Our decision to leave the
European Union last week was a big decision but the right decision for our
country. I am very proud of the courage shown by so many people in
Cornwall. They overcame the natural apprehension people often feel when
facing really big decisions in life and they weighed up all the facts
carefully.
Now that the campaign is over it is essential that we reconcile our country and bring people back together. As we negotiate a new partnership with the EU it is essential we reassure voters and demonstrate to them that, while we have decided to re-establish democratic self-government in the UK, we will still be a generous, cooperative and outward looking nation.
I think there is scope for
widespread cooperation in a new partnership between the UK and the EU. We
can cooperate on the mutual recognition of technical standards to ensure that
trade continues to work freely. We can cooperate on measures to protect
the environment. We can support cooperation between our universities to
promote science and technology and we can cooperate in the field of
international security and fighting terrorism.
However, in my view, there is
one red line: we would no longer accept the jurisdiction of the European Court
of Justice which has undermined our democracy and which second guesses the
decisions of elected governments. We would no longer accept EU auditors
coming here and overturning decisions we have made and arbitrarily fining the
tax payer. We would no longer accept the European Court overturning ministerial
decisions to deport dangerous criminals or terrorists and we would no longer
abdicate responsibility for our trade policy to the EU. The future will
be based on willing cooperation not reluctant subjugation.
I believe that in a few years’
time, once a new partnership is concluded and we see the benefits of regaining
control, the only question people will ask is why we didn't do it sooner.
As it turns out, membership of the EU was just a passing phase in our nation's
long history. Its time has come and gone.