EU referendum: MPs will debate the government’s £9m pro-EU leaflets on 9 May
MPs will be debating the government's decision to send leaflets to households to promote EU membership on 9 May after a petition garnered more than 200,000 signatures.
The petition was set up just hours after it was announced the government would be spending £9m on leaflets that would be send to 27m homes next week, pushing a pro-EU message.
The Prime Minister previously defended that it was the right decision to send the leaflets, citing the need to ensure Britons get information and stating that the "government is not neutral".
But pro-Leave campaigners had heavily criticised the use of taxpayers money on sending out the leaflet.
It appears that many are angered not by the pro-EU message the government are projecting, but the use of taxpayers money.
Hence the petition's name "STOP CAMERON spending British taxpayers’ money on Pro-EU Referendum leaflets". It currently has over 213,000 signatures.
But the government says that the EU Referendum Act 2015 "commits the government to provide information to the public on EU membership ahead of the vote, and that is what we will do".
The leaflets were sent out in England this week, and will be sent to homes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland after the local and assembly elections on 5 May.
The leaflets claim Brexit would lead to an economic shock and that the EU provides security and protects jobs.
Meanwhile, Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave were designated as the official campaigning groups ahead of the referendum. Each are entitled to spend up to £7m.