Nicola Sturgeon joined by other first ministers in opposing June EU referendum

The first ministers of Wales and Northern Ireland have joined Nicola Sturgeon in her opposition to David Cameron holding a June EU referendum. 

Sturgeon said holding the key vote in June, so soon after the Scottish Parliament election would be “disrespectful”, a sentiment shared by Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones. 

The Prime Minister has insisted he is “not in a hurry” to hold the vote on the UK's membership of the EU, but it is widely expected negotiations will be finalised at February’s European Council. A deal next month would pave the way towards a June vote in the summer. Several UK cabinet ministers, including Scottish Secretary David Mundell, have expressed a preference for an early vote.

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However, Foster told reporters: “I am of course a little concerned that if the referendum comes too close to the Northern Ireland [Assembly] elections then the two issues will become integrated. That’s not what we want.”

Mr Jones, meanwhile, is preparing to sign a cross-party letter to Mr Cameron from the Welsh Assembly calling for the vote not to be held in June.

This is expected to say: “The simultaneous existence of multiple party political campaigns and EU referendum campaigns would in itself pose practical and logistical difficulties, but the greater problem 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.”