NOVELIST and former Tory MP Edwina Currie joined Britain Stronger In Europe volunteers in Yarm calling for voters to back staying in Europe.

The one-time Government minister said North-East jobs would be placed at risk should the region back a British exit from the EU on June 23 and that farmers would lose out.

Ms Currie said: "Great morning in Yarm. What a stunning place. And it's clear people are thinking hard about the Referendum vote - it matters to us all.

“If we leave the EU we lose such a lot - we'd have to renegotiate all our trade deals, we'd put the livelihoods of millions of UK workers and businesses at risk, we'd be on our own in a competitive global marketplace.

“In rural areas such as North Yorkshire and County Durham, farmers know that making ends meet can depend on payments from the EU Common Agricultural Policy. It's not perfect, but it has saved many a small farm and helped keep people in farming.

“So there are lots of reasons to vote Remain, and I hope everyone will do just that on June 23."

Yesterday, Vote Leave – the organisation backed by senior Westminster figures including Boris Johnson and Michael Gove – was chosen as the official “leave” campaign for the vote.