WITH less than a month to go to the EU referendum both sides in the argument are doing their best to attract the many voters who are still undecided.

A big debate is to be held in Odiham on Wednesday, June 8, at 7.30pm. The chairman will be scrupulously neutral, and both sides are promised an even and fair hearing. The venue will be The Old School on London Road.

The speakers urging the audience to remain in the European Union will be Sarah Dickson, chairman of the National Lib Dem Christian Forum, and Max Bobetsky, Conservative candidate for Hart District.

And the speakers arguing for ‘Brexit’ will be John Petley, from Campaign for an Independent Britain, and Anne Crampton, a Hart district councillor.

The aim of the non-profit event is to provide clarity to those who are befuddled by the thick fog of arguments surrounding the historic vote on June 23.

Organisers from the Vine Church are asking anyone who wishes to attend to send in questions, which will be put to the panel. Questions can be sent to [email protected].

The local MP, Ranil Jayawardena, has already declared his hand. As reported in this newspaper, he issued a statement earlier in the year, declaring that he intends to vote to leave the EU.

He focused on benefit payments to migrant workers for their children, living in their home country. “The Conservative Party Manifesto clearly outlined before the new deal was struck that they believed, ‘no child benefit should be paid to an EU migrant whose child is living abroad, no matter how long they have lived in the UK.’

“If this were the sole point on which the UK had had to concede, perhaps it would be possible to overlook it, when balanced with other successes in the deal. But it isn’t. That’s why I believe that – if Britain remains in the EU – we must have further change in the future.

“Contrary to the claims of many authors and commentators, it is probable that the impacts of Brexit on trade would be relatively small.

“Moreover, it is certainly possible that leaving the European Union would leave the external sector better off in the long run.”

Voters in Hartley Wintney have already thrashed out the issue at a public meeting last month, sponsored by the UK European Movement. The audience heard spokesman Mike Biden argue that countries such as Britain have gained enormously through scientific grants, regional aid, trade, university funding and environmental protection.

The UK European Movement UK is Britain’s longest standing pro-European organisation, campaigning to inform the debate around the benefits of EU membership.

After the debate in Hartley Wintney, a spokesman added: “The referendum represents a crossroads for the people of Britain and could well have implications for generations to come.

“The European Movement believes being in Europe is a great deal for the UK, and Britain remains stronger, safer and better off as a result.

“We should ask ourselves what we can gain from leaving the EU, and the blunt truth is we gain oblivion.”