A PROMINENT miners’ leader has thrown his weight behind the campaign for the UK to remain in Europe.

Durham Miners’ Association general secretary Dave Hopper believes voting to leave Europe on June 23 would be a “major disaster” for the North- East.

Despite campaigning against the UK joining Europe back in 1973, the General Secretary of Durham Miners’ Association says a British exit from the world’s largest trading bloc would harm the trade union movement.

The 72-year-old was a coal miner at Wearmouth Colliery all of his working life and has been General Secretary of DMA since 1985.

He is also secretary of the North-East area of the National Union of Mineworkers and a member of the NUM’s National Executive.

Mr Hopper said: “A tremendous amount of jobs and people’s hopes and dreams for the future depend on our industry, such as the Nissan factory in Sunderland.

“If we come out of Europe, our industry risks losing trade with other countries, and that would be a major disaster for the North-East.”

He added: “We have been in Europe now for more than 40 years. I think to leave after that amount of time without any clear, alternative option is a jump into the dark.

“The European Union isn’t perfect but neither is any system anywhere in the world. I don’t think we are living in utopia but I think we have a lot of things to be thankful for.

“As a trade unionist, our unions are stronger in Europe than they would be with the UK out on its own. European Union legislation underpins and protects workers’ rights.”

“We can take our grievances to the European system, which is more sympathetic to the trade union movement than the UK Government.”