Guildford’s MP Remains To Be Persuaded By the Case To Leave the EU

Published on: 16 Mar, 2016
Updated on: 17 Mar, 2016

Rt Hon Anne Milton MP

Guildford’s MP, Anne Milton, told The Guildford Dragon News that she remains to be persuaded by the case to leave the EU but that she will not be making her final decision, on which way to vote in the forthcoming referendum, until much nearer the time, in June.

To help her constituents make up their minds she is arranging a series of hustings debates, which she will chair, to be held at various venues in the Guildford constituency.

Ms Milton has written: “Since 2002 when I was selected as the Conservative candidate for Guildford, I have consistently said we need a proper debate which allows British people to hear the arguments for and against our membership of the European Union. I am delighted that there will now be a chance for people to hear those arguments and have a vote in a referendum.”

She hopes that the meetings will allow local voters to: “…hear from well informed speakers and have a chance to ask questions. I look forward to chairing what I know will be lively debates!”

Ms Milton’s position as the government’s deputy chief whip will not, she said, constrain her voting decision and, confirming her undecided position, she has stated in replies to constituents: “For those people who have asked me specifically how I will vote, it is one of the few occasions where I can enjoy being a floating voter – I will let you know where my vote is finally cast!”

Details of the debates will be published in The Dragon, as they become known.

Responses to Guildford’s MP Remains To Be Persuaded By the Case To Leave the EU

George Potter Reply

March 16, 2016 at 10:20 am

Good to see that our MP is so comfortable at sitting on the fence (then again, she does have plenty of practice at it).
Mary Bedforth Reply

March 16, 2016 at 10:49 am

It must be painful sitting on that fence.
Bernard Parke Reply

March 16, 2016 at 10:31 pm

Like any sound minded person our MP is right to give this matter careful consideration over the coming weeks.

It is not a matter to be taken in a flippant manner, especially when you are the representative of all the people who have placed their trust in you at the ballot box.

I however have no such constraints. We fought two world wars against European domination. Millions of innocent people paid the supreme sacrifice.
John Armstrong Reply

March 16, 2016 at 10:44 pm

For the life of me, and for the future health and wealth of the nation, I cannot see the dilemma. It must be obvious to even to a two-year-old that there is much more money to be made outside the EU than there will ever be in it.

They say it’s a tariff free zone; but we pay the tariff up front. £55m a day and EU regulations imposed upon our industries which we they have to pay to implement even if they don’t export to Europe. We paid the tariff with our long lost fishing industry; our ship building, and steel, aluminium industries. So tariff free it is not.

To add insult to injury; we buy more from the EU than they buy from us to the tune of £80bln per annum, so if anyone should pay anyone; they should pay us and comply with UK rules.

The dilemma then is not whether we are economically better off in or out; the dilemma is a political one. Do we sacrifice Britain to prop up a failed political project; and to please the Americans; or do we keep faith with our own people?

It seems to me that we are in the EU for everyone else’s convenience; but at our expense.
Pauline Surrey Reply

March 16, 2016 at 11:19 pm

I think we should ask our children, and grandchildren, teenagers upwards, what they want. They are the ones who will have to live with this decision.

One of my friends decided to do just that. He asked both his adult children which way they were going to vote. However one wants in, one wants out, so he is none the wiser!
Stuart Barnes Reply

March 17, 2016 at 8:38 am

I hope that Anne Milton is being careful about her views because of her position in the Cameron government.

She is an intelligent lady and must know that virtually everyone in the Guildford area wants to get out of the corrupt EU but perhaps feels it better to remain on the fence, as far as her public stance is concerned.

If she comes out for OUT she will anger “Dave & Co.” and if she comes out for IN she will annoy her local electorate.
- Sally Parrott Reply
  
  March 17, 2016 at 5:35 pm
  
  Mr Barnes says: “…virtually everyone in the Guildford area wants to get out of the corrupt EU”.
  
