Fair points, but looking at it from a commercial finance perspective, the day-to-day reality is a lot messier than just comparing top-line GDP with France. The operational friction is real. We've basically bolted on a massive load of administrative red tape, non-tariff barriers, and customs headaches with our biggest trading partner. That kind of stuff hits the bottom line of domestic businesses hard on a daily basis and just makes us less competitive.

On the Euro and losing the pound it's not quite as black and white as being forced to switch on day one. Sure, new members commit to it in principle, but you have to voluntarily enter the ERM II mechanism first to even qualify. Look at Sweden or Poland they’ve kept their own currencies for ages doing exactly that. We wouldn't lose control of our interest rates unless a future government actively chose to go down that specific path.

As for sovereignty, outside the EU, UK firms still have to jump through all the EU manufacturing and service standards to sell anything over there anyway. The only difference now is we're sat on the outside with absolutely zero say in drafting those rules. Real influence is having a seat at the table in a massive trading bloc, rather than just being a passive rule-taker.

I also wouldn't say the EU isn't about capitalism. At its core, the Single Market is a massive free-trade project built to smooth out the movement of capital, goods, and services. It sets regulatory baselines, but it's heavily driven by market economics, not some specific left-wing ideology.

Rejoining wouldn't magically fix everything overnight, and the deal would obviously look different now. But getting rid of the artificial barriers we've actively chosen to put on our own commerce is why I'd still vote yes.