I hope that everyone is enjoying the Christmas period and is looking forward to 2016. I see a new year as new opportunities for Crawley and while recognising that there are always challenges going forward, I like to take a positive view of the future for both our country and for our town.
Whether events are good or bad, much will happen in 2016 that will be unexpected but there will also some things that we can expect to see. One such event is the increasing likelihood that in 2016 we finally get to decide as a country whether we wish to be members of the European Union. This fundamental right to determine our future is something that has been denied to us for far too long, and we should never forget that Labour consistently voted against anyone being able to have a vote on the matter.
The EU referendum will be a defining moment in our modern political history and as a democrat I am very much looking forward to it. When the referendum comes, I am very keen that people inform themselves with accurate information and make an informed choice. There are bound to be some rather dubious claims coming from both sides of the campaign and when I write about the referendum in future columns here in the Crawley Observer, I will provide accurate information from both sides while also highlighting what claims are bogus.
I expect that whichever way Crawley votes will be reflected nationally. We don’t yet know what concessions David Cameron will have negotiated but what is very clear to me is that at the very least our relationship with the EU needs to change and that the EU itself needs to change. As things stand before 2016 arrives, I am more inclined to vote leave than to vote stay, but I am maintaining an open mind and seeing exactly what the deal is before finally declaring my support for either side. Whichever position I take, my commitment to ensuring Crawley has good and accurate information to help make an informed choice remains paramount.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
30th December 2015