  I wonder what his evidence for the overwhelming desire to leave is? Has he done a survey?
  - Stuart Barnes Reply
    
    March 18, 2016 at 9:06 am
    
    If Sally Parrott wishes me to clarify – perhaps I should say that virtually everyone I speak to (and I speak to a lot of people about it) wants to get out. In fact only four people of those I have met were even considering voting for IN and two of those were doing so because their children were trying to persuade them to do so.
    
    Interestingly both of those people independently told me that they would vote OUT but not tell their children! Many of my friends who speak to other people have had similar experiences.
    
    It seems to me that the people who are more likely to be for IN are those who think that it might be better for their businesses or personal finances. However this decision is too important for such selfish motives – we should be voting for our country and the legacy we leave to our children. We should have more pride than to bring it down to money.
    
    As a final comment I would observe that very few of the respondents to The Dragon seem to be for IN – although I realise that that is a comparatively small number.
Lisa Wright Reply

March 17, 2016 at 9:50 am

Whilst there’s much talk of money, growth and wealth I think we should also consider the impact on our environmental policies.

What happens to the protections of our commons, Special Protection Areas like Whitmoor and the designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Sites of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) etc?

What about protected animals, birds and reptiles? What about air quality monitoring and car emissions?
- Harry Eve Reply
  
  March 18, 2016 at 7:45 am
  
  Lisa Wright makes a very important point. Our current government (and council) regard our wildlife and air quality as mere obstacles to be overcome in their quest to satisfy greed.
  
  Natural England have lost their way and the VW scandal shows that big business does not care about our health if it gets in the way of profit. Of course, we could combine leaving the EU with an urgent change of government (and council) before they all do any more damage. This is not just a local issue.
Pauline Surrey Reply

March 17, 2016 at 6:31 pm

In response to Stuart Barnes, I don’t think we can assume that virtually everyone in the Guildford area wants to get out of the EU. I am pretty sure that many people are considering the question very carefully, trying to weigh up the pros and cons, hoping for a great deal more information before the big day, and many will decide that it is better for the future of the country to stay in.

Others will decide to vote leave. Some will be tempted just to tick the “no” box, just to see what the effect and reaction in Europe to a no vote will be, just for the fun of it (the German press are very worried, by the way).

So we can assume nothing.

And why should we expect our politicians to have made their decision already, when we haven’t ourselves?
Henry Gilbert Reply

March 18, 2016 at 10:19 am

As much as I admire Ann Milton as an honest MP who, unlike some other MPs has never been involved in the expenses scandal, I plead to her to support the leave EU campaign. I suspect that, depending which direction the wind is blowing, she might take the side of the remain campaign at the last minute.

The case is more about sovereignty than it is about business. But as a truly sovereign country we will be able to control our economy.

In my view those who surrender the sovereignty of a nation to another commit treason. The British should draw a line in the sand and make 23 June the “UK Independence Day”.
- Stuart Barnes Reply
  
  March 18, 2016 at 1:14 pm
  
  I can only say hear, hear to Mr Gilbert. It is about getting our country back.
Lorimer Burn Reply

March 18, 2016 at 5:26 pm

I immensely respect Anne Milton and think that she is taking a wise decision to delay her decision until closer to the time.
Meanwhile, she is acting as an enabler by organising and chairing meetings with invited speakers to present the two choices. This is fair, helpful and reasonable.

I have to say though, that I won’t be at the meetings because they are so likely to develop into shouting matches (if this correspondence is anything to go by!).

And where do I stand? I long for the UK to be able to stand on her own two feet once again, and the sooner the better, but I’m listening to all the debate with a (slightly) open mind all the same.
Andrew Backhurst Reply

March 19, 2016 at 3:03 pm

It doesn’t matter what Anne Milton is intending to vote, she has only one vote. Her vote doesn’t represent you even if she is your MP. You too only have one vote.

The important thing is to research all the facts, look at Britain from the inside and look at it from outside.

If Europe isn’t strong enough to stand without us then it would be in our interest to stay. If it can stand strong without us then it will be possible to leave.

