Boris Johnson believes pound would benefit from Brexit

London Mayor Boris Johnson said on Friday he believed sterling would benefit if Britain voted to leave the European Union in a 23 June referendum.

Johnson, who is in favour of a Brexit, said the pound would be bolstered if Britain left the EU because it the economy would be freed from EU regulation.

"Sterling and euro will continue to fluctuate as they always have done but sterling will reflect the long term health and strength of the UK economy and trade flows and investment flows and people's willingness to buy UK products and invest in the UK," Johnson said at an “Out” campaign event.

"The more we can get rid of the regulation, the red tape, the cost of the EU, the better we'll do and the more we'll thrive and the more robust our currency will be," he said in Dartford, southeast England.

His remarks come after prime minster David Cameron said on Thursday that the pound would come under pressure and the Britain's $2.9trn economy would suffer if people voted to leave the EU.

The pound rose 1.0% against the US dollar 1700 GMT.