News / Politics
Parties (almost) united behind EU in vote
Three of the four political parties at Bristol City Council buried the hatchet and joined in support of a vote to remain in the EU.
But a big Conservative-shaped gap was left as the leaders of Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens stood together in front of the EU flag on College Green.
The Tory party are officially neutral, but – as with the national picture – councillors are split on the matter, according to a short survey by Bristol24/7.
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Razvan Constantinescu, the Romanian consul to Bristol and organiser of the Stonger In campaign for Bristol, said all four parties had been invited to join the campaign, but no Conservative members had attended the photo call.
Bristol24/7 asked all 14 Conservative city councillors for their views. Four were willing to go on the record; two in favour of a Brexit, one a Remain supporter, and one nuetral. It is understood the local party is roughly divided 50-50 on the vote overall.
Tony Carey, councillor for Brislington East, said he supports staying in the EU. He said: “I have always advocated a greater participation in European affairs and would urge our leaders to get stuck in and play the game properly.”
Richard Eddy, Bishopsworth, a Leave supporter, said: “Although the referendum is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, all my adult life I have believed that this country needs to reclaim its independence from the European Union if it is to have any real future which is founded upon the essential fact of Britons alone determining that future.”
Stockwood councillor Steve Jones said he would be supporting a Brexit.
Mark Weston, group leader and councillor for Henbury & Brentry, said: “The Conservative Party is completely neutral nationally and as a local group of councillors too. As the leader of the group I will remain neutral because my party is neutral.”
At the photo call on Tuesday morning, Marvin Rees, Labour leader and mayor of Bristol, Charlie Bolton, Green leader and Gary Hopkins, Lib Dem leader, told Bristol24/7 why they thought a Remain vote was important for Bristol:
Read more: Corbyn in Bristol for EU Remain campaign
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