The United Kingdom Should Leave the European Union

Before I proceed with my responses and arguments, I must remind the Pro of the format of this debate. The format shall be as followsRound 1: Acceptance, no argumentsRound 2: Opening Arguments, No RebuttalsRound 3: Rebuttals and Further ArgumentsRound 4: Rebuttals (NO NEW ARGUMENTS!)Round 5: Final Rebuttals and Conclusion The con has failed to provide an original argument, instead choosing to rebut my arguments in the second round. Responses 1. Economy The Pro claims that 1 Million jobs would not be lost if Britain were to Leave the EU, however, the source he uses to support this claim does not actually dispute this notion, instead, it states that 3-4 Million jobs are not dependent on EU membership, which I have not contended. The study did not ever challenge the fact that jobs will be lost if the UK were to leave the EU. According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, nearly 1 million jobs would be lost as a result of a British exit from the EU. And while the 8.5 Billion pounds could be used to create new jobs if the UK were to leave the EU, it is far more likely that George Osborne will want to cut taxes instead of investing it in job creation and public services. Far more jobs will be created thanks to further investment as the single market develops further, to again cite the CEBR study cited in round 2. Sources: http://www.theguardian.com... http://www.cebr.com... 2. Workers Rights While the Pro seems to believe that David Cameron is on the verge of a vote of no confidence, however, there is simply no indication that there will be a motion of no confidence any time soon, either by Jeremy Corbyn or any members of the Conservative Party. While Cameron may be destabilized by the Panama papers, there is simply no indication that Jeremy Corbyn will call for a vote of no confidence, especially in the wake of the EU referendum and elections in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London. And if David Cameron were to step down, following the EU referendum, as many have suggested he may, the most likely successor for him as leader of the Conservative Party is Boris Johnson, a one nation tory, who’s tenure as Mayor of London was marred by his staunch opposition to Unions and workers rights, among other things. And current polls suggest that the Tories would win the next General election, fairly consistently, thus, any chances of Labour or the SNP or the Greens being able to pass workers rights laws would be unlikely. It must also be remembered that many leave campaigners are against increases in the minimum wage and increased worker protections, indicating that one of their goals in leaving the EU is to get rid of worker protections. Sources: http://www.independent.co.uk... http://www.electionpolling.co.uk... 3. Reforming the EU The Pro has shown he does not understand the argument that I have made. The fact is that right now there are problems with the European Union, mostly stemming from the lack of democracy in the EU. However in order to make the EU more democratic, the UK must remain in the EU. If the UK leaves the EU, the EU as a whole will be on the edge of disintegration, and there will be no hope for change for anyone. Sources: http://www.bbc.com... http://diem25.org... Arguments 4. TTIP The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is a massive free trade deal currently being negotiated between the US and the EU. While it can be argued that by withdrawing from the EU, Britain can be saved from TTIP, the is actually rather unlikely. Under the current plan for Brexit, if Britain votes to leave, Britain would still remain part of the European Single Market and would still be privy to negotiations on TTIP. In order for TTIP to go into effect for EU member nations, it must be ratified by all 28 EU member nations. Right now Greece, Sweden, Portugal and the Netherlands have pledged to veto the agreement. If Britain were to stay in the EU, it would effectively be nullified. Nations that are members of the EU’s single market would be permitted to sign on to the Agreement even if it fails in the EU itself. In the case of Brexit, the Tories would snap at the opportunity to sign onto TTIP, and the odds of it being defeated in parliament are low. Sources: http://www.independent.co.uk.... http://www.theguardian.com... http://blogs.lse.ac.uk... http://www.theguardian.com... 5. National Health Service The NHS is arguably the best health care system in the world, according to the Commonwealth Fund. However while Brexit campaigners claim that leaving the EU would mean more money for the NHS and less strain from migrants, the fact is that the NHS would not be saved, but rather put at risk, by withdrawal from the EU. The EU has done much for the NHS through its environmental and public health policies that have reduced the burden of disease, and its networks that support monitoring of infectious disease or the management of rare diseases. Leaving the EU would also put the NHS at greater risk for Privatization from the Conservatives, especially given the impacts of TTIP. Sources http://www.independent.co.uk... http://www.theguardian.com... https://2020health.wordpress.com... http://www.theguardian.com...