BNE Campaign Director Lucy Thomas defends President Obama's comments on Britain's membership of the EU, saying that it is vital for out influence and security that we stay in.

Read here: 'Britain's global influence will fade if it turns itself into an Atlantic Singapore'

Shadow Foreign Secretary said the US leader’s dramatic intervention shows the huge risk the Tories are taking by dithering over a referendum.

Read here: 'Labour's Hilary Benn: Cameron is putting UK's international standing at risk after Obama plea to stay in EU'

Eurosceptic attacks on Barack Obama's pro-European comments are misjudged, says Business for New Europe.

BNE Campaign Director Lucy Thomas appeared on BBC London 94.9 to support President Obama's call for Britain to remain a member of the European Union.

Listen here: 'The Breakfast Show with Penny Smith and Paul Ross' (listen from 02:41:00).

The UK must stay in the European Union to continue to have influence on the world stage, US President Barack Obama has told the BBC.

Read here: 'Obama urges UK to stay in European Union'

US president uses BBC interview to say membership allows more influence and strengthens transatlantic union, but faces criticism from Eurosceptic politicians.

Read here: 'Britain must stay in EU "to make world more prosperous", says Obama'

Britain's place in the world would be diminished if we were to leave the EU , US President Barack Obama has said. Pro-European business campaign, Business for New Europe, said this showed how damaging it would be to the future of Britain's interests outside Europe. Obama said that the UK's EU membership "gives us much greater confidence about the strength of the transatlantic union", putting paid to the idea of some kind of special relationship for Britain outside the EU.

Lucy Thomas, Campaign Director of Business for New Europe, said:

"President Obama's comments underline the essential strategic importance of the UK's place in Europe: it is because of our membership that we are valued as such an important ally. The President's carefully considered words show once again what is at stake in this referendum campaign. 
  
"Because our place in Europe doesn't just make sense in Washington, our status in capitals around the world is enhanced by our place at Europe's top table.
 
"Those who are now campaigning for EU exit now have a responsibility to explain to the British people what 'out' would really look like for the UK. What damage would a British exit cause to our strategic partnerships - such as our longstanding relationship with the United States? And how would the UK influence global affairs without a voice inside the world's largest single market?
 
"Those who campaign for exit have long ignored the facts about the economic benefits of the UK's EU membership, but they can no longer ignore the impact exit could have on our influence in world affairs."

Three figures from the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties are working together to set up the foundations of Britain's Yes campaign to the EU.

Read here:

Former Labour candidate joins Tory and Lib Dem at the organisation which is fighting for Britain to stay in Europe.

Read here: 'Will Straw to help lead all-party campaign to stay in EU'

Dr Simon Usherwood, Senior Lecturer in European Politics at the University of Surrey, explains why voters should ignore eurosceptic propaganda and base their votes on the facts.