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World News

Retired Christian peer donates £1 million Brexit

by Hannah Tooley

Lord Robert Edmiston was formerly a Conservative member for the House of Lords, he retired in July 2015.

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He has published 18 reasons online why he has decided to donate towards leaving the EU.

The document begins with Lord Edmiston stating how much he loves the continent: "Firstly let me say I love Europe, it's culture, it's history, it's mountains and Mediterranean beaches, it's diversity in language and traditions, and it's food and wine."

He goes on the list reasons he does not want to see Britain continue on its membership of the EU.

"I do not like the fact that the European court can and has overruled our own Supreme Court on an number of occasions. I thought Supreme was intended to mean just that not almost supreme."

However, the remain campaign argues that workers' rights are protected through the European Union which provides guaranteed holiday and maternity leave.

But Vote Leave says the EU's bureaucracy was created in the 1950s and remains "slow, undemocratic, and inflexible."

Lord Edmiston is an evangelical Christian and has established a number of religious and educational charities, including Christian Vision.

Writing about the European Union, he said: " The free movement of people across Europe, including those who may have recently been granted resident status in another state means they are freely able to enter our country and that poses a real current threat and in the future an increasing level of threat to our security."

However the in campaign, Britain stronger in Europe, disagrees.

It says: "Being in Europe, working with our closest neighbours and partners to tackle these threats, makes Britain safer.

"Whether it's implementing sanctions against Russia, sharing intelligence about terrorists or arresting criminals using the European Arrest Warrant, there is strength in numbers."

It also stressed that US President Barak Obama said he would prefer to trade with the EU rather than the UK as an individual.

He wrote to The Telegraph newspaper saying: "The European Union doesn't moderate British influence - it magnifies it.

"A strong Europe is not a threat to Britain's global leadership; it enhances Britain's global leadership."

Lord Edmiston concludes: "Lastly the reason I am donating to the Brexit campaign is out of personal conviction not based on what will happen next week or next month but the long term view of what kind of country do I want for my children, my grandchildren, and my business.

"I am donating out of a sense of fair play.

"I believe the British public are entitled to hear both sides of the argument and up until now taxpayer funded Remain campaign literature has been circulated to every home.

"I hear constant appeals from people that they want information.

"Well they have been getting it, but mainly from one side, I hope I can do my part to help redress that balance."

Earlier in the month the government spent around £9 million on sending a leaflet to every UK household setting out the case for remaining in the European Union.

27 million homes received the leaflet, which the government said was a response to public demand for more details about the EU referendum by setting out the facts behind the government's position.

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