THE FUTURE of the country was the subject of a public meeting hosted by Rugby and Bulkington MP Mark Pawsey.
Mr Pawsey chaired a debate on the upcoming European referendum at the Benn Hall, welcoming two veterans of European Parliament – former Conservative MEP Philip Bushill-Matthews and current UKIP MEP James Carver – as guest speakers. The pair discussed Britain’s role in the EU and the consequences of a vote to leave.
Mark said: “Since the announcement of the EU referendum I have had a great many of my constituents contact me to ask me both how I intend to vote, but also to ask for more information about this important issue.
“It was clear there was a need for a public debate and I was very pleased we were able to get two authoritative speakers to answer the questions of Rugby residents.”
The speakers debated topic such as migration, security and sovereignty to help advise undecided voters.
James Carver MEP, who spoke for the ‘Leave’ campaign, said: “I was delighted at how well the meeting went and would like to thank Mark and his team for organising it. With over 250 people in the audience from all different backgrounds it was clear how important it was to hold the meeting and to engage with Rugby residents on this vital issue for our country.”
“It was clear through a response to a question from Mark at the start of the meeting that around 40 per cent of the audience were genuinely undecided about how they intend to vote in the referendum, and despite Mark’s and my differences in opinion on this particular issue, both of us agree that the meeting was a great success, insofar as those attending who wanted more information clearly found the meeting informative.”
Philip-Bushill Matthews, representing the ‘Remain’ argument, added: “The meeting was very well organized with the Benn Hall almost completely full and I would like to thank Mark and his team for their efforts. I was personally delighted to see a group of young people in the audience. This referendum is above all about their future, and I hope that all generations will come out to vote in strength on June 23.
“We need a high turnout and a clear result one way or the other, so that we can put the current uncertainty behind us and move on. The verdict will be final and whatever the outcome there can be no turning back.”
Visit www.markpawsey.org.uk to watch a recording of the event.
