THE impact of EU membership on the British economy will be debated by business leaders and politicians in a special debate in Skipton.

David Cutter, group chief executive of Skipton Building Society, Alan Halsall, chairman of Broughton-based Silver Cross Ltd, Dennis Mendoros, chairman of Kelbrook's Euravia Engineering Ltd, and Mark English, head of media at the European Commission in London, are among the scheduled participants at the event on Friday, November 28, at the Rendezvous Hotel in Keighley Road.

Also due to attend from the world of politics are Euro-MPs Richard Corbett, Timothy Kirkhope and Amjad Bashir, plus former MEP Mike Nattrass and UKIP deputy chairman Neil Hamilton.

The chairman for the evening will be former Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans.

The question up for debate will be "Does membership of the EU have a more positive or negative effect on the economy?"

This will be the second time the Rendezvous Hotel has hosted a major discussion on the hot topic of Europe, having debated "Should Britain remain part of the EU?" with a panel of entrepreneurs and politicians in February, 2013.

Hotel owner Malcolm Weaving stressed that the event was intended as a cross-party debate and was entirely about the British economy.

He said much of what people heard about European issues came through the media. "I prefer to hear from the horse's mouth, from the people who are actually making decisions in the EU and from entrepreneurs what problems they have got when they are trying to negotiate with people in the EU.

"It will be Skipton's own Question Time, unrehearsed, authentic and live - more local and factual, with less politics and no David Dimbleby."

Mr Weaving said the debate would benefit from informed opinion and enlighten people about the issues.

The format will be that the panel will answer questions from the entrepreneurs until the chairman decides to take questions from the floor.

The event will start at 6.30pm and tickets cost £10 per person, to include a hot supper. Entry is free after 7.30pm for non-diners.