I fundamentally disagree with some of your points, but that was brilliantly written, and very insightful. It's interesting to listen to arguments that are contrary to your own beliefs.

I, myself, fundamentally disagree with the EU as anything other than a trade partner. I don't like what the EU has become. I find that at the moment is can be construed as anti-democratic, bloated, unaccountable, unbalanced and on very dodgy financial footings - seeing as it hasn't had its accounts signed off in over a decade.

I think my biggest issue is that what was sold to British people decades ago was simply a free trade agreement and closer ties. I think many people feel like we've steadily sleepwalked into a superstate that we never really voted for. A giant union that has the power to pass legislation that impacts upon every aspect of our lives. I also believe that despite what some would perceive as "xenophobic" knee jerk votes for UKIP, I think they have done the entire country a massive favour by essentially popping a blister of anguish and frustration in the nation, by enabling us to honestly talk about immigration - without being referred to as fascists, bigots and right-wing nut jobs. It is allowing us to discuss how immigration benefits us, changes us, and in some cases, can be detrimental to communities and society if it's too much too fast, and integration fails.

Whilst I'm against the EU in its current form. If we can renegotiate certain points of contention, such as banking and services sector regulation, fishing regulation, social security and benefit payments, border controls and get freedom of movement openly discussed again within the EU (where there is a rising appetite in many member states), I will feel a bit more optimistic about the UK voting to stay.

Either way, I'm just relieved we're finally having a vote. It may be detrimental to our economy in the short term, but it's democracy in action. And I'll accept whatever the result is.

To go back to your first paragraph, I'm pro Europe - but at the moment, I'm not pro EU. I believe the EU has gone both good and bad. But "ever closer union" can be worrying, especially considering the pressure for the UK to join the Euro years ago. Thankfully we were sticks in the mud then, just as we are now, and it worked much to our favour. Many countries have suffered the detrimental effects of being part of a single currency.