The UK Was The Best Part Of The European Union

In the debate around the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom, the side arguing on behalf of Britain remaining a part of the EU wasn’t a particularly convincing one. Positions for “Remain” were largely based on emotions. There is, however, one very convincing point for a British remainder in the union.

The Rebel Voice

Since the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities (EC) via referendum in 1975, the country has been, to put it mildly, a rebel when it comes to European integration. The concept of European integration is the idea that the problems on the European continent can be solved if the EU member states centralize institutions and policies. This would mean, outside of the already existing common currency, common agricultural policy, common fisheries policy, that the EU would get a common foreign policy, military force, and so on.

And indeed, the list of enlargement power grabs by the EU is long.

Meanwhile, the UK has been an advocate for more free trade with countries outside of the European continent. The British exit is another blow to the still ongoing free trade deal between the US and the EU. Former World Bank economist Chad Bown said this after the vote last year:

As the UK is part of the coalition of liberal trading economies in the EU, the U.S. is losing one of the more like-minded countries from the group in Brussels sitting on the other side of the negotiating table.”

In 2016, Her Majesty’s Government blocked EU efforts for larger tariffs on Chinese imports, despite internal voices calling for further-reaching protectionist measures.

The UK was equally skeptical of moves toward a common European foreign policy. Earlier this year, the UK blocked a consolidated EU position on the Paris Agreement, which attempted to lead toward peace between Israel and Palestine. The Foreign Office stated that: “We have particular reservations about an international conference intended to advance peace between the parties that does not involve them – indeed, which is taking place against the wishes of the Israelis.”