Brighton and Hove’s three MPs – representing three different political parties – have penned a joint article making the case for remaining in the European Union (EU).
The joint article – headlined “Why staying in the EU is good for Brighton’s small businesses” – was published on the Crunch Accounting website this afternoon (Wednesday 27 April).
Crunch also published another guest post today – the argument to leave – by John Longworth, who chairs the Vote Leave Business Council.
Mr Longworth recently resigned as director general of the British Chambers of Commerce after speaking out in breach of the organisation’s policy of neutrality.
In the article by Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, Simon Kirby, the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown, and Peter Kyle, the Labour MP for Hove, they said that the local economy in Brighton and Hove depended on the success of more than 12,000 small businesses in the area.
They also said: “We firmly believe that their future is brighter if Britain remains a member of the European Union.
“For small businesses, stability in the economy is vital. We don’t know exactly what a post-Brexit Britain would look like but the experts agree that a period of instability would be almost inevitable.
“For the smallest businesses – many of whom operate with minimal margins – the disruption could prove to be fatal.”
They added: “Despite some shortcomings, the EU is a positive force for small businesses.
“As MPs from three different parties we have many differences, but one thing we agree on is that our city is better off because of Britain’s membership of the European Union.”
Read their case for remaining in the EU here and the case for leaving here.
