Turkey

You have until 7th June to register to vote in the EU referendum. Now the countdown is really underway. Yes, its 26 May. Where did the first 5 months of the year go?
Let’s not forget this referendum isn’t about sending a message about the bad behaviour of our Westminster politicians. Rather, it’s a once in a lifetime national vote to determine the direction that the whole Country takes. No one can escape the vibrant, lively and sometimes heated debate about Britain’s place in the EU.
I think we should look less at the media personalities. After all they will come and go much as previous generations of British politicians have come and gone. It’s far more important to look at the real issues, like: health, education, the economy and immigration. That said it’s the last 2 issues in that list that are most impacted by Europe.
Over recent days those campaigning to leave the EU once again returned to scaremongering. Using Turkey as an example, they say that Britain is powerless to stop new countries joining the EU. This is NOT true.
• What they failed to mention is that; Turkey has been trying to join the EU for 30 years.
• What they failed to mention is that; any EU decision must be based on a unanimous approval – that means that every EU Member State can veto Turkey’s accession.
• What they failed to mention is that; at this time only 1 of 35 chapters in the approval process has been concluded by Turkey and the EU.
Turkey has been a member of NATO since the 1952. Along with Britain, it is a member of many other intergovernmental bodies. There will always be a need for the EU and its Member States to be in discussions and negotiations with Turkey. Also the tensions caused by the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus have not gone away. Seeking a solution to that situation is a problem that the EU continues to focus on.
Vote Leave’s shameless scaremongering sadly reveals a couple of things. First, this episode shows worrying lack of depth of knowledge of how the EU works and what it is doing. Secondly, as many in the Vote Leave campaign are experienced politicians and will understand the issues, the alternative conclusion is that the anti-Europeans are happily and knowingly misleading the public.
Those of us campaigning to remain in the EU are concentrating on reality and not pedalling myths. The case for REMAIN is a strong one. If we really want to maintain control over our economy and immigration, we need to REMAIN a Member of the largest trading block in the world – the EU.