Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail Sign up now! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Welsh leaders have called on Prime Minister David Cameron to delay the EU referendum to stop it confusing Welsh voters.

Speculation is growing that Mr Cameron has pencilled in June 23 for the referendum date – which is just six weeks after Assembly election on May 5.

The leaders of Wales’ four main political parties have united to call on the PM to push back the date to stop it overshadowing the Welsh campaign.

Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies, First Minister Carwyn Jones, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, and Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams have signed a joint letter calling for No 10 to delay the vote.

Read:

(Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

The letter, seen by the Daily Post, expresses fears that any June vote would see Welsh issues overshadowed by the in-out EU campaign in the run up to the May election.

It reads: “The simultaneous existence of multiple party political campaigns and EU referendum campaigns would in itself pose practical and logistical difficulties.

“But the greater problem that we anticipate is the potential for confusion as a diverse range of issues is presented to the electorate.

“This is not just a matter of respecting the integrity of the Welsh electoral debate, but of affording the EU referendum campaign the respect it deserves.”

(Image: Keith Morris)

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her counterpart in Northern Ireland Arlene Foster have already said a June referendum would come too soon after their elections in May.

The letter reads: “We are aware that the same point applies to the elections in London, Northern Ireland and Scotland, along with elections for Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales and England.

“We therefore ask you to make a statement on the timing of the EU referendum that does not include a date in June, or any other date which would see significant campaigning overlapping with other major elections in the UK.”