A timely passionate presentation was delivered last Friday morning, (February 19th) at the Herefordshire Conservative Business Forum, at The Pengethly Manor Hotel, by Richard Ashworth.

Mr Ashworth is the MEP for the South East, the UK Conservative spokesman and member of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Budgets and Budgetary Control committees.

The meeting took place just before the outcome of David Cameron’s negotiations with the EU and the announcement of the EU Referendum. Richard commented “this is a particularly critical time in our history in the EU and a significant moment in British History”.

Richard is concerned that the largest group of voters do not know enough about the EU and yet we are the generation who have enjoyed the greatest peace and prosperity.

He identified the Prime Minister’s four requirements: a need for vibrant trade; protection of the UK’s currency without funding any EU bail-outs; an exclusion for “ever closer union”; control of our borders but with free movement of EU members with benefits to be paid at the home rate.

We are part of the world’s wealthiest common market with 50% of our exports going to the EU. “They do not need us as much as we need them in our trading relationship” was the message from Richard. Norway has to pay 83%, per capita, of what we pay, to trade with Europe and they have to abide with the EU regulations and have no say at the table.

We do not know what the impact and costs would be if we left the EU, nor what the impact would be to agriculture. It would be a leap into the dark.

The changes that are made now will affect your grandchildren and this vote will probably be the most important in our lifetime!

After the breakfast, Anthea McIntyre MEP, Chairman of the HCBF said “It was good to hear Richard speak, the genuine facts and figures he gave helped to put forward a sensible case on why he is backing to stay in the EU”