THE bosses of some of the region's top companies, including leading names in the manufacturing, law, IT, property, and chemical process sectors, have signed a letter in support of the UK remaining inside the European Union.

North-East mayoral candidate and entrepreneur Jeremy Middleton, alongside chiefs at Nifco, ElringKlinger, Kromek, and Darlington's Mintronics Ltd are among almost 60 North-East business leaders backing the letter that says leaving the EU would deter investment, threaten jobs and put the regional economy at risk.

The initiative was launched following a conversation last week between Geoff Ford, chairman of South Shields-based Ford Engineering, and Richard Swart, global operations director at Berger Group, Peterlee, who agreed that the voice of business needed to be heard more loudly on the upcoming referendum.

They have made it clear that the letter, which has been sent to the editors of North-East newspapers as well as local broadcast journalists, is not part of the official Britain Stronger In Europe campaign, although they share common ground.

Mr Swart said he believed many more local bosses would add their names in the run up to the poll on June 23.

The letter reads:

“Sir/Madam, 
We the undersigned lead businesses from different sectors and areas in the North-East. Together we employ thousands of people across the region. EU membership has been an important driver of economic development in the North-East.

Businesses in the North-East need unrestricted access to the European market of 500 million people in order to continue to grow, invest and create jobs.

We support the UK remaining a member of the European Union, and add our voice to the major unions, business organisations, manufacturers, local government leaders, major party leaders and our international allies and friends sharing this common desire.

We recognise the EU is not perfect. However, we also recognise that the UK has benefitted enormously since the joining in 1975, making the terrible 70's a distant past, and helping in no small measure to make the UK one of the strongest economies in the world.

We believe that leaving the EU would deter investment, threaten jobs and put the North-East economy at risk.

The UK is one of the most powerful nations within the EU and has made significant contributions to making the EU better in terms of trade, rights and security.

We wish this role to continue and we believe continued membership to be in the best interests of jobs, trade and investment, security and maintaining and enhancing the UK's leading position in the world. Britain will be stronger, safer and better off remaining a member of the EU.”

To contact the campaign email: richswartbusiness@btinternet.com

The letter's signatories are: 

Geoff Ford MBE Ford Engineering Group, South Shields
Matt Boyle Sevcon, Gateshead
Arnab Basu MBE Kromek, Sedgefield
Nigel Mills Lakes Distillery, Newcastle
Gordon Ollivere MBE RTC North, Sunderland
Stan Higgins NEPIC (signed in a private capacity), Redcar
Richard Swart  Berger Group Europe, Peterlee
Jeremy Middleton Middleton Enterprises, Newcastle,
Kevan Carrick JK Property, Newcastle
Mike Matthews MBE Nifco, Stockton
Graeme Parkin Dyer Engineering, Consett
Chris Bond Hardy Advanced Composites, Alnwick
Ian Dell Chemian Technology Ltd, Darlington
Omar Al-Janabi ARMA
Katharine Paterson So To Company
Wendy Kipling Hanson Riley
Dave Bartell Expert Tooling & Automation, Houghton le Spring
Phil Coverdale Cravens
Ian Malcolm ElringKlinger (GB) Ltd, Redcar
Mike Meynell Carroll & Meynell, Stockton
Nick Megson Reprotek (UK) Ltd, Durham
John Minto Mintronics Ltd, Darlington
Dr Pattanathu Rahman TeeGene Biotech Ltd, Redcar
Alby Pattison Hart Biologicals Ltd, Hartlepool
Tim Cantle-Jones Future Energy, Newcastle
Stewart MacKinnon Headline Pictures Ltd, Newcastle
Paul Barron Executives Online, Newcastle
James Robson MBE Exwold Technology Ltd, Hartlepool
Ian Dormer CBE Rosh Engineering, Birtley
Lucy Armstrong The Alchemists, Gateshead
Hugh Morgan-Williams OBE NTW NHS Trust, Newcastle
Alex Cooper CFR Executive Search, Newcastle
Neil Barker emBarkArchitecture, Newcastle
Sandra Innes Innes Gilbert Ltd, Hexham
Keith Miller Ecco Finishing Supplies, Middlesbrough
Caroline Theobald CBE Bridge Club, Hexham
Prof Roy Sandbach Chair of Innovation Board, NELEP
Gary Storey Achieve Digital Marketing, Durham
Ian Richards Northstar Ventures Ltd, Newcastle
Jerry Hall Decide Marketing, Newcastle
Robert Bett Ma1nTech Industrial Solutions, Middlesborough
Robert Gibson Samuel Phillips Law Firm, Newcastle
Alan Donnelly Sovereign Strategy, South Shields
Jonathan Grubin So Post, Newcastle
Andrew Mitchell North East Finance, Durham
Shaun Oakes IEVO Security Solutions, Newcastle
Brian Aitken Brian Aitken Associates, Prudhoe
Ian Stark Chemoxy International Ltd
Alan Sanderson NHS Innovations North, Sunderland