MPs to welcome the local referendums. "This campaign is not a threat to MPs, it's an opportunity. I hope MPs will regard this as an opportunity to restore trust in the political process." Keith Vaz said he has "no hesitation" in asking the British people to settle the issue. "We need to take this argument outside Parliament and let the British people participate in a proper discussion about our role in the EU. I am very confident if we have a referendum that the British people will vote to stay in." There were 13 constituency seats under consideration to have the first referendum including that of MPs Chris Huhne Louise Mensch, Geoffrey Cox and Julie Hilling The constituency of Thurrock was chosen as the first seat to have a referendum. It is held by the Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price who has a 92 majority. Thurrock Thurrock was the first constituency to have the EU referendum and the polls closed on Thursday 5 April 2012. The question on the ballot paper read "Voters should be given a national referendum on whether the UK remains a member of the European Union. Agree or disagree?" The result of the referendum was announced on BBC Radio 4 in a special edition of the PM programme. In total 47,995 ballots were sent out, with 14,590 votes recorded. 13,111 (89.9%) backed a referendum and 1,479 voted against having a referendum.< The turnout was 30.39% considered high even by local government election standards and greater than the last local election results in Thurrock. Labour MP Kate Hoey who visited Thurrock during the campaign was quoted in the Express after the result saying "Thurrock has shown that voters who want a referendum in marginal seats will have real power to decide the outcome of the election. This amazing result should be a wake-up call for all MPs who have said Europe is not an important issue. I visited Thurrock during the campaign and was impressed with the enthusiasm for the Pledge campaign. There is huge disenchantment with all the mainstream political parties with their failure to keep their promises on a referendum on the EU. Today a clear message has gone to MPs who oppose giving the British people a say – listen to us or lose our vote." More than 9,000 voters in Thurrock also signed the Pledge, where they commit to only vote for candidates that