A good post Vic.
For too long the UK has been slipping into a situation with the likelihood that one day we would find ourselves as part of the 'United States of Europe.'
We joined the Common Market which was a trading partnership and have been led like Lemmings into a situation far removed from what we signed up to. We used to be able to trade on the global market and had particularly strong trading relations with Australia and New Zealand which we have almost dumped entirely.
Our farmers have been discouraged from producing good food by EU directives and subsidies and consequently we import much of our vegetables from abroad. Runner beans from Africa and cabbages from Spain, are two good examples of products that are shipped miles when we could well grow them ourselves.
Our fishing industry has been decimated by EU quotas which we seem to be the only country who abides by the rules (does as it's told). We pay out millions of £'s on a daily basis to the EU kitty which could be used to generate jobs and revive industries such as coal and steel production... The NHS would also welcome an input of the cash that is wasted in the EU trough.
There are many, many ways that we could improve our lot if we left the EU, but we need a touch of the pride that we had in the past for this country and a determination to work at it.
We need a strong leadership and a situation where those that work are better off than those that expect a nanny state to keep them.
We should secure our borders and take a firm stance against those who quite frankly expect us to roll over and give in to them.
I believe we could prosper outside the EU but need to grow some b*lls to achieve it and take advantage of the opportunities to exploit the oil, gas and coal resources that we have in this country too.