James O'Brien caller struggles to name EU rule he dislikes

LBC radio host James O'Brien - Credit: LBC

A pro-Brexit caller on the James O’Brien show said he was delighted to be free of EU regulations but struggled to name one he disagreed with.

Dave from Epsom told LBC listeners he was a Brexiteer because he did not believe in a “federal Europe”, which at first he struggled to define but eventually described as a system of government where every state is “controlled by a central point”.

When host James O’Brien pointed out federalism meant the “exact opposite” – a unity between independent states in internal affairs – Dave maintained he did not like the EU because it “had too much control”.

“Don’t know what it means, but adament I don’t agree with it,” O’Brien quipped.

The caller said he supported Brexit because he disagreed with the EU having sway over fishing rights in UK waters. He then cited Norway, which maintain 85% power over its waters and has remained in the single market, and asked why Britain had not sought a similar deal, at which point O’Brien pointed out that the UK would be leaving the single market.

O’Brien then asked what rules Dave most looked forward to leaving.

“Rules and regulations,” Dave said, “we are a leader in the world, we don’t need the EU to tell us how to do things.”

Dave was repeatedly asked to mention a rule but struggled, finally blurting out his opposition to corporation tax, because it was levied by Brussels and because other members, like the Republic of Ireland, had been taken to court over lowering rates.

Dave then said a no-deal Brexit would be bad for the Republic, prompting O’Brien to reply: “They say the only people it’ll be worse for than Ireland is the UK.”

When asked again to name a rule, Dave responded that he did not like the EU regulaton on refugees, although he said he was not worried about immigration personally.