry, just a few miles clear of the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. Despite being in such close proximity to one of the largest cities in the United Kingdom, the town has always retained its own unique character and we have managed to stay distant from a transformation into a satellite commuter town. However, in recent years the green light has been given for the building of up to 900 houses around the local area. This is in conjunction with plans for a vast new housing estate on the Western fringes of Edinburgh. It is not inconceivable that in two decades’ time we will have been absorbed into a Greater Edinburgh, with no green belt separating us from our significantly larger neighbour. It is this thought that has drawn me to the belief that immigration controls are a necessity, and that without them we face decades of unsustainable explosions in our population. Indeed, Migration Watch has calculated that the result of remaining within the European Union is our population increasing to 80 million in just three decades. It is my generation that will feel the brunt of this. It is my generation whose quality of life is at serious risk. It is my generation who are burdened with finding the non-existent solutions to this problem if the country votes to Remain. So we need to ask ourselves a second question- are we going to allow the European Union to determine our quality of life or should that power rest with our accountable politicians?

I started this campaign firmly in the Remain camp; I even went leafleting for Britain Stronger In Europe. Yet as the Referendum draws closer, I have asked myself questions about what I want in my future and how my aspirations can best be met. It is now clear there is only answer. To paraphrase that great proponent of freedom John F Kennedy, “Ich bin ein Brexiter!”