Use you vote and use it wisely.
Andrew Norman Reply

March 19, 2016 at 3:22 pm

The vast movement of migrants has no end in sight and can surely only be positively responded to by nations working together – drawing on our common sense of humanity.

There is also the sheer fact of peace preserved in Europe since the world wars – despite so many terrible local conflicts which might otherwise have imperiled it.

These are two of the key factors which prompt in many of us a gut feeling that we must reaffirm our solidarity within the European Union – albeit now negotiating ways to replace eurobureaucracy with the principle of local independence that promotes a European interdependence.

Fr Andrew Norman is the rector of St Nicolas Church, Guildford.
John Oliver Reply

March 19, 2016 at 6:40 pm

When Pauline Surrey says “Why should we expect our politicians to have made their decision already, when we haven’t ourselves”, I say, isn’t this their day job?

As Mrs Milton is a member of the government, and has been for around six years, I think we can assume she has already made her mind up. She has been labelled, “a safe Tory”, rarely or never voting against her government, so I am assuming she will go with the government view.

To say, as Ms Surrey does, “we haven’t ourselves” is a generalisation. Huge numbers of people have already made up their minds. That is why we are having this referendum, because of the strength of public and political feeling.
John Oliver Reply

March 19, 2016 at 8:20 pm

How long have we been in the EU? How long has this been a subject of political debate? How long has Ms Milton been an MP and member of the government and sat through (without voting, I hasten to add) debates relating to European policy.

As someone working in the Government Whip’s Office, she should be au fait with all of the nation’s policies, including those relating to the EU. And she still hasn’t made her mind up? Safe Tory, safe bet – EU IN.
Henry Gilbert Reply

March 22, 2016 at 8:10 am

In response to Pauline Surrey. What she said is true, not everyone wants to leave or remain, there are the undecided.

I have been campaigning to leave every Saturday representing the GO campaign which is across parties group including Conservatives. The feedback from the High Street is [out of every ten questioned] about two want to stay in, five want to leave and three are undecided or don’t care.

I hope that the undecided will understand that sovereignty and patriotism to the UK should come first, not to the EU.

I give you and example: if you are the head of a family and the breadwinner you must control your family to monitor their behaviour and expenditure, etc. If you do not, they will eventually bankrupt you and dictate to you what you can or cannot do in your house, although it is your house and your money.
Stuart Barnes Reply

March 22, 2016 at 9:21 am

I have just received, through the post, a leaflet detailing all the boring and highly questionable “Project Fear” “statistics” of how there will be plagues of locusts, etc., if we dare to go against the wishes of our masters and vote OUT of the, in my view, corrupt EU.

Included for instance is the well known claim about three million jobs which apparently will disappear at a stroke but no mention of the current virtually open door immigration or the impossibility under the present arrangements of our right to govern ourselves.

I would like to know who writes that codswallop and under whose instructions and who is paying for it? I suspect that we, the ordinary tax payers, are all made to pay for such scare propaganda rather like the TV licence fee which pays for the far left opinions of the BBC.

If so, will we receive a similar leaflet through the post giving the true alternative view? I believe I could guess the answer to that.
- Mary Bedforth Reply
  
  March 25, 2016 at 7:40 am
  
  The leaflet came from In Campaign Ltd whose directors include Milords Mandelson, Rose, Wigley and Wallace and Lady Brady. Straw’s son is the prime mover.
  
  https://companycheck.co.uk/company/09641190/THE-IN-CAMPAIGN-LIMITED/directors-secretaries
  
  The leaflet is entitled Stronger in Europe.
  
  No idea who is funding the campaign but it must be costly.
Henry Gilbert Reply

March 24, 2016 at 2:17 pm

Re-the scaremongering of losing 3 million jobs. It is entirely false. We employ 2.2 million from the EU, and the trade deficit is more than £60 billion which creates five million jobs in the EU from our money.
D Reddick Reply

March 26, 2016 at 11:23 am

There is comment above mentioning the fact Europe has been at peace since the World Wars? isn’t that a little inaccurate? There were wars after the break up of Yugoslavia as short a time ago as the nineties.