The Big Question: Opinions on Brexit for our Harwich and North Essex candidates

Each would-be MP in the area has been given an equal opportunity to have their say on the issues that matter to you. 

We asked our candidates: How did you vote in the EU referendum? Do you stand by that decision? And why?

Aaron Hammond

Ukip

'We've left a sinking ship'

I WAS not eligible to vote in the actual referendum but I campaigned in my 
local area to leave and I have never felt so confident about any decision. 
In my opinion the European Union is a sinking ship and I am relieved that we are finally leaving after 44 years of waste. 
A considerable percentage of our tax money is given to the European Union and only some of it has been used to benefit our own country. 
Most of the money has been used to fund the economies and projects of other EU countries and running the EU bureaucracy.
As only a single example, more than 10,000 officials employed by the European Commission are paid more than the UK’s Prime Minister - and we are footing this bill. 
Some of that money is graciously given back to Britain through our rebate. 
In 2016 our ‘gross contribution” was £13 billion while the EU spending plans with grants and investment for the UK were forecast to be only £4.5 billion. 
I believe the money given to the European Union would be far better off 
being spent directly in the UK on the NHS, on education and in other areas where we are best qualified to 
determine our own needs, many aspects in the UK, especially during the financial crash and recession have been underfunded and neglected for far too long. 
The European Union is run by 20,000 or so unelected people, who have the power to propose and vote for new laws and regulations that affect us all and we have very little defence against them. 
The membership of the European Union isn’t just undemocratic; it’s anti-democratic.

Dominic Graham

Liberal Democrats

'Best chance of success in EU'

I voted to Remain in the EU. I would vote the same way again if there was another referendum tomorrow.
Britain’s best chance to be successful is within the EU. Britain is a more prosperous country when we are part of the world’s largest economy, working in partnership with our closest neighbours and allies to tackle the biggest challenges.
I believe that free trade is a good thing. It creates jobs, increases prosperity and helps pay for things like the NHS, schools and public services.
Our lives are improved because of free trade - including through our membership of the single market. That is why we are fighting for Britain at the very minimum to remain a member of the single market.
I fully respect the outcome of the referendum held in June 2016, but the British people voted for departure not for a destination.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to give the British people a vote on the final deal negotiated with the EU.
Theresa May’s pursuit of the hardest possible Brexit is a significant concern for many. Yes, she wants the best possible deal. That’s pretty obvious, we all want the best possible deal. But what does that actually mean?
The terms of Brexit will have a huge impact on jobs, security and the opportunity to travel and live abroad, and the Tory Brexit government should therefore be made to put their deal to the British people in a referendum before it is finalised and agreed.

Bernard Jenkin

Conservative

'Brussels is holding us back'

I VOTED Leave. I stick by that decision. Here’s why...
The British people voted to take back control over our laws, our borders and immigration, and over our money. 
The EU was costing the UK taxpayer more and more in contributions - now 
running at some £20 billion per year. 
We get back less than half of that, for 
agriculture and in other grants. 
You should not be paying taxes to bale out other relatively wealthy countries in the EU. 
Most countries, many so much smaller than the UK, make their own laws, control their own courts and their own immigration. 
They make their own trade deals with other countries. 
The UK is one of the world’s leading powers: one of the G7 major economies, a leading member of NATO, and with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Our interests and reach are global.
The UK is the fifth largest economy in the world. We trade globally. Well under half our trade is with the EU, and it is declining. 
The UK increasingly trades with other parts of the world, which are growing much faster than the declining EU economy. 
The EU is a mess and has been holding our country back. If we had voted remain, the UK would have continued to lose control of our democracy, of our prosperity and security. 
In this election, please vote for the strong and stable leadership the UK needs to forge a new partnership with the EU which will benefit the whole of Europe.

Stephen Todd

Christian People's Alliance

'European laws misused'

In the EU referendum I voted to leave the EU. 
The consequences for the UK of leaving the EU compared to remaining a member may not be apparent for many years but, so far, I have no reason to regret voting to leave.
My decision to vote to leave the EU was based on the remote and bureaucratic nature of the EU Governmental system. 
The excessive expense 
involved in membership. 
The ineffectiveness of the EU in tackling economic setbacks and international conflicts. 
The EU has also failed to protect or even to highlight the genocide of Christians and other minority groups in Syria and Iraq. 
Indeed these groups are underrepresented in those being accepted as refugees.
The free movement of labour has been cynically used by some as a means of employing people in poor conditions. 
The EU has persistently 
demonstrated a complete lack of will to engage with any attempt at reforming its structures.
For all of the above I consider that, given positive and enabling government that brings in policies based on the Biblical principles of justice and rightness, coupled with a will to work together, and take up our responsibilities to care for one another, the United Kingdom will be better placed to build a fair and life enhancing society outside the EU.

Rosalind Scott

Labour

'I value EU relationship'

I VOTED Remain because I value the close partnership with Europe and I see the benefits we have had from that relationship, especially peace and trade. 
Now that Article 50 has been triggered I will go from where we are. 
I will work in government to make sure the negotiations are dedicated to preserving the partnership and close relationship with EU, to make sure we put 
financial stability above migration panic. 
Labour will guarantee the rights of EU Nationals living and working here indefinite leave to stay. We need the skilled workers in the NHS, other public services, business and commerce. 
I am adamant that we must keep the Human Rights Act – we wrote it, we believe in Human Rights 
and we are leaders in civilised society.
Workers’ rights and the rules governing safe and fair conditions can be migrated across, adopted into our laws, for simplicity, fairness and security. 
Changes to better fit workplaces in our country can happen naturally over time. 
This will protect the rights of all our workers and prevent bosses taking us backwards.
Laws and regulations which conserve our environment, protect our bees in particular, must remain strong and be enforced. 
This will keep our Essex countryside flourishing, agriculture thriving, protect our wellbeing and allow trade. 
We will need robust, reciprocal trade agreements to keep our businesses, especially small businesses going.
It is going to be an expensive and difficult time, we need a government protecting the many, not just a few global companies.

Blake Roberts

Green

'Tories led me to vote remain'

Last year’s referendum was tough. 
I’m sure, like for many people, the responsibility of deciding whether we were best in or out of the EU was a complicated decision, and one that we each gave a lot of thought to, in order to make the most informed choice possible.
Having been lucky enough to work in Europe, I had seen first-hand the benefit of being an EU member, but didn’t want to allow that bias to influence my decision, and spent a lot of time researching the pros and cons. 
The more research I did, the less I liked about the lack of democracy within the EU. 
I did and still do think that for the EU to survive it needs a great deal of reform.
For me, though, it eventually boiled down to the thought of being stuck under a Conservative government who were making unnecessary cuts to our public services, and whom I had very little confidence in, which made me opt to remain in the EU. 
In particular, my concern was with the environmental and workers’ rights that we gained as being a member, and what a Conservative government may do to them. 
I’m still very concerned by this and it is one of the 
reasons I’m standing against Bernard Jenkin.
However, I do value the democracy the referendum brought to our people and accept that we will be leaving the EU. 
It is important that we now get the best deal possible from Brexit, ensure that the promises of investment in our NHS are met and really do give more control back to local people.