With just a week to go to the EU Referendum, the leaders of 10 councils outside London – including Manchester – have said leaving the EU would be “a grave threat” to local economies.
The BBC reports a ‘letter signed by leaders from cities including Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow said a vote to leave would put cities in serious economic danger’, but Vote Leave said the cities had prospered “in spite of” EU membership.
“Leaving would be a grave threat to our local economies, risking people’s jobs and livelihoods,” the letter from the Core Cities group of councils said.
“If we vote for Brexit, it will be those at the sharp end – working people, not the leaders of the leave campaign, who will pay the price.
“A vote for Remain is a vote for prosperity and progress for Britain’s cities. A vote to leave is a vote for serious economic danger. It is simply not worth the risk.”
The 10 signatories are from Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
The Manchester Evening News has also come out in support of staying in the EU.
Its editorialised front page says today: ‘Why STAYING in the EU is good for Greater Manchester’.
It goes on: “The Manchester Evening News believes Greater Manchester will be better off inside.
“In the sound and fury of the scaremongering and speculation, it has been difficult to navigate the referendum debate.
“The hype has made it hard to believe anything said by politicians.
“But we believe a cool, clear-eyed assessment of what we do know – and what is most likely – means that despite the many flaws, EU membership has been good to our region.”
The paper also sets out six reasons why Britain is better off in the EU.
They include immigration, security, universities, jobs and employment, Manchester Airport and shopping.