Jane Collins MEP.

...in Strasbourg, having travelled to this building we only occupy 50 days a year at a cost of millions of euro to the tax payer discussing  yet another ‘strategy for growth and jobs’ when it is legislation rubber stamped in this very building which has cost my constituents in Scunthorpe and Rotherham their jobs. The obsession with the green agenda has led to increased energy prices. The outgoing boss at Tata steel in Scunthorpe said these levies cost £130million a year. Thanks to our EU membership the British government can do virtually nothing to help. To add insult to injury, they are even using Swedish steel to make British Army equipment: steel that beat Hitler is no longer good enough for our Armed Forces! But given that the UK has a referendum on our membership in 2017 I say we should ignore the Commission and put our own people first. If Brussels doesn’t want us to have a steel industry it’s something we can talk about after the referendum where I imagine the conversation will be brief, if the polls keep showing a win for LEAVE.  The North suffered under the Conservatives during the 80’s and 90’s and is doing so again. The Northern Powerhouse is a myth - it's the Brussels powerhouse we need to deal with.

The North suffered under previous Conservative government’s and now, with EU help, the same is happening again.