EU REFERENDUM : IT'S VOTES THAT COUNT NOW.

Thank heavens it's all over bar the actual casting and counting of votes !

After months of campaigning, the EU Referendum has reached its climax and the polls open at 07:00 tomorrow. All of the abuse, half truths, lies, bravado, phoney statistics, threats, dire warnings, and general nastiness are over, at least for now. All that matters is where voters put that 'X' - in the box for 'Remain' or in the box for 'Leave'.

My 'X' will go where it was always going, emphatically in the box for 'Leave'. To me, there is one major issue and that is our sovereignty. As a member of the European Union, the UK is not, and never again will be, in charge of its own laws, economy, security, borders and destiny. All of the predictions about disaster if we leave carry no more weight than did the same dire warnings of catastrophe if we didn't join the ERM and, later, the EURO. We did join the ERM with disastrous results; we didn't join the EURO and are one of the very few member countries which has largely avoided the shocking consequences experienced by those who did. We didn't join the 'Schengen' area, an now many of the countries that did wish they hadn't.

We have one of the strongest economies in the world, the 5th largest; we have a significantly lower rate of unemployment than most member countries and our people are among the best provided for in the world. We are a wealthy and successful country which will have no difficulty in developing world-wide trade links, freed from the restrictive and protectionist policies of the European Union.

Do we want to be governed from Westminster or Brussels ? Do we want our masters to be people we elect or people who we don't know and never see ? Do we want to make our own rules or have rules imposed on us by committees meeting in secret far away ? Do we want to be able to react rapidly to changing needs and circumstances, or do we want to suffer the tortuously slow horse-trading procedures of the EU ?

A vote to 'Remain' is a vote for more of the same, showing no confidence in the UK. It is a vote for those who are scared of venturing out into the rest of the world, those who prefer the protectionist envelope of what they see as being the 'safe' option.

A vote for 'Leave' is a vote for change. It shows confidence in the UK. It is a vote for those who see opportunities galore in the world outside of protectionist Europe. It isn't without risk, but what is ? He who dares, wins !

VOTE LEAVE.