“Why am I against the EU? Well, I think we need to take back control of our country. We need to take back the ability to plan for ourselves and for the generations to come.”
These were the words of a speaker at a meeting last week of a community group in north London – aptly called “North London Friends”, and they vividly illustrate the kind of discussion that’s taking place. Across the country people are talking about the future of Britain – whether to stay in the EU or strike out for independence. The debates are not confined to TV or large halls.
At last, there is a grown-up discussion about immigration. “Some people are nervous about talking about immigration controls in case they are accused of having a racist agenda,” she said. “But it is not racist to talk about immigration controls. Immigration controls are about being able to make decisions, and about being able to plan.”
The full text of the speech is available here.