ANTI-EU MP Philip Davies is garnering the views of voters in his Shipley constituency, which includes Menston and Burley-in-Wharfedale, to discover if they want Britain to quit the European Union.

Mr Davies – a long standing campaigner for Britain to leave the EU – said he wants his voters to have their say, whatever their stance on the issue.

He said: “In April 2006 I became the first MP to openly call for the UK to leave the EU and launched the Better Off Out Group which campaigns for the UK to leave the EU. However, what is important is what my constituents believe and that is why I am passionate about holding an In/Out referendum on whether or not we remain in the EU.

“It is now 40 years since the British people voted to remain a member of the Common Market. It has changed massively since then and the British people have never had the chance to say whether or not they want to be part of the EU.”

A ballot asking people to tick yes or no if they want the UK to stay or leave the EU – as promised if the Tories win the General Election – has been sent out to tens of thousands of homes across the constituency.

Included on the leaflet are statistics about the UK trade deficit with the EU and payments by the UK to the EU, provided by the House of Commons Library.

Mr Davies added: “Those people who took part in the 1975 referendum tell me they thought they were voting for free trade, they did not realise they were voting for the EU to have so much control over our country and for unlimited immigration into the UK from those EU countries. This is a chance for my constituents to have their say on whether or not they want the UK to remain a member of the EU.”

The ballot is open until March 16 and voters are asked to post their views to Mr Davies’ Shipley constituency office.