AN enthralling EU referendum debate in Highbridge yesterday saw Labour MP for Exeter Ben Bradshaw, from the remain campaign, clash with businessman and Vote Leave campaigner Tim Hegarty.

A lively, and at times emotive, audience of around 100 people turned out for the event at Highbridge Community Hall on Thursday, which was led by local MP James Heappey.

Mr Heappey, as one of only a handful of MPs yet to announce his voting intentions, provided an impartial chair as the two campaigners went toe to toe, answering questions from the audience.

Immigration, sovereignty, trade, and tourism and agriculture were among the topics debated as Mr Bradshaw made the case that Britain would be economically better off in the EU, whereas Mr Hegarty implored the audience to take back sovereignty from the ‘corrupt’ and ‘frightening’ EU.

One of the local issues raised by the audience was the recent EU grading of Burnham-On-Sea’s bathing water as ‘poor’.

Mr Bradshaw said he was sorry to hear about the situation but added: “As a result of our membership with the EU, our environmental standards have dramatically raised, and I applaud the EU for that.”

Tim Hegarty responded by saying that Britain needs to stand up for itself, and that ‘we don’t need the EU to tell us how to run our beaches’.

He said: “We don’t want 28 mini Hitlers telling us what to do. We are no longer a sovereign nation.”

Tourism and agriculture, as an important topic for the area, was also heavily discussed, and Mr Bradshaw said: “All of the major national and regional tourism organisations want to stay in Europe.

“The South West has seen 20% more visitors from European countries in the last 12 months.”

On immigration, Mr Hegarty said: “The EU is corrupt, and I don’t want to be part of that.

“There is incentive for migrants to come here, because the minimum wage is seven times what it is in countries like Albania.

“A French fisherman has just dropped off seven Albanians in Dartmouth.”

Responding, Mr Bradshaw said: “The European migrants that are here contribute much more to the system than they take away from it.

“We need to recognise the positive contribution that migrants have made.”

Mr Bradshaw also gave his view of Scotland’s future should Brexit occur, when he said: “Scotland being dragged out of the EU would give Nicola Sturgeon everything she needs to stage a second referendum.”

Trade was a recurring topic of the evening, and Mr Bradshaw said: “Free markets bring the benefits of tariff free trade,” also adding he was worried that the leave campaign have not fully thought out trade arrangements should Brexit occur.

A question from the audience regarding trade deals was answered by Mr Hegarty when he said:  “What kind of deal will we strike? We will strike a British deal.

“We don’t have to have any fights, we will be pragmatic and friendly and agree a British deal.”

Mr Bradshaw added: “Trade deals are not done at the snap of a finger, they are incredibly difficult to agree.

“We are a diverse trading economy that requires trade to prosper.”

To which Mr Hegarty responded: “The Germans and the Spanish are not going to suddenly stop trading with us.

“Trade will go on, and life will go on, so don’t fall for the scare stories.”

Mr Bradshaw said: “Hitachi, Toshiba, and all these big companies from across the world support Remain and invest in Britain so they can have access to the single market.

“The economic benefits we have accrued from being in the single market massively outweigh the contributions we make to the EU.

“The economic shock of leaving the EU will impact the funding of our health services and if Brexit happens, we will take a big hit.

Mr Hegarty responded by arguing that the Remain camp only talks about the economic benefits of staying in the EU and that they are ‘all about the money’.

He said: “Can we talk about the people? It is truly frightening what the elite has planned for the common people.

“They only care about the bottom line, it’s not about the people for the elite.

“They want to have a vast pool of cheap migrant workers, and they don’t care about us, they just want the money.”

In closing, both campaigners urged the audience to vote, and Mr Bradshaw said: “This is the single most important decision that any of us will make in our lives, but I fear that there will be a low turn-out.

“I implore everyone to please vote, the worst possible result would be a close contest with a low turnout.