Brexit was the right thing for Britain, says RISHI SUNAK – Express

I was a new MP, having been elected less than a year before the referendum was called. David Cameron deserved great credit for his efforts to renegotiate the terms of our membership of the EU, but for me it didnt go far enough. To reach a different conclusion to the then Prime Minister, and indeed my predecessor in Richmond (Yorks), WIlliam Hague, was extremely difficult. But, I believed that the referendum was a once in a generation opportunity and we had to grab it.

Before being elected, I had a business career in which I worked around the world in places like the US, India and Brazil. That experience convinced me that the key to growth is to remove the bureaucracy of Brussels. If countries like Canada, South Korea and South Africa could all trade freely with the European Union without surrendering their independence then why not us? And why not allow British businesses to take advantage of new markets around the world?

As an MP, I saw too many examples of businesses being stifled by EU red tape that did everything from prohibiting us from favouring British produce to mandating the width of a hedgerow. On the doorstep, it was clear that the public were fed up with unelected officials in Brussels having more of a say over who could come into the UK than they did. I have said many times that I am the product of this countrys compassionate and generous immigration system, but it must be the case that we have control of our borders - and we can only do that outside the EU. As a member of the EU, every one of the EUs 500 million citizens had a legal right to move to the UK and there was absolutely nothing that we could do about it. That isnt fair.

I am often asked if I was tempted to campaign the other way instead. I wasnt tempted for a minute. I was told that my decision would be detrimental to my career. But I was guided by principle, and not what I thought might be best for my political career.

Make no mistake, the establishment was against us. Whether it was millions of pounds of taxpayers money spent on a leaflet to voters to tell them to vote remain or the pathetic scare stories about Brexit costing every household over 3,000 being peddled by others in this contest, it was a steep and narrow path to victory. But we did it. My promise is that I will deliver it in full.

In many ways, Brexit was about changing our mindset. It wasnt just about what we couldnt do, but what we didnt do. I felt that we could create a brighter future for our country.

I have been clear that, as Prime Minister, I will make the most of the freedoms that Brexit has given us. I have already started, with the creation of freeports in areas like Teesside and financial services reform that will make the UK the best place in the world to invest. A year ago, I gave a speech at Mansion House and published a roadmap for the financial services sector.

I will rip up or reform every last one of the 2,400 legacy EU laws that are holding our economy back.

From implementing remaining Basel III standards to allowing pensions funds and insurance companies to invest in UK infrastructure and completing Solvency II reform, I will make London the worlds leading financial centre.

I will replace EU-derived GDPR laws and make sure that we can clamp down on those who abuse peoples data. I will also cut red tape that slows down clinical trials. Outside the EU, we delivered the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe. We must build on that and deliver a single approval service in the UK for clinical trials - which will help cut waiting times.

2016 was a huge moment for our country. We must now move forward, capitalise on the opportunities available to us to grow our economy and create well-paid jobs up and down the country.

This is our chance.

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Brexit was the right thing for Britain, says RISHI SUNAK - Express