Local MP, Martin Vickers, was joined on Cleethorpes Pier by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP; the Minister of State for Farming, Food and the Marine Environment, George Eustice MP; and the former Member of Parliament for Grimsby, Austin Mitchell. The cross-party group was amassed last weekend for a Vote Leave rally ahead of the forthcoming EU referendum on June 23rd.
Theresa Villiers MP, a cabinet minister, said that June 24th would be “our Independence Day” if the British electorate voted to leave the EU. She went on to refute claims of an immediate shock following Britain’s exit: “We are the fifth biggest economy and would continue to be so outside of the EU", and spoke of how we would take back control over immigration and trade. On the issue of trade, Ms Villiers stated that "We could nail down a whole range of trade deals, and businesses in Cleethorpes would benefit."
Fellow minister, George Eustice MP, said that: "There are a lot of people voting to leave [the EU] in Cleethorpes and across the rest of the towns we have visited. It has been a phenomenally good reception and a good strength of feeling." Mr Eustice, who is the Minister for Farming, Food and the Marine Environment, went on to highlight the fact that Britain would have more control over farming and fishing following a leave vote. Former Grimsby MP, Austin Mitchell, echoed Mr Eustice’s argument for regaining our fishing controls, and called for an end to the "looting of our fish".
Cleethorpes will also be hosting a free viewing of a pro-Brexit movie at the Beachcomber, Humberston, on June 7th at 7pm.