What it would achieve is regaining control over our own borders and no more need to pay for the bureaucracy in Brussels. And freedom from European law, which we get very little say in making - Parliament would be supreme again. What is most of a worry and makes people vote UKIP (the party with a definite policy to leave) is the fact that the freedom of movement provisions mean we cannot prevent any EU citizen immigrating here without a visa and causing more unemployment.
We are NOT "exempt from most EU regulations". There's a vast number you have probably never heard of and nor has the average Brit. Just occasionally a Directive gets noticed by the press and makes headlines, such as the energy-saving one that requires vacuum cleaners to have a maximum wattage. A lot that gets blamed on Brussels is actually mythical, or added to the regulations by British civil servants, but it all fuels support for UKIP from people who believe the myths.
However, most of us don't want out. Opinion polls show a small margin for staying in, and only 12% of us voted UKIP in the recent election. As an early member we got opt-outs from the really silly ideas, like Schengen and the euro. (For us, keeping out of Schengen enables us to keep our islands rabies-free, while the continent has land borders so it wouldn't do the same for them.)
Leaving the EU would NOT make it harder to go on holiday in Europe. Western European countries didn't require us to have a visa for a holiday before we joined, so being in or out would make no difference on that. British citizens can do that in most countries of the world (174 I think - the most of any country - we must be a trustworthy lot!) so imposing a visa requirement would look plain vindictive AND do a power of no good to Spain's tourist industry.
13 Billion a Year and can return the Unemployable Gypsies and refuse to take any More of Europe Rubbish
Rejoin the Commonwealth of nations all all food Prices Droop
Immigration control is a big issue with the masses. Withdrawal of course doesn't in itself mean that it has to get controlled. Both Norway and Switzerland have substantial migrant populations regardless.
We regain control of, amongst other things,
(1) our judicial system
(2) our immigration policy
The British people have never been given a say in the handing over to the EC of such issues.
The only referendum we have ever had on our link to some other parts of Europe was solely concerned with joining the "Common Market", that is it was only concerned with trade. It will be interesting to see what develops in the next few years.
What we will get is mass unemployment as international companies based in the U.K. move to mainland Europe.
Import Tariffs being charged by European countries on British goods. The end of the freedom of British people to work or retire in Europe. The idea that the EU makes British laws or burdens us with ridiculous regulations is largely bogus propaganda created by right wing MPs and newspapers. Leaving the EU and consequently the jurisdiction of the European Court of Rights (set up by Churchill), coupled with the Tory Party's intention to repeal the Human Rights Act, will turn Britain into a Police state without any freedom or liberties.
I want us to stay in, but all the differences you list could equally be used to show we're not really part of the EU anyway so might as well leave.
So they don't hold our economy back. We can control immigration. And actually deport terrorist back home without Brussels telling us we can't. An to safe money, rather to spend billions to greedy European law makers.
The freedom of being able to set its own laws on many issues.
DENMARK & SWEDEN are also NOT IN THE EURO ZONE ..The Republic of Ireland drives on left too...
The bigots think that all none brits will be compelled to leave and they forget the million pensioners that will have to return.
