June Sarpong’s selection for launching the European Union’s ‘In’ campaign, reportedly to attract younger supporters, was met by a flurry of tweets claiming the target audience is unsure of who she is.
Sarpong, a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, is perhaps best known for presenting the daytime show T4 for nine years. Her name was trending on Twitter on Monday after she launched the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign in east London.
In her speech, Sarpong called for “a real, sensible conversation” about Britain’s future based on “truth, not scaremongering and separation".
“We are living in very complex times and we need to work together as a united Europe in order to tackle these issues that we are facing," she said.
“We need the efficiency of the Germans, the pragmatism of the Finns, the innovation of the Swedes, we also need the creativity of the Italians and, of course, the Frenchness of the French.”
Her address was met with tweets disputing her appeal to younger voters.
A referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU is due to be held by 2017. A Euroscepetic campaign backed by the Ukip leader Nigel Farage was launched on Friday.
The Stronger in Europe campaign is chaired by Lord Rose and is one of two drives to keep Britain in the EU. It is backed by the Apprentice star Karren Brady and enjoys cross-party support from figures including Lord Mandelson, Liberal Democrat former Treasury minister Danny Alexander, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Tory former Home Office minister Damian Green and ex-Labour frontbencher Chuka Umunna.
Lord Rose has warned that leaving the EU would be a “leap in the dark” for Britain.
The Independent has contacted the Stronger in Europe campaign for comment.
