The value of this investment in our local communities, combined with the benefits of the European single market, is far greater than what we contribute to the EU. It’s not for nothing that all the economists think leaving this arrangement is madness!
But no matter the benefits they derive from European integration, many young people today are not doing battle for their right to maintain this, or shape how it will look in the future. British youth are overwhelmingly against Brexit, but only 19% of them voted for an MEP in 2014. How can this be? Do we not want our voices to be heard?
Democratic participation is increasingly important today, as our hard-won freedoms and rights come under threat from an onslaught of misinformation and lies. A golden opportunity to take action is coming up soon, with the European elections on May 26 looming ever closer. We must seize this chance with both hands; as if we don’t fight for our own future, there definitely won’t be anyone else to do it for us.