South West Devon MP Gary Streeter, in an opinion piece about the European Union referendum published at the end of February, had this to say:

AFTER months of speculation, we’re off: the referendum on EU membership will be held on June 23, 2016.

There are strong arguments and good people on either side. The entry of the charismatic Mayor of London into the fray on the leave campaign has electrified the debate. Good. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to settle this matter, and the arguments on both sides must be fully articulated. And the outcome is clearly going to be too close to call.

I have found the arguments finely balanced, but in the end, over the Christmas break, decided to support the campaign to stay in the European Union, warts and all. My three top reasons to remain are:

First, likely impact on our economy of leaving. I simply do not believe that if we leave the EU our former partners will provide us with a special free-market deal where we take all the benefits without the burdens.

In fact that is the last thing they would do. They will, I suspect, insist that if we are to have free trade it will be on the same basis as Norway and Switzerland: i.e. – we have to pay for it, and comply with the rules of the single market, including free movement of people. (On that basis, coming out and having free trade will not solve the immigration problem, so why do it?)

Five per cent of EU trade is with the UK, 50 per cent of our trade is with them.

If they cut us a special deal, they run the risk of others wishing to follow suit (contagion). Why would they do that? So I see no advantages in coming out and plenty of risks.

Second, in the inter-dependent globalising world in which we now live I wonder if old notions of freedom and sovereignty have the meaning they once had. All modern nations are heavily inter-connected with each other, not least by technology like our stock markets and government decisions have to take that into account.

What freedoms do we want to exercise that we cannot already exercise, especially if, as I say above, leaving the EU would not help us control our borders?

Britain already plays a significant role in the world, a permanent member of the security council of the UN, member of the EU, head of the commonwealth, G7, NATO and so on. It is our destiny to sit at the top table and to pull out of the EU might well jeopardise that.

Some people say we should come out of the EU and trade with the rest of the world. We already trade with the rest of the world.

Finally, peace. Ever since William the Conqueror landed on our shores, we have seen terrible warfare in Western Europe, mainly involving ourselves, Germany, France and Spain.

In the past 60 years, having a framework in which former enemies are now working together, trading together, making decisions together has made that prospect inconceivable.

If the UK leaves it, the EU will be seriously weakened, perhaps terminally. Imagine the continent of Europe with no strategic framework: we would be back to the 19th century pattern of ever-shifting alliances and power-grabs. Parts of Europe remain highly unstable, not least Greece, the Balkans and the Baltic States. I would not wish to see the early demise of the EU that might hasten the day when my grandchildren have to pick up arms once again. Churchill himself said that jaw-jaw was better than war-war.

I have no love for the institutions of the EU. I do not know too many Brits who do. But the question is: ‘would we be better off in or out’.

I have concluded that the advantages are either non-existent or too vague to be of use.

And also that the risks are considerable. I think the Prime Minister did well to extract some changes to the EU, but I made my decision irrespective of them.

I have taken a step back and looked at the big picture: our security and prosperity are more likely to be safe-guarded in the reformed but still imperfect EU rather than outside.

But here is the good news.

It no longer matters what I think.

The decision is yours!