Cross party pro-EU group launched
A CROSS-PARTY group of senior local politicians this week backed the campaign to keep Britain in the EU because membership is “clearly in the best interests of the Stratford constituency and its residents”.
They are supporting events organised locally under the umbrella of the Britain Stronger in Europe organisation which is headed by Lord Stuart Rose, the former M&S chief. The local Lib Dem, Labour and Green parties are also holding their own activities.
The group's supporters include Cllr Chris Saint (Cons, Shipston North), leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Cllr Peter Moorse (Lib Dem, Hathaway), opposition leader on the district council, Jeff Kenner, Labour’s parliamentary candidate in Stratford in 2015 and a former district councillor, and Dave Passingham, local Green Party co-ordinator and county council candidate.
Others include Philip Bushill-Matthews, former leader of the Conservative group in the European Parliament, Conservative district councillors Robert Vaudry (Bishopton) and George Atkinson (Tanworth-in-Arden), who is also a former county councillor, and Labour district councillor Jason Fojtik (Clopton).
The group is also backed by former Conservative county and district councillors, Richard Hobbs and Richard Adams, former Conservative district councillor George Matheou and former Lib Dem district councillors Richard Cheney, Susan Juned (a former district council leader), Paul Beaman, Lyn Bowring and Philip Vial.
Trevor Russel, former Conservative deputy leader of Stratford District Council, who is co-ordinating the Britain Stronger in Europe activities locally, told the Herald this week: “We have come together to work together to vigorously promote the case - the powerful case - for remaining in the EU.
“The British economy is stronger because of our membership of the EU which gives businesses access the world’s largest single market - over 500 million consumers. A stronger economy means more investment, more growth, more jobs, more apprenticeships for young people, and lower prices for everyone.
“EU membership also benefits the local economy - especially tourism and leisure, farming and car manufacturing and Warwick and Coventry universities.
“If we were to quit the EU, future investment, growth, jobs, pay, and opportunities for our school leavers would be under serious threat. It's a risk we simply can't afford to take.”
He added: “The members of the cross-party group have represented their local communities at European, national, county, district and parish levels, and they continue to be actively involved with them in various capacities.
“In our judgement, it is clearly in the best interests of those communities for Britain to remain in the EU.
“That’s why, as pro-Europeans, we are putting differences to one side to campaign more to drive home the message that Stratford, other market towns and villages across this constituency are stronger with Britain in Europe - and will be immeasurably weaker if we leave.”
The views of the cross-party group are in marked contrast to those of Stratford’s Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi, who is backing the campaign for Britain to withdraw from the EU.
