The Real EU Debate: Should We Stay or Should We Go?

Landmark debate about Britain's membership of the EU. Six speakers incl Lord Lawson and Vicky Pryce. Chairman: Lord Digby Jones.

The debate about Britain’s relationship with
the EU is currently characterised by wishful thinking and a lack of clarity.

Some EU-critics claim that it will be possible to substantially renegotiate the terms of our membership and to return many powers to Westminster - but do not explain how securing the agreement of 27 other EU countries to significant UK opt-outs can be achieved.

The pro-EU lobby, on the other hand, calls for reform in Brussels - but does not spell out what will be the likely implications of the eurozone crisis and proposed 'fiscal union' for a Britain that remains an EU member but outside the single currency.

There is a need for an honest exchange of ideas on the real choice that people will face in the growing likelihood that there is a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.

Namely, the potential costs and benefits for the UK of either staying in the EU and engaging in full EU monetary and political union, or leaving and defining a new, looser relationship with the EU based on free trade and voluntary co-operation.

As the EU-neutral campaign for an EU referendum, the People's Pledge is ideally placed to facilitate this real debate. Working with EUouth (the campaign to engage youth with the EU) and the Democracy Movement (Britain's leading all-party anti-EU campaign) we have assembled an impressive panel of respected speakers:

For 'We Should Go':

• Lord Lawson of Blaby (Conservative) - Chancellor of the Exchequer 1983-89

• Gisela Stuart MP (Labour) - UK Parliament Representative, Convention on the Future of Europe

• Graham Stringer MP (Labour) - former Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office & government whip, Co-Chairman of the Democracy Movement

For 'We Should Stay':

• Mary Honeyball MEP - Labour spokesperson on the European Parliament's Women's Rights & Gender Equality Committee

• John Stevens - founder of the Pro-Euro Conservative Party and former Conservative MEP

• Vicky Pryce - economist, former Joint Head of the Government Economic Service and Liberal Democrat

Debate chairman: Lord Digby Jones - former Director General of the CBI and former Minister of State for Trade and Investment

Date: Tuesday 3rd December 2013

Time: 7:00pm - drinks reception afterwards in the Marble Hall & Gallery

Venue: The Lecture Theatre, One Birdcage Walk, Westminster SW1H 9JJ

We very much hope you will be able to join us for this interesting debate and afterwards for a drinks reception to continue the discussion with the speakers and fellow attendees.

Speaker(s):	Lord (Nigel) Lawson - Conservative | talks Gisela Stuart MP - Labour | talks Graham Stringer MP - Labour | talks Mary Honeyball MEP - Labour | talks John Stevens - former MEP | talks Vicky Pryce - Economist | talks
Date and Time:	3 December 2013 at 7:00 pm
Duration:	1 hour 30 minutes
Venue:	One Birdcage Walk Institution of Mechanical Engineers No1 Birdcage Walk Westminster SW1H 9JJ 020 7973 1248 http://www.onebirdcagewalk.com/page-find Show map
Organised by:	Peoples Pledge See other talks organised by Peoples Pledge...
Tickets:	Free
Available from:	Admission will be by free ticket only. If you would like to attend, or for more information, please contact Stuart Coster at stuart@peoplespledge.org or call 020 3427 5622.

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