ISSUES surrounding Europe were thrashed out during a public meeting between Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown and a South West MEP.

Mr Clifton-Brown recently met in Tetbury with Julie Girling, Member of the European Parliament for the South West, with specific responsibility for Gloucestershire, and discussed what issues the Prime Minister would renegotiate in Europe.

These included an Act of Parliament if further powers are transferred by treaty, a veto on the transactions tax, an unprecedented reduction in the EU budget and a promise of a referendum should the Conservatives win the next General Election.

Mr Clifton-Brown said: “I understand that people were impatient to know what issues the Prime Minister would renegotiate in Europe.

“All in all this was a constructive and good tempered debate and hopefully everybody will be a letter better informed on what Europe does.”

Ms Girling added: “It is important for people to be able to ask questions about what is happening in Europe and this meeting provided the perfect opportunity.

"Too many people feel detached from the whole process and are relying on the media for their information which in the case of Europe is often misinformation."