Now is the worst possible time to take a gamble on Brexit, Osborne says

Brexit could deliver a "profound economic shock" the chancellor told the BBC´s political editor Laura Kuenssberg.

In remarks made from the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers´ meeting in Shanghai, China, George Osborne said: "With risks facing global economy most heightened since crash, now would be worst time for UK to take gamble of EU exit."

Osborne told the BBC he would do everything to stop it from happening.

'Tweeting' from his own account later in the day Osborne said the referendum on Britain´s continued membership of the European Union was about people´s jobs, livelihoods and living standards.

"You've seen the value of the pound fall and it reminds us all that this is not some political parlour game," he reportedly also told the BBC.

As of 16:14GMT cable was trading 0.62% lower at 1.3877, alongside gains of four basis points to 1.41% in the yield on the benchmark 10-year Gilt, while the Footsie was up 1.61% to 6,109.89.