On June 23 every one of us has an equal vote in the referendum, and an equal chance to have a say in the future of our country.

The Green Party wants Britain to remain a part of the European Union because we believe that we flourish when we work together on the shared challenges we face.

In a fast-changing world we need international rules to control big business and finance, and to ensure that people’s rights are protected – at work and as consumers. The EU has also given us the freedom to live, study, work and retire across an entire continent.

The EU helps us look after our environment too. It’s only by working with our European neighbours that we can tackle climate change, protect wildlife and reduce pollution. Thanks to EU rules, our beaches are cleaner, and our dirtiest power stations are being shut down.

The European story should be celebrated. Countries with different histories and cultures have come together, opting to share sovereignty while keeping their own traditions, in order to work together for the common good.

Now, more than ever, being a member of the EU helps the UK meet international challenges like the refugee crisis, international terrorism and climate change.

We know that the EU isn’t perfect, nor is Westminster. We want it to be more democratic, and accountable to the citizens of Europe. But to make the EU better for every European we need to stay in and reform it.

Let’s not leave the argument to white men in grey suits shouting at each other.

A better EU is possible: where corporate influence is curtailed, where more power is held locally, and citizens have a real say. Greens are determined to build that EU, but we can only do that by staying part of it.

Peter Garbutt

Crookes & Crosspool Green Party

See our issues page on the EU referendum here

This letter on the Star website