Tory peer appeals to football bosses on EU in campaign

There was a stark warning from an unlikely source for Britons pondering Brexit on Friday, as a Tory peer and vice-chairman of a Premier League side warned in a letter the sport would suffer if the United Kingdom were to leave the European Union.

Karren Brady, a Conservative member of the House of Lords, wrote to her fellow chairmen at West Ham, warning them of difficulty in signing top European players should Britain leave, with the resultant restrictions on the free movement of workers.

She also pointed out the benefits of visa-free travel and easy access to mobile phone networks for fans travelling to the continent to watch their teams.

In the letter, published by the 'Stronger In' campaign, Brady also pointed out that European Union was helping to foster the sport among the young and the amateur, with money for grassroots football.

"Cutting ourselves off from Europe would have devastating consequences for the economy and the competitiveness of British football, and wouls stand in stark contrast to football's spirit of openness and inclusion," Brady wrote.

"Leaving the EU would hurt our leagues, create uncertainty for European transfers and be a step back for the next generation of footballers," she added.

With the news this week that the in-out referendum could be held in June, the in campaigns were stepping up their efforts to reach voters who were struggling to find relevance with the referendum.

The peer - who was also chief executive of Birmingham City from 1993 to 2009 - asked the chairmen at West Ham to communicate with fans about the benefits of staying in the union.

Brady said that there were nearly 200 players in the Premier League who were from other EU countries, therefore benefiting from the visa-free freedom of movement in the 28-nation bloc.