In the run up to the EU referendum on June 23, the Guardian is asking people for their views on whether the UK should leave or remain.

Here we speak to Walthamstow’s MP Stella Creasy on why her constituents should vote to stay.

“Walthamstow has always recognised that we are stronger together. Whatever the issue, be it defending Whipps Cross, fighting for the future of the Butterfields estate or seeking #justice4michelle, the campaigns and causes we drive forward as a community are effective because local people work together to affect change.

“The same principle applies to our country and the future. In the coming decades we will be more likely to overcome the challenges we face, including matters such as climate change, global trade, international development or security, when we work in cooperation not isolation. The European Union offers us the opportunity to do just that, increasing our bargaining power around the world and so the opportunities open to our economy, society and culture.

“More than 60% of UK small business exports go to Europe. Being part of the EU means every country is our home market. Staying will ensure that when it comes to deciding the rules of trade, the decisions reflect our interests. In contrast, leaving would not stop our neighbours from making decisions that affect our lives, but would mean they would not have to involve us in the choices they make.

“It’s not just on trade that we can achieve more together than we could alone. Whether fighting terrorism, tackling pollution or supporting efforts to tackle islamophobia or anti-Semitism our best hopes of success lie in sharing our ideas, information and actions with those around us. That’s because being part of the European Union gives us real power to shape the world around us. It’s a power we should use as we build a Europe able to help us take on the challenges of the next fifty years.

“It’s too important to all our prospects to walk away. A better future for Britain means leading in Europe, not leaving it.”