RECENTLY I announced that if I were to be elected to represent the Southampton Itchen Constituency in Parliament I would hold referendums on significant issues prior to voting in parliamentary debates.

These referendums will, of course, not be as scientific as I would like them to be and I will not be bound by the outcome but will take full account of the result before I make my decision. I will ensure that everyone who takes part is told how I voted in the specific debate. They will then be able to use that information to make future voting decisions. It is simple and honest and really helps to bring decision-making closer to the people.

I will use Facebook, Twitter, web polling, email, text and more traditional methods to gauge public opinion and I would expect the local media to want to involve themselves, too.

There have been a few notable examples recently when using this idea would have given constituents the opportunity to make their views known before the parliamentary vote took place – equal marriage, Syria and an in/out EU Referendum are just a few.

My Labour opponent made inaccurate comments about how these referendums would be paid for. She said I would use public cash to fund them. Let me state categorically that they will not be paid for by the taxpayer. Southampton Itchen Conservatives will fund them through donations and fundraising. My Labour opponent has either deliberately tried to mislead voters or she has demonstrated her lack of experience.

The city council would never be obliged to carry out a referendum on behalf of an MP, perhaps someone in her party should have told her that before she rushed to rubbish the idea. My opponent clearly thinks residents should not be consulted before a major decision is taken in Parliament, I disagree.

I am committed to fighting for the best possible deal for Southampton, whether that is in the council chamber or in Parliament.

Ensuring I fully know and understand the views of my constituents is, in my mind, a critical part of that.

Royston Smith, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Itchen