Caine: Britain is better off without faceless Europe
SIR MICHAEL CAINE, one of Britain’s best known actors, has publicly backed leaving the European Union, criticising the “faceless civil servants” making decisions for the UK.
The star of The Italian Job and Zulu yesterday told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he was “pretty certain” that Britain should not be a member of the EU.
He dismissed arguments that the country could be hit economically, saying Britons would “work harder” and “try harder” until life improved.
The comments are a coup for the Out campaign, which has called for leading non-political figures to reveal their Euroscepticism, but with little success to date.
An In-Out referendum on Britain’s EU membership is due by the end of 2017, but the vote is expected to come as early as this June.
Sir Michael initially said he was undecided about how to vote because both options were “scary”.
However, when pushed on his views on the EU, the actor said: “I think unless there are some extremely significant changes we should get out.
“You cannot be dictated to by thousands of faceless civil servants who make these rules.”
In response to the claim that Britain’s economy would fail without the EU, Sir Michael said: “Well OK, so you fail. Get better, work harder, try harder and then you’ll be a success.”