Since we've been in the EU "Poverty doubles in UK over last 30 " This Is because lower paid workers suffer more from wage compression. Since the EU has made it is just as easy to recruit anyone in the EU, big employers have a much bigger pot of labour to draw from which lowers wages (supply and demand).
Before the EU, firms had to justify why they wanted to employ a foreigner over a native. I suppose you can call this rampant racism and xenophobia (common sense springs to mind just like most other successful counties) however, it ensured the local people were employed before importing more labour. There is little virtue in importing labour when labour exists already. Of course there will always be a job vacancy to skills mismatch and this is a valid reason to import labour.
Since the EU, it has given the right to 450m people to apply for jobs in the UK at the expense of the other 6.5 billion in the world. So why limit unchecked migration to the EU? Why not to every country in the world? Is it not racist to give preference to a Dutch doctor than an Indian doctor? That is why I get annoyed at the R and X card being pulled every time an argument involving immigration is raised by a Brexiter. By the same daft notion, The EU is a racist regime because it gives preference to its own citizens over that of non EU citizens.
The Poverty and Social Exclusion in the United Kingdom (PSE) project, led by the University of Bristol, has revealed the wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots in the UK is widening still further.
Many low and median earners have seen no real improvements in their incomes over the last 30 years despite economic growth.
The TUC's Britain's Livelihood Crisis report said that the figures showed a "livelihood crisis" has been brewing in Britain for decades, and was only put off by an "unsustainable rise in personal debt". The façade of wealth brought to you courtesy of economic sticking plaster ;DEBT!.
So much for the EU being of benefit to us. The EU is good for the rich and corporates aiding wage compression. Lets spread the poverty equally over the EU.
Still think flooding the country with cheap labour is good for everyone?
Good for the rich and corporates. Bad for everyone else. When TTIP gets underway, then we'll see just how good that is for the EU. Monsanto. Just one corporate we do not want over here or their vile products and practices. I urge everyone to see what Monsanto does to US farmers, you will be shocked. All while the US government looks on and does nothing about it, even giving Monsanto protections.
Lurked
You mentioned inward and outward investment. Of course there is a net position because we invest abroad as well as they other way round. How do you gauge how much we benefit from these? Most large international corporates inwardly investing don't pay corporation tax at the rate they should. They will shift it to a jurisdiction that treats their money well. Some even get incentives from the government. We've seen certain companies pay a pittance in tax; a joke in comparison to the profit they made so our country loses out to the special treatment that these corporates get away with. So on to the employees of these firms, yes they spend their wages in this country and pay tax but as you have correctly pointed out, a lot of consumer goods are imported and so there are massive outflows of cash to China, Taiwan or wherever most of the products are made. Also have to factor that lower income families receive benefits and a would unlikely be paying enough tax to cover the social costs (healthcare, schooling etc.). A lot of food is imported so again, this money is flowing out of the country. It takes me back to my argument that we are way down the list for wealth per capita in the world.
In the Net international investment position we are way down that list at 31st. Minus £444 billion.
For the benefit of anyone here that doubts how the status of a nation can change, consider this:
The USA, as recently as 1960 the world's largest creditor, has now become the world's largest debtor. They still have the largest (just) GDP but by golly their country is in horrendous debt.
Tied to the EU, the UK will get poorer and poorer over time because with only 3 net contributors to the EU, someone has to pay for all the other 25. For every new country that joins the EU, we will have higher subs to pay and our representation will be diluted until we are but just a tiny voice at the end of an enormous EU table.
Still think we can reform the EU: in your dreams.