The Prime Minister deserves congratulating on attempting to negotiate a better relationship between the UK and the EU and for being the first Prime Minister in forty years to give the British people their say on our membership of the EU in a referendum.
However, it is a sign of how inflexible, bureaucratic, inward looking and controlling the EU has become that he has been unable to negotiate any substantial changes in our relationship. There is nothing in the deal of any significance and, on the contrary, it is worrying that the leaders of the EU countries spent so long on negotiating and discussing so little.
After this deal, we will still not be able to make all our own laws; we will still have virtually no control over our own borders; we will still not be able to negotiate our own trade deals; and we will still be forced to pay billions of pounds into the EU every year when, for example, sick people in our own country cannot get appointments to see their GPs for weeks.
I believe in the United Kingdom being an outward looking, world trading nation which takes its international responsibilities seriously. I also believe in the sovereignty of our democratic Parliament and the ability of the British people to prosper in a self-governing nation.
For all these reasons, I will be campaigning and voting for the United Kingdom to realise its full potential by leaving the European Union.