LABOUR’S battlebus urging people to vote to stay in the EU began its journey around the North-East on Wednesday at Hitachi’s new £86m factory in Newton Aycliffe.

The Japanese train-building factory, which is creating more than 700 jobs, was chosen as the starting point to highlight what the Remain camp believes are the dangers of Brexit.

“It is very unlikely that the Hitachi would have been attracted here if we had been outside,” said the campaign leader, former Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

The Northern Echo: IN CAMPAIGNERS: At Hitachi in Newton Aycliffe yesterday, from left to right: Phil Wilson, Sedgefield MP; Chair of the Labour In Campaign, Alan Johnson MP; Sir Stephen Gomersall, Hitachi's group chairman in Europe; Darren Cumner, Hitachi plant manager,

Chair of the Labour In Campaign, Alan Johnson MP on a visit to Hitachi Rail Europe in Newton Aycliffe, with the Labour In Campaign Battle Bus. Picture: TOM BANKS

“They are called Hitachi Rail Europe. They have set up here as the gateway to the huge opportunities in the EU. They have access to the biggest commercial market in the world – bigger than China, bigger than the US, with 520m consumers, and they can access it without any tariffs and with common regulations for 28 countries.

“If you want to build trains and sell them in that huge market this is the place to be. No one knows what it would look like outside the EU, all we know is that there would be years of uncertainty at the end of which we may be trying to scramble back to the position we were in before we turned our backs on that market.”

However, Richmond Conservative MP Rishi Sunak, who is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU, said: “There’s a huge opportunity for businesses, especially smaller businesses, outside the EU, away from its costly regulation and through better trade agreements with other fast growing markets around the world. That is the great benefit of leaving.”

Sir Stephen Gomersall, Hitachi’s group chairman for Europe, was on hand to see Labour’s bus off as it headed towards Teesside.

He said that the “investment case” for Hitachi would look “a lot weaker” if Britain were outside the EU.

He said: “The question is for British voters but we are committed to building our base in Europe and we came to the UK because it offered the best platform to the whole European market.

“Our business wants a strong Britain and a strong Europe and Brexit would pose a threat to not only the economy of the UK but it would have repercussions elsewhere. It is very clear that we hope the British will vote to stay in.”

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson said: “Hitachi wants to expand here in Aycliffe, and one of the ways will be by exporting to the EU and that will be more difficult if we pull out.”

On Thursday, Labour’s bus will be on Tyneside where it will be joined by Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn.

Next week, Mr Sunak is holding four question-and-answer sessions in his constituency and so far, nearly 100 people have signed up for each night. The events start at 6pm and are at Northallerton Town Hall on Monday, Stokesley Town Hall on Tuesday, Richmond Town Hall on Wednesday, and Tennants at Leyburn on Thursday. To register, go to Mr Sunak’s website.