Shropshire Star

EU referendum: Rival Shropshire MPs make Remain and Leave rallying calls one day before vote

Rival Tory MPs in Shropshire today made separate rallying calls ahead of the vote that will decide Britain's future in Europe.

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Pro Remain MP Philip Dunne declared: "This is the most important ?in a generation".

And Brexit campaigner Daniel Kawczynski said: "We must not be hamstrung by our political ties to the EU but instead loosen them."

Both MPs today write open letters in the Shropshire Star in which they give their final arguments.

Polls will open across Shropshire and Mid Wales tomorrow morning.

Counting will start from 10pm in Telford, Shrewsbury and Builth Wells, before the results for each region are declared in central events in Birmingham and Cardiff.

  • More: See the letters in full here

Bookies continue to predict a small majority for Remain, but the odds on a Brexit vote have shortened in recent weeks.

Mr Dunne, the Tory MP for Ludlow, today insisted: "If we vote to Leave there will be no way back.

"If we vote to Remain, we stay a member of the EU, but in a special status in which we will not be pressured into joining further moves to ever closer union."

He warned a Brexit vote was a "path of isolation" and said that while the EU is not perfect, it does offer a door to a single market with 27 EU member states and 53 free trade agreements.

He added: "If we leave, we lose our voice, yet will still have to live with many of its rules if we want to trade freely."

Mr Dunne and Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard are in the minority in Shropshire and Mid Wales in campaigning for a Remain vote.

Brexit advocate Mr Kawczynski is joined by North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, Telford MP Lucy Allan and Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies.

Mr Kawczynski, the Shrewsbury and Atcham MP, today urged the people of Shropshire to grasp the opportunity for change.

He said: "I have witnessed first hand the erosion of our national sovereignty and reduction in the amount of control our own Parliament has to set our agenda.

"This is a vital part of a fully functioning democracy and has been curtailed by the growing domination of Brussels over our decision making process and way of life."

He warned of a movement towards a "single European State with its ambition to erode national sovereignty and create structures such as an EU Army".