EU Referendum

Cameron likens Brexit to putting 'bomb under economy'

David Cameron Tim Farron and Harriet Harman Image copyright Reuters

David Cameron joined up with political rivals as he claimed an EU exit would put "a bomb under our economy".

Alongside Labour's Harriet Harman, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron and the Greens' Natalie Bennett, he accused the Leave campaign of being "reckless" over the economic case for quitting the EU.

His comments come as senior Tories trade blows over the 23 June poll.

Vote Leave said it had "set out a series of pledges about how life will be better if we take back control".

It said the pro-Remain politicians' speeches were "desperate stuff from an increasingly desperate campaign".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - who is also backing a vote to stay in the EU - has refused to share a platform with Mr Cameron, so former deputy leader Ms Harman joined the other party leaders at the event in London.

She said she was "fearful" that workers' rights would not be protected if the UK votes to leave, and said the government, not the EU, should be blamed for pressures on the NHS and housing supply.

Trade and economy

How trade and the UK's economy are affected by membership of the EU.

Why this issue matters

The debate

  • About half of UK overseas trade is conducted with the EU
  • The EU single market allows the free movement of goods, services, capital and workers
  • Trade negotiations with other parts of the world are conducted by the EU, not individual member states

Leave

  • UK companies would be freed from the burden of EU regulation
  • Trade with EU countries would continue because we import more from them than we export to them
  • Britain would be able to negotiate its own trade deals with other countries

Remain

  • Brexit would cause an economic shock and growth would be slower
  • As a share of exports Britain is more dependent on the rest of the EU than they are on us
  • The UK would still have to apply EU rules to retain access to the single market

Ms Bennett cited environmental protections she said were the result of EU action and Mr Farron said the "pretty unlikely show of cross-party unity" showed the strength of feeling against "made-up" spending pledges being made by the rival side.

In his speech, the PM repeated his warning of a "decade of uncertainty" if Britain leaves the EU and accused the Leave side of "sticking pins on a map" over how a future trade arrangement would work.

He said the rival campaign, being spearheaded by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, was "playing with people's jobs" and trying to "dodge questions", accusing them of playing an "economic con trick on the British people".

Image copyright PA
Image caption Natalie Bennett said there had been too much focus on "internal party matters" in the EU debate
Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption Conservatives Boris Johnson and Michael Gove appeared at a rival event for the Leave side

At a Vote Leave campaign event, Mr Johnson said the benefits of being in the EU single market had been "wildly overstated" saying: "The vision for taking this country forward is about taking back control."

He said the UK could gain from free trade deals with China and the United States but that the UK could not do this as an EU member because such deals were controlled by the European Commission.

"It is a delusion to think we can somehow gain greater prosperity by bartering away our freedom and our democracy," he said, challenging the Remain side to spell out how they would tackle pressure on the NHS and housing caused by rising immigration.

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