I AM a 40-year paid up member of the Tory Party. I remain (at present) a member of the Tory party. I am a past long-serving local Tory (District) Councillor, Chairman of Economic Development, Chairman of the District Planning Committee, a member of the Board of Management of Campsfield House, Immigration Centre and Mayor of Bicester. I am now seriously contemplating changing my political affiliations.

This is something of a benign threat, as our political leaders have seen fit to disenfranchise ex-pats who often own houses and pay local taxes, but are unable to vote on issues that affect them as affects other citizens of the UK.

European political leaders are spineless cowards. They no longer stand up nor represent the people of Europe, they only feather their own nests. The UK has no future in Europe in the same way it has no past influence on the machinations of the European Union as an entity.

Members of all colours of the political spectrum are in a feeding frenzy at the financial trough that we call the EU parliament. Despite my long service to the party, I am still unaware of the identity of my MEP or even if it is a he or she. I could Google it, but for what purpose?

The truth of the matter is that, in the event of a Leave win, the Germans will not refuse to sell us BMWs (their biggest export market being UK), the French will not refuse to sell us their wine (their biggest export market being UK), Airbus will not move the manufacturing of the body parts away from UK, in fact everything will remain pretty much as it is, because as the seventh-largest economy in the world, the UK is just too important as a market.

The UK will gain its right of sovereignty, it will be able to limit immigration and adjust its welfare benefits without interference from Brussels. Britain will also be free to negotiate deals with our traditional friends in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, again without the meddling of Brussels.

I sincerely believe that a Leave vote is essential to the wellbeing of the UK. Europe is in chaos with both the Euro and immigration. We have a chance to do better under our own steam.

Graham Forbes

Former Cherwell Councillor