LEADING figures on both sides of the EU argument will go head-to-head at a special Argus referendum debate next month.

The Argus will be hosting a special evening of debate and discussion on the EU referendum with a panel of four leading experts.

City MPs Peter Kyle and Caroline Lucas will be arguing the case for Remain while Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan and Rory Bloomfield, director of The Freedom Association, will be putting forward the case for leaving the EU.

Professor Ivor Gaber, the University of Sussex’s first professor of journalism and political journalist, will host the debate.

The special event at the Clarendon Centre in New England Street, Brighton, will be open to an audience of around 700 of our readers who will be given a chance to put questions to the four experts on the night.

The Green Party's Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas is a former MEP and a Britain Stronger In Europe board member. She is an ardent defender of the EU’s positive role when it comes to trade, workers’ rights and the environment.

She will be joined in the Remain camp by former aid worker, small business owner and now Hove MP Peter Kyle who has warned of the detrimental impact of Brexit on the city’s small businesses and universities.

Opposing the city MPs on the Leave side will be writer, broadcaster and South East MEP Daniel Hannan, an outspoken critic of the European system he has worked in since 2004.

He will be joined by Rory Broomfield – director of liberty pressure group The Freedom Association and the cross-party Better Off Out campaign.

An author of several books on the EU, Mr Broomfield is both a British and Swiss citizen and has previously been a director of the United Nations Association – UK.

Editor of The Argus, Mike Gilson, said: “The Argus is committed to bringing readers full coverage of the EU debate and how it will affect Britain and of course particularly us here in Sussex.

“The debate will give readers a great chance to see key players on both sides argue their case and of course to ask questions.

“Caroline and Peter are of course well known as local MPs and passionate Remain supporters but Dan is a rising star of the Leave side and Rory is a sharp-witted debater.

“It promises to be a fascinating discussion with high quality speakers.”

GET INVOLVED

THE Argus EU debate will be held on Wednesday, June 8 from 6.30pm at The Clarendon Centre in New England Street, Brighton.

On the panel arguing for Britain to remain in the EU will be Green MP for Brighton Pavilion Caroline Lucas and Labour MP for Hove Peter Kyle.

On the opposing side arguing for Brexit will be Conservative MEP for the South East Daniel Hannan and Better Off Out campaign director Rory Broomfield.

Tickets for the event are free.