REDDITCH MP Karen Lumley has revealed how she will vote in the Europe referendum - and it will be "out".
Announcing that she would be in the "Brexit" camp - against the stance of Prime Minister David Cameron - as the June 23 referendum looms, Mrs Lumley said she felt Britain's interests would be best protected by "being once again a sovereign country".
She met the Prime Minister several weeks ago, when she gave an assurance she would not commit to a position on the issue until he had completed his re-negotiation of Britain's terms of European membership.
"But that day has now arrived," she said.
"I have studied the proposals very closely but have come to the decision that I will be voting to leave on June 23.
"For the first time in 41 years the British people will have got their chance to have a say on the future of our country.
"Successive governments have denied them that."
The MP added: "I really believe that we can protect Britain’s interests by being once again a sovereign country with our laws being made here in parliament in the interests of the British people.
"I believe this means that once again we will be in charge of our own destiny.
"I also believe that in leaving the EU we will soon be able to decide how our taxes are being spent.
"Instead of sending £350 million every week to Brussels that money could be reinvested here in our country on infrastructure and development projects decided by a British parliament."
Mrs Lumley, who voted against the Government, when she first entered parliament, to help secure a referendum, said she was "delighted" the "once in a lifetime decision" was finally going to happen.
In a message to the people of the town, she said: "I am only one voter in the thousands in Redditch but as your MP I believe you have the right to know where I stand on this issue.
"There are many different opinions here in parliament and indeed amongst my friends and colleagues and I’m sure in the next few weeks we will be hearing a lot more about them.
"It is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make whilst being an MP but for me believe it is the right one."
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