Dear Sir,
It would appear that the 6,426 votes our MP lost to UKIP have caused him and the local Labour Party to realise they now have to, at least, appear to be acting democratically when discussing the completely undemocratic EU (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Evil Empire’; its abhorrent treatment of Greece earning this title).
Prior to the election Tony Blair visited Sedgefield and spoke out against the Conservative and UKIP policies of holding an in/out EU referendum. Clearly, he did not appreciate the mood of the electorate; a Conservative Government was elected and the promised Referendum will be held. I voted UKIP simply on the basis that the Labour stance of denying us a vote was as undemocratic as the EU.
Why is Phil Wilson MP surveying the business community? The electorate now have a chance to vote and will make up their own minds without empty threats from banks and business, big and small. If he wants to be on the winning side (the NO Vote and out of the E.U. he should be surveying his electorate at large; he already knows the views of 6,426!
The facts are:
We import more from the Evil Empire than we export to it. The E.U. will still trade with us; they cannot afford not to!
The UK is a nett contributor to the Evil Empire.  When we stop over-contributing we will have more money to fund our region than the paltry £460m the North East now gets back from Europe.
The E.U. is undemocratic. The majority of our MEPs are anti-EU but they cannot influence its decisions. How the Greek problem is to be resolved will not be decided by the Greek people or the EU electorate, it will be decided by German bankers and the German Government.
A substantial number of big businesses in Britain are notorious for being  ‘offshore’  and not properly paying tax on profits they make here.  This is undemocratic. The Referendum is an opportunity for the tax paying electorate to ignore any threats from vested interests.
Why is it now so important that Phil Wilson is, “…. aware of the practical effects that continued membership (of the EU) or withdrawal, would have”? He did not want a referendum and surely he cannot be insinuating that David Cameron is going to let him interfere in the negotiations. With one vote he only has the same influence as the rest of the electorate.
Democracy and consultation are novel concepts for Phil Wilson and local Labour. They run a Cabinet System in Durham County Council.  Decisions are taken by the local ‘politburo’ of the Labour Party and the majority of elected Councillors are not consulted and don’t get to vote!
Under Labour’s watch there have been public campaigns against the closure of Post Offices and Care Homes, and our Town Council is going to save their blushes (at our expense!) by funding the retention of street lights on the A167.
When voting in the in/out EU referendum remember that your vote is a once- in-a- lifetime opportunity to return to the democratic Government of Britain by the British. Ignore the threats and false promises of vested interests such as the Evil Empire, the Labour Party, Bankers and big business.
Phil Wilson has already made up his mind. He hopes to use the views of local business to threaten you with economic disaster if you vote to leave the EU. Phil Wilson, the Labour Party and the banks know how to work together to create economic disaster. If you are undecided on how to vote, seek wiser counsel and visit the UKIP website.
Alastair P.G. Welsh.