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Martin McGuinness warns Cameron over EU Referendum date

 Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has warned against a June EU referendum date
 Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has warned against a June EU referendum date  Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has warned against a June EU referendum date

MARTIN McGuinness has warned British Prime Minister David Cameron against having a referendum on Europe within a month of elections to Stormont.

The assembly elections will be held in May.

Politicians have claimed holding a referendum in June on the UK's position in Europe would not allow enough time for a proper debate.

The Deputy First Minister said he shared those fears.

"It is no secret to anybody that I have huge concerns about the prospect that the strategy being adopted by David Cameron effectively is sleepwalking all of us into an exit from Europe," he said.

The DUP also believes a later vote would allow more time for proper debate.

Last night a cross-party group of MPs warned Mr Cameron against holding the referendum in June, claiming it would be "disrespectful" to elections in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, London and local authorities.

Mr McGuinness said earlier that it was important that he and First Minister Arlene Foster engage with Scotland, Wales and the Prime Minister on the timing of the referendum.

"We here would also share concerns about close proximity of a referendum to the elections here," he said.

He said loss of EU funding could be devastating and claimed the British Government had not involved or consulted the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister about negotiations with European leaders on membership of the union.