Chris Grayling hosts Vote Leave rally in Southampton

Vote Leave supporters and advocates of cutting ties with the European Union, gathered at St Mary's Stadium to hear the leader of the House of Commons warn that staying in would suck Britain into a "United States of Europe".

Comparing Brexit to Southampton FC's rise up the football pyramid, the Conservative minister said Britain could join the "Premier League of independent nations" with a Leave vote.

In a speech and Q&A tackling trade, defence, sovereignty, the EU budget and campaign tactics, he said population growth leaves free EU migration unsustainable.

He said: "This is a city that has benefitted from migration. There are people in this city who have made a hugely valuable contribution to it, who've come from other countries, but I do not believe for a moment we can possibly absorb that flow of people into the United Kingdom.

"We haven't got the schools, we haven't got the hospitals, we haven't got the housing, we haven't got the roads."

He added: "If we keep having a city the size of Southampton coming into the UK each year, and then more, that is going to be much more difficult."

It came on the first day of the formal referendum campaign, with 69 days left before the vote on June 23.

Supporters brandished banners with messages like 'Take Control' and 'Our Money, Our Priorities'.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, Mr Grayling said Southampton's leading research sector could work more freely with the wider world after Brexit without losing access to European networks.

He said: "Ports like Southampton benefit from global trade.

"If you look at where the most exciting innovations are happening around the world, it's important for a city like Southampton and university like Southampton to have links with Asia and North America as well. Being outside the European Union doesn't stop us having really close important tie-ups internationally."

Ian Brown, South East chairman of Business for Britain, said British industry had avoided disaster by keeping the pound and warned that staying in the union could be equally damaging.

He told the Daily Echo that local contractors were losing work due to European regulations and worker's rights would be protected outside the union.

He said: "We've got a free trade deal with the European Union at the moment. From a simple and small businessman's point of view, that could be a very quick and very simple process to recreate with the UK outside the European Union."

Asked how Brexit would benefit Hampshire business, he said: "Off the top of my head, I don't know how you could improve things but it certainly wouldn't make things any worse for anybody if we leave the European Union."

The rally also heard from Students for Britain chair Matthew Cowley and Paulette Furse, of Women for Britain, who expressed fears that British children would suffer unemployment like Greece or Spain in the event of a Remain vote.

The UK's referendum on whether or not to stay in the European Union is held on June 23.