UK Prime Minister David Cameron recently announced that he hopes the ‘in-out’ referendum, which was promised by the Conservative Party before last year’s general election, will take place this summer.
And backbencher Deputy Mike Higgins has now said that Islanders should have a vote in the referendum, which he feels could have a massive impact on the Island’s economy, in particular its finance industry.
He said: ‘Although we are not in the EU, Protocol 3 is basically our relationship with the Europe – it enables the finance industry to operate in Europe.
‘But we know that Europe is unhappy with Jersey for some of its tax policies, and if the UK leaves the EU then we follow.
‘In that case, Jersey is going to have to re-negotiate to keep the relations we have and it will be an almost impossible task – there are 28 member states to deal with and we are just a minnow.
‘The finance industry employs 12,000 people in Jersey. If the UK wanted to leave and we can’t re-negotiate our agreements with Europe, then it will devastate the Island.’
