SIR JOHN REDWOOD said that the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union was “an historic occasion” and that the country was “well on the way to being an independent self-governing nation again”.
Writing in his blog the day after the country left the EU that it had been a part of for more than 40 years, Sir John was optimistic about the country’s future.
“I am again proud to be British, and optimistic that we can do so much better once we have truly taken back control,” he said.
He also said that by leaving the European Union, “We will be free to set out own taxes, so we can remove VAT from green products, from repairs to charitable buildings and from female hygiene products.
“We are already shaking off the Maastricht debt requirements as the central driver of our economic policy and replacing it with the aims of promoting growth and prosperity.
“We will able to pass the laws that people want, and spend all our tax revenues on our priorities.”
For the future trade deal talks that the government will now conduct, Sir John said that the EU needed the UK more than the UK needed the EU, “it is such a big exporter to us, so we must stand firm in negotiation”.
“The UK has been Treasure Island for the EU, both as a source of tax revenue for their plans, and as a great market for their exports. They should now be decent and honour their promise of a Free Trade Agreement with no penal clauses,” he added.
And Sir John said that his jubliations at leaving the Union were not done yet: “When we leave the Implementation period at the end of the year I will celebrate more.
“We will once again be that free independent country we were for centuries before we joined the EU.
“We will be a world leader for free trade, peace and democracy.”
