Gordon Brown tells voters: show Churchillian spirit and vote to stay in the EU

Gordon Brown today weighs into the EU debate with an impassioned appeal for voters to maintain British values and the “Churchillian spirit” by voting to remain in the bloc.

The former prime minister said it would be “certainly not British” for this country to sit on the periphery of international affairs with at a time when countries are joining forces to tackle terrorism, illegal immigration and tax avoidance.

On the same day as Chuka Umunna attacks Leave campaigners, Brown invoked a series of football analogies as the Labour In campaign seeks to draw on his heavyweight appeal after weeks of polls showed only a narrow gap between the two campaigns.

Brown, who stepped down as an MP last year, highlighted the success of title-winners Leicester City to say how “being in Europe” marks a success in football but breeds suspicion in politics.

“In the mind of a sports fan, being in Europe is the dream, while in the minds of many others, in some cases those same supporters, it is the nightmare”, he wrote in the Mirror.

“Ask Leicester City’s heroes what they are most looking forward to next season after their tumultuous achievements. It will be the European stage.

“It’s what all of our clubs strive for. The giants of our game need to be there, for prestige and the massive financial rewards, while the rest pray for a crack at it.

“But all of this begs the question – when Europe is the peak of ambition in football and we compete so ferociously to get there, why in other spheres of British life do so many seek to reject it?”

Brown’s intervention comes months after he made a series of emotional speeches in the closing weeks of the Scotland referendum, which were credited with persuading Labour voters to reject the SNP’s demands for independence.

Today Brown draws on Britain’s long history of international engagement and evokes the sacrifices of World War Two as he draws a parallel with “aggression” from Europe’s neighbours today.

“As well as being a leader we must also show the qualities that have helped build Britain’s worldwide reputation for fair play and stability.

“I think most people would agree that it’s not British or in tune with the Churchillian spirit, to simply disengage when Ukraine is in turmoil, Russia is the aggressor and Europe’s eastern border is in chaos.

“It’s not British – in the spirit of a country that defeated fascism on the continent of Europe – to retreat to Europe’s sidelines when there is a common fight against illegal immigration and terrorism.”

Brown speaks out today before a key speech on the EU tomorrow. It comes as Umunna repeats his accusation that Leave campaigners are peddling “dodgy goods” when they claim support from elements of the business community.

Umunna, a former shadow Business Secretary, lays into some of the “misinformation” provided by the Out campaigns. Several prominent Eurosceptics have claimed that the City’s support for the EU is balanced by widespread hostility among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) but Umunna attacks this notion.

“Often it is claimed micro, small and medium sized businesses are more in favour of leaving Europe than bigger businesses, who favour remaining. But the evidence does not support this. A clear majority of small businesses consistently support staying in the EU.

“That’s because Britain’s home market is the EU’s single market. Small businesses benefit from the single market as it offers tariff-free trade, full access to the EU goods and service markets and the UK Government has regulatory influence so it can promote and defend their interests.

He goes on to say: “The Leave campaigns like to claim business opinion is split down the middle on the EU but this is deliberate misinformation. If they were retailers, Leave campaigners would be reported to Trading Standards.  Their dodgy goods, sold with the complicity of some of our print media, need more scrutiny than they’re currently receiving.

“Polls from business organisations including Tech UK, the EEF and, just this week, the Institute of Directors, have all shown overwhelming support amongst businesses for being in Europe.  Even after the row following the exit of their former Director-General to join Vote Leave, a clear majority of those surveyed by the British Chambers support Britain remaining in the EU.  So, enough of their dodgy claims: no matter which way Leave campaigners try to spin it, British business overwhelmingly wants us to stay in.”