David Cameron will today hammer home the economic arguments for remaining in the EU – as politicians and activists of the main Remain-supporting parties stage a day of action to save Britain’s membership of the bloc.
The Prime Minister will unveil a poster bearing the Treasury’s claim that every family would be £4,300 worse off in the event of Brexit – and argue that the decision being put to the British people is “bigger than party politics”.
At the same time, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will lay out his vision for remaining in the EU in a speech at the QEII centre in Westminster, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron will lead a campaign in Kendall, and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas will make her case in Brighton.
Mr Corbyn in particular is stepping up after having been urged by some of his MPs to take a greater role in defending membership of the European Union.
MP Jo Cox yesterday told the Indpenedent he should use his “unique voice” as a sometime eurosceptic to convince wavering Labour voters.
The Labour leader yesterday urged young people to register to vote for the referendum, warning that those who neglected to do so would be left with “no voice”.
In total Remain campaigners say they will be staging 1,000 events led by around 6,200 campaigners from Britain Stronger in Europe. The campaign’s organisers hope the push will help their side open up a lead in the polls – which have been stubbornly close in recent months.
Mr Cameron is expected to emphasise the cross-party nature of the campaign in a speech today – a risky strategy reminiscent of some aspects of the Better Together approach during the Scottish Independence Referendum.
“And not in some abstract or remote way. We’ll see the effects of this referendum in our lives: the jobs we do, the opportunities our children have, the public services we rely on, the prices we pay, and the bills that land on our doormats,” he is expected to say.
“This is bigger than party politics. Its effects will last longer than our lifetimes. So we are saying with one voice: make sure Britain is stronger, safer and better off – and vote to remain in a reformed European Union.
“This is a day unlike any other: politicians of every stripe taking to the streets with the same message. Because we face a vote unlike any other, one which will shape our country for decades – even generations – to come," Mr Cameron said.
“This is bigger than party politics. Its effects will last longer than our lifetimes. So we are saying with one voice: make sure Britain is stronger, safer and better off – and vote to remain in a reformed European Union.”
Over recent days the Leave camp has been running stalls around the country, with key figures taking their campans to the road. Former mayor of London Boris Johnson paid a visit to Cornwall, where he warned against migrants coming to Britain without a job offer.
Conservative MP David Davis also on Friday warned it was “grossly unfair” of the Remain camp to dismiss concerns about immigration as being only associated with Ukip.
Top-ranking institutional economists however issued warnings about Brexit this week.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney said the event could cause a sharp collapse in the value of the pound, while the IMF’s Christine Lagarde warned the effect of Brexit on the British economy ranged from “pretty bad to very, very bad”.
The public will vote on whether Britain should remain in the European Union on 23 June this year.
