IN and out campaigners were given the chance to put their cases forward in front of a Thornbury audience in an EU referendum debate organised by the Gazette.

Chaired by reporter Aaron Sims, panellists UKIP MEP Dr Julia Reid and chairman of the South West Young Independents Dan Evans argued why Britain should leave Europe and Bristol Labour vice-chairman Hadleigh Roberts alongside Philip Cole, chairman of Stronger In in Cheltenham, presented their case to remain.

Each speaker gave impassioned opening and closing speeches on their reasons for wanting in or out and desperately urged the 30 people in the audience to vote their way during the referendum on June 23.

Tense and heated at times, the debate at Castle School on Wednesday, June 8, saw plenty of heckling from an audience keen to get answers to their questions and explosive discussions on sovereignty and whether Britain should make its own laws, immigration, unemployment and the economy.

There was plenty of arguing across the panel too, with many personal attacks and rebuttal of each other’s statistical and legal evidence.

Mr Evans apologised for the heated exchanges.

“We are getting quite close now and we are all very passionate,” he said. “Unemployment in young people across southern Europe is absolutely catastrophic.

“Trading blocks are a thing of the past, there is country to country trading now, that is the modern world.

“Eventually if we stay in we will adopt the Euro and continue with full integration.

“If we left we can let them do what they want and Britain will have a much nicer relationship with them.”

Mr Roberts told the audience: “The leave platform is entirely based on the premise of the Pirates of the Caribbean – take what we can and give nothing back.

“They don’t have one proposal on making Britain a better place. We have two weeks to go and they have no plan.”

He added: “We are a great country, a great people. We should be meeting our international obligations and leading not leaving.”

Mr Cole quoted George II as saying ‘abroad is awful, I have been there’.

He told the debate: “I disagree and I want future generations to be able to share it.

“We have a flourishing economy, guaranteed peace with our neighbours, freedom to travel and the benefit from an exchange of ideas which is absolutely essential.

“Remember this, Brexit wreaks it.”

Dr Reid said the ‘choice was clear’.

“It is uncertain what will happen if we vote to remain,” she said. “But if we vote to leave we can vote in a government which makes laws for us and if we don’t like them we can vote them out.

“If we want our children and grandchildren to have control of our sovereignty it is most important we remain an independent sovereign nation.”

Kathryn Tengende, an engineer for British Aerospace Systems who lives in Thornbury, said: “There is a lot of interaction with the EU in this area, with all the international businesses in Filton and Patchway, but there wasn’t much discussion about the positive or negative effects of staying in or leaving on South Gloucestershire.

“They just wanted to bang on about immigration and sovereignty. For me it was full of sound bites I have heard before.”

Pete Turl, who lives in the town, said: “It was a pity people kept interrupting.

“I have made up mind already but it was good to hear the panel’s views in person.”

Sue Turl, also from Thornbury, said: “It was very informative and has helped me make up my mind.

“I was going to vote remain but gradually I have changed my mind. The main reason is I think laws for British people should be made in Britain.”