Fareham backs Brexit ahead of EU referendum vote

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes held an EU debate at Portchester Community School

At a debate held by town MP Suella Fernandes more than 100 people from the area listened to both sides’ arguments before a poll.

About half of voters said they would be voting to leave, with about 30 per cent choosing for the UK to remain in the EU with 20 per cent left undecided.

The event took place at Portchester Community School, with Conservative MP for Bath Ben Howlett representing the Remain campaign and Ian Brown, south-east chairman of Business for Britain, speaking in favour of Leave.

Conservative MP Miss Fernandes said: ‘As someone who backs Leave, I found the results encouraging.

‘The referendum next week is one of the biggest decisions this country will take in my lifetime.

‘People want to hear the arguments debated sensibly and respectfully and I’m very pleased we had such an impressive turnout of people at the debate.’

Mr Howlett said: ‘It was a pleasure to attend a moderate, less hyperbolic debate than we have been used to in recent weeks.

‘I thank Suella for organising it and was pleased to see that a sizeable number of people changed their minds towards remaining inside the EU during the course of the afternoon.’

Liberal Democrat councillor Shaun Cunningham, who represents Portchester East on Fareham Borough Council said: ‘Fareham’s Lib Dem group is very much supporting the remain campaign.

‘People have called for change but the only way to cause change is to do it within the EU. I’m hopeful that the country will make the right decision next Thursday.

Ukip borough councillor Carolyn Heneghan, who represents Stubbington said she was pleased with the results from the poll.

She explained her reasons for wanting to vote leave, stating: ‘I feel we are not grown up enough in this country to look after our own businesses and that we rely on Europe to nanny us. I do not want to be nannied and I do not want someone in Brussels making decisions for me.

‘We do not need hand-holding in this country and we do need to be big boys and big girls now and vote to leave.’