For people in some European countries the EU may seem like a better bet than relying on their own elected representatives not to rob them blind and manage things in their own interests. This is not the case for Britain.
There is a tension between the wishes of the peoples of Europe and the wishes of the elites who want to manage them. ‘Elites’ include those in the member states who have a direct interest in the preservation of an undemocratic super-state that can relieve them of some responsibility while taking the blame for whatever goes wrong.
The objective strategy of the EU is to create a single European state, the expected outcome being the end of nationalism and therefore of war between its constituent nations. Furthermore the super state must be led by wise men in case potential demagogues might hoodwink the people. This is undemocratic and unworkable. The flaws and failures are obvious but the apparent idealism of the mission helps obscure them.
The EU takes credit wherever it can for achievements it has not earned: peace, economic growth, human rights, scientific cooperation and more. The EU refuses blame, failures are due to lack of commitment to focusing power at the centre (see Europe versus EU and More Juncker).
We are not anti-European or even anti-Union but there are compelling reasons for rejecting this European Union. It is a project based on an out-dated, inflexible ideology and cannot realistically be reformed without scrapping all its existing treaties in favour of a redesign relevant to the 21st century.
The underlying tension between the peoples of Europe and the elites of the EU is growing and may, one day, cause the break-up of the EU. This would be better done in a carefully managed way (for example, a democratic Brexit) than just hoping the inherent tensions will somehow go away.
This EU Won't Work 