A DEBATE was held on Monday the 4th April regarding leaving, or staying in the EU.

I am 100 per cent behind debates on this subject, but this was not a debate.

Organised by a formerly suspended UKIP chairman of NW Hants, the event was chaired by someone with clear anti-EU views; it had been apparently under discussion since last October.

As the chair of one of the local Liberal Democrats I was only asked to get our supporters together on Thursday 31st March, given that the Andover Advertiser must have been informed on the Monday this is an attempt to pack the hall with “leavers”.

Local Labour and Green parties were not even invited.

It is a particularly insecure bunch of people that would agree with tactics like this.

I hope, even if we disagree on Europe, that we can agree that as British people we pride ourselves on being fair?

Richard Rowles, Chair, Andover Liberal Democrats

‘Empty promises’

THE recently made argument from Brexit campaigners that to turn our backs on Europe is the only way to save the NHS is utterly ridiculous.

The notion that we haven’t had a good NHS since 1973 is absurd and frankly it is unbelievable that those who are today pretending to champion the NHS, have for long been strong supporters of a carved-up and privatised US-style system.

Properly funding the NHS depends not on our membership of the EU, but on having a strong economy and a government that is willing to allocate the necessary resources.

The economic shock of leaving Europe would seriously reduce the amount of overall funding available for our health service.

But that is only half of the picture.

Being a part of the EU gives us un-matched access to the free movement of highly qualified doctors, nurses and health professionals as well as resources and funding for cutting-edge research.

To throw this away on June 23rd and constrain NHS funding for years to come would be a huge error and I urge people to look beyond the empty promises of the Out camp.

Len Gates, Chairman, NW Hants Liberal Democrats