Statement by TUV East Antrim candidate Ruth Wilson:
“As with all the big political issues in Northern Ireland people know where TUV stands on the European Union. I welcome the fact that the United Kingdom’s membership of the EU has become a major issue in this election. TUV MPs would support an early referendum on EU membership and the party would vigorously campaign for the UK to leave the EU. It is shameful that after over 40 years of the EU being a huge drain on our national resources, the people of the United Kingdom are being denied a referendum on our membership. A vote for TUV is a vote to demand an in/out referendum.
“As UK taxpayers we pour £19 billion pa into Brussels and even with the rebate and grants we get back less than half. In 2014 Treasury figures showed that the UK contribution to the EU was £19.234 billion while the UK rebate was £4.888 billion and we got a total of £4.539 billion in EU grants.
“The net cost of EU membership for the UK in 2014 was £9,807,000,000.00. That translates into a staggering daily cost of £26.9m.
“Brussels is ripping us off to the tune of a Northern Bank robbery every day!
“In addition, EU membership is robbing us of the right to make our own decisions on such vital matters as immigration, trade agreements and social policy.
“TUV believes in the political unity, prosperity and independence of the United Kingdom, not in Brussels diktats. Thus we strongly believe the UK would be BETTER OFF OUT!
“As well as offering a whole raft of policies on Northern Ireland which would address our failing government at Stormont TUV offers a clear option to those who want the United Kingdom to become a truly sovereign nation again”.