As the EU Referendum fast approaches and the assertions from both sides of the campaign escalate. Norfolk Chamber hopes to be able to help businesses in Norfolk make up their minds by sticking the just the facts. The ‘Europe: The Business Debate’ event on 10 June, hopes to be able to help local businesses make their final decisions.
In the meantime, the BBC has recently published its ‘Reality Check’ report. The report takes a critical view of claims made by both the Remain and Leave campaigners to see if they stand up to scrutiny.
Norfolk Chamber has highlighted just a few key areas that affect business in this article:
- Do we have a say over EU small business regulations?
The claim: Priti Patel says the UK has no say over the amount of regulation coming from the EU. She also says the UK is constantly being outvoted.
Reality Check verdict: The UK does have a say over regulations affecting small businesses, both through its MEPs and government ministers who vote at the Council, where they have been on the “winning side” 86.7% of the time in recent years. Read more detail here.
- Would staying in the EU reduce wages?
The Claim: The downward pressure on wages is a trend that will only get worse if we continue to have open borders with the EU.
Reality Check verdict: Migration does appear to have put pressure on wages, but there is some evidence that leaving the EU would reduce them even more. Read more detail here.
- Is £250bn of trade at risk from Brexit?
The claim: Leaving the EU would put £250bn of trade at risk, according to Britain Stronger in Europe.
Reality Check verdict: The group has taken a set of figures predicting the benefits of EU membership and used that to reach a figure for the risks of leaving. It would not necessarily work like that. Also, the figures include imports, a fall in which would not necessarily be a bad thing. Read more detail here.
- Are we giving £350m a week to Brussels?
The claim: “We are giving £20bn a year or £350m a week to Brussels.”
Reality Check verdict: We are not giving £20bn a year or £350m a week to Brussels – Britain pays £276m a week to the EU budget because of the rebate. Read more detail here.
- Do farmers outside the EU get more subsidies?
The claim: Farmers in certain non-EU countries get more money from government than their EU counterparts.
Reality check verdict: True – farmers in some non-EU countries do get higher subsidies, but no reason to think that would be matched in a post-Brexit UK.
To view the full BBC Reality Check and see all their verdicts, visit the BBC website.
Still have more questions? Then come and get your questions answered by local and national experts and join Norfolk Chamber for Europe: The Business Debate, on 10 June. Click here to book now.
