The EU referendum is slowly coming closer and on the 24th June, we shall know whether or not this country shall remain and member of the EU, or if it shall go its own way, under a different set of arrangements.
This is a very big deal and important to every one of us living in Wyre Forest, the West Midlands and the whole of the UK. I'm pleased to say that people seem to be engaging in the debate. I'm being stopped more and more frequently in the street by people who want to know which way I will be voting and asking advice about how they should vote. I'm a declared campaigner for us to remain in the EU, but when giving people advice, I suggest they look at the BBC website and focus on the issues that make a difference to them and their personal circumstances. For example, if someone feels that they cannot find work because migrants from within the EU are taking the jobs available, then I advise them to vote to exit: if they work for a company that supplies parts to BMW cars, then I advise they must vote to remain in the EU as their job might - might, mind you - be at risk if we exit the EU. But this is a very simplistic version of what is going on and the arguments both for and against are highly complex, nuanced and far from easy to drill down into easy sound bites.
Local UKIP MEP Jim Carver has suggested that he and I debate the pros and cons of EU membership and I have agreed with him that this is an incredibly good idea. This will give him and I the chance to put our views forward and to take questions from the audience about the issues that people are particularly worried about. Far from being a run of the mill political hustings about winning votes for our own personal campaigns, this will be a chance to put forward views about why we feel strongly about one side of the argument or the other, without fear or hope of personal political outcome.
We have agreed a date - Friday the 27th May - at Kidderminster's town hall. We have also agreed a format and have agreed that this should be available first and foremost to people from Wyre Forest. Jim is doing a number of these debates across the region with various pro-EU MPs for each constituency.
The date has to be finally confirmed, but details will be available as we get nearer. It will be interesting and I hope as many people as possible will come and learn more.