Dominic Grieve, MP for Beaconsfield, gives his reasons for why people should vote for Britain should remain in the European Union on June 23.

He writes: As Attorney General, I had plenty of opportunity to observe the workings of the EU and its impact on our country. Some of the issues with which I dealt could be frustrating and there are perfectly valid criticisms that can be made of the EU’s operation.

But none of these criticisms persuade me that we should leave. By joining up in 1973 we opened a period of national economic revival that has continued to this day. The period has witnessed a massive expansion in our trade in goods and services with the EU which now stands at around 45% of all our exports.

We have also enjoyed a growth in prosperity based on the arrival of inward investment which has seen the UK as a perfect base for entering the EU market. Locally the pharmaceutical sector benefits greatly from this.

The EU’s negotiating power as a market of 450 million people has also helped unlock markets further afield where tariffs and protectionism have been an obstacle.

I am also quite satisfied from my work as Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee that the EU is of value to us in developing co-operation on security and justice, be it sharing databases or police co-operation.

In contrast I have heard nothing to make me believe that we would be better off out of the EU. It will not bring a halt to immigration or offer currently unavailable advantages to business.

If we vote to remain, the one thing which is not affected is our sovereignty. It is our absolute right to withdraw completely from the EU at any time we would wish. But it is not in our national interest. We should strive to build on the good we have already achieved.

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