POLITICAL differences were set aside on Saturday in Alton High Street as members of all three parties came together to campaign in favour of the ‘Remain’ side in the forthcoming EU referendum.

East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds was joined on the streets by Tory, Labour and Liberal Democrat members, bridging the political divide as they chatted with shoppers about the implication of the European Union vote on June 23.

While the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties have declared in favour of Remain, the Conservative party takes no collective stance on the referendum and there are members of the party locally on both sides.

Saturday’s multi-party campaigning was brought together under the auspices of the umbrella ‘StrongerIN’ group, which includes several political parties, trades unions, and representative organisations.

Former Labour parliamentary candidate Barbara Burfoot said of the initiative: “It’s been a new and surprisingly enjoyable experience to campaign with members of other parties. It gave us an opportunity to highlight issues that have been neglected in the media campaign, like the role of the EU in establishing people’s rights at work and the part it plays in protecting our countryside.

“It was the EU habitat and wildlife directives that saved us in the 1990s from a big container port on Dibden Bay and the devastation this would have brought to the New Forest.”

Senior Lib Dem Alton councillor Pam Jones said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to engage with people of all ages and persuasions on the positive aspects of our EU membership. There are countless benefits that hardly get a mention in the popular press.

“If we leave the EU but continue to holiday in Europe we will do so without the benefits of our E111 card. Imagine the medical expenses if you are ill or how it would affect your holiday insurance. On the issue of global warming, do people really think we can fight this alone? I believe that people are beginning to grasp how critical this EU referendum vote is, both for their families and for future generations.”

Commenting on the event, Mr Hinds added: “Leaving the EU would create an immediate economic shock, and in the medium term, however good a deal we might be able to strike with the EU, it could not be as good for trade as the one we have today. That would mean slower economic growth and less money, not more, available for our public services. We are stronger, safer and better off staying in.”

* The Alton Herald is joining forces with Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry to host a public debate on EU membership, prior to the referendum.

To be held on June 20 at Alton Assembly Rooms, the debate will feature a well-informed panel from both the ‘Remain’ and ‘Leave’ camps, with questions invited beforehand and from the floor.