THE “beautiful” Sussex coast is an example for the rest of the Britain to follow in its harmonious combination of nature, tourism and farming, a Government minister has said.

Environment minister Rory Stewart described the county’s coastline as “probably the most striking landscape in the whole of Britain” following a visit to Beachy Head with Natural England.

The minister also told The Argus that staying in the EU would give the greatest protection for Brighton and Hove’s world famous collection of elms from disease.

The former Harvard University lecturer said that freeing Sussex fisherman