‘The most important political event in two generations’ is how Chris Grayling described the EU referendum as he held a Vote Leave meeting in a packed Epsom Conservative Club on Saturday.
Epsom Conservative Club, in Church Street, Epsom
The Epsom and Ewell MP hailed the ‘majority backing’ for 'leave' in his constituency, saying he was ‘very impressed’ by the turnout, which saw some audience members have to stand in the aisles to hear him speak.
About 50 people turned out the the event with different political views, making for a lively debate.
Would-be Leave voters stand in the aisles to hear Chris Grayling speak
Mr Grayling’s assertions that UK laws on issues ranging from anti-discrimination statutes to the tampon tax should be made in Westminster, not Brussels, were roundly met with cheers and applause.
When he said migrants should only be allowed to enter the UK if they already had a job – rather than to look for one – he was met with cries of ‘Yes!’
Mr Grayling said: “We cannot allow migration to be unlimited; we cannot go on absorbing people at the rate we are. It’s unsustainable.
"Statisticians expect the UK's population to rise to between 75 and 80 million people in the next generation and that's just not sustainable."
Migration was a much-discussed theme and the MP of 15 years, welcoming the cross-party nature of the meeting, heard how migration impacts the NHS from a Ukip member.
The Ukip member said: “We must take back control of our borders.
“I work in the NHS and maternity services in this country will collapse if the whole of Europe keep coming here to have their babies.”
Attendees said a loss of sovereignty motivated their support for Leave, and they feared the ‘young vote’ might win it for the Remain campaign come June 23.
John Styles, of Elmslie Close, Epsom, said: “The way the EU is going is to push us closer together and blur national boundaries.
The 71-year-old said: “People younger than my generation never lived through any wars – they don’t know the meaning of ‘For Queen and Country’.”
Peter Chase, 74, said: “We always used to call this country Great Britain – nowadays people just call it Britain. People don’t see it as ‘great’ any more.”
Simon Lawton, an unemployed IT consultant from Downes Road, Epsom, said he supported 'Brexit' because of his frustration with the ‘democratic void’ in the EU.
The 47-year-old said: “I don’t like laws being made for us by unelected officials in Brussels – it’s absolutely a democratic void.
“They decide these things in closed circles, there are no manifestos and no elections – that, to me, is a dictatorship.
“The EU is not up for reform and if we vote to stay, it’s a green light for the further federalisation of this unelected bureaucracy.
“I like that in our democracy we can boot Chris Grayling out if he doesn’t do his job properly.”
What do you think? Comment below or email letters@epsomguardian.co.uk
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