The growing power of big finance is one of the least attractive aspects of the EU. So remember, the British government has been the main backer of this financial takeover. In fact, ironically for those thinking of voting ‘no’ this week, the referendum itself has only helped embed the power of the City of London in Brussels.

A report by the Brussels-based Corporate Europe Observatory last week showed how “from the day a ballot on UK membership was first announced by David Cameron three years ago, the financial sector has sought and won significant lobbying victories” as Brussels bureaucrats and politicians kowtowed to the City of London in order to keep Britain happy ahead of this week’s vote.

We shouldn’t be surprised. Nearly every act of the British governments in the EU suggests that far from representing the British people in Brussels, they actually act as mouthpiece for the City. ‘George Osborne makes shielding City priority in EU talks’ was the summary of the Financial Times last September when announcing the Government’s pre-referendum renegotiation. Osborne got his way, which is why those who want real reform in the EU, such as Spain’s Podemos party, opposed Cameron’s renegotiation.

European 'Human Kiss Chain' Culmintes in London for 'Bremain' Campaign

After the financial crash, it was the British government that led the fight against caps on bankers’ bonuses, supported only by Ireland. Britain also blocked proposals for an EU-wide financial transactions tax, a measure which would reduce speculation in the financial markets, and act as a tax for redistributing financial profits. In fact, the British government even tried to stop Eurozone countries pressing ahead with this tax, trying unsuccessfully to challenge their right to do so in court. So much for national sovereignty.

When it comes to the controversial US-EU trade deal known as TTIP (the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership), Britain has been the strongest advocate of including financial services, backed by the City UK lobbying group. Putting finance in TTIP will help banks get round Obama’s more stringent financial regulation in the US and make it even more difficult for governments to take action which would prevent a future crash.

When MEPs worked to end food speculation two years ago, given the hardship it was causing to millions of people around the world, it was Britain that fought tooth and nail to oppose it, succeeding in watering down rules that will restrain gambling on basic foods. In another case, Britain took legal action against the European Commission when it tried to stop so-called ‘short-selling’ – the financial practice of betting on the fall of prices in the market, a major cause of economic instability.

Tax havens and elite corporate tax avoidance are perhaps the biggest financial impediment to a more equal society. Yet Britain opposes the creation of an EU blacklist of tax havens. No wonder, because according to Christian Aid “a quarter of the world’s major tax havens on a “blacklist” published today by the European Commission are either British Overseas Territories or Crown Dependencies.”

What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to £20 billion every year

So Britain’s role in making the EU a less democratic place is well established. But in the last three years, the shadow of the referendum has been used, according to Brussel’s based campaigners, to trample on any progressive regulation which might control big finance. The appointment of high flying British lobbyist Jonathan Hill as European commissioner for financial services was a key sweetener to Cameron.

Hill is now overseeing something called the ‘Capital Markets Union’, which threatens to roll-back rules to protect against financial instability. And, as part of his ‘renegotiation’, Cameron’s primary success was to get special decision-making privileges should the interests of banks come under attack. He also made progress pushing a broader deregulatory agenda; music to the ears of the big business lobby. In fact, the EU’s whole ‘better regulation’ (read: deregulation) agenda is a mirror image on Cameron’s own obsessive attack on regulations which upset big business.

In all likelihood, British exit will indeed lessen the influence of big money on Brussels. For those of us who remain in Britain, it will be a disaster. We will quickly discover that it is financial and corporate power, not Brussels, which is the biggest threat to our sovereignty, something which the British government standing alone has little power, and no willingness, to do anything about.