Chester Lib Dem PPC Bob Thompson in response to a press release by Steven Mosley (MP) on the defeat of the Conservative bill prematurely forcing a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU said the following to the Chester Standard:

I have to say I was surprised Mr Mosley chose such inflammatory language to express his views on the subject of a referendum on our continued membership of the European Union. Such grandstanding adds nothing to the debate and only serves to show the himself as a peripheral player when he should be adding considered thoughts and inputs that explain and enrich his own particular view.

I am surpised too that he has chosen to attack the Liberal Democrats. My party has said consistently that in the event of a further tranche of policy being passed from UK jurisdiction to Europe we would seek  a referendum so the people could decide. I had thought the Conservatives agreed with that position but that may be a misconception on my part and in any event the prime minister changed his position to the one Mr Mosley now espouses presumably because his party officials advised that the conservatives would lose votes.

The question of membership of the EU is too important for all of us and particularly here in Chester where so many jobs are secured on our membership of the European Union. We need a considered debate not politics by press release.

Bob Thompson

PPC City of Chester

Liberal Democrats