Shropshire and Mid Wales MPs welcome EU referendum pledge

Plans for a referendum on whether or not Britain should remain in the EU were announced in the Queen's Speech and the MPs representing Shropshire and Mid Wales have said it is a good thing that people will get the chance to vote on the matter.

The referendum, which is due to take place in 2017, will be the first since Harold Wilson was Prime Minister in 1975.

But while the area's Conservative MPs have backed the announcement, reservations have been expressed by their political opponents.

Voters will be asked to answer the question: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?

Philip Dunne, Conservative MP for Ludlow and South Shropshire: "I think it is helpful to know what the question is, and I have been impressed by the dynamism of the Prime Minister with the energy he is putting into preparing the ground for the re-negotiation by visiting European capitals this week."

But Ukip's Denis Allen, who unsuccessfully contested the Telford seat at the General Election, felt the question that was being posed would favour the campaign to keep Britain in the EU.

"It's been arranged that some people will automatically say 'yes'," he said. "But as Cameron wants to stay in Europe, that's exactly what you would expect."

Ukip MEP for the West Midlands Jill Seymour welcomed the referendum commitment, but also said the chosen question would skew the vote towards remaining in the EU.

She also criticised the bill for failing to include a period of "purdah", which happens in other elections to prevent the Government from making announcements in the run-up which might affect the result.

Montgomeryshire's Tory MP Glyn Davies said it was right there would be a referendum, and praised the Prime Minister for beginning the discussions with other European leaders.

Eurosceptic North Shropshire Conservative MP Owen Paterson said he was pleased there would be a vote, and said it was important that there would be a significant change in Britain's relationship with neighbouring countries.

"I am very pleased to see that British people will have the chance to vote," he said. "I want to get back to a trading relationship with our European relations and to be able to make our own decisions in our parliaments."

Labour leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Councillor Kuldip Sahota, said he respected the Prime Minister's wish to hold the vote, but said he hoped that Britain would remain within the EU.

He said: "It was in the Conservative manifesto, and they won the election, so I have no problem with that.

"But I do feel that we should remain within the European Union, because it means jobs and prosperity for all of the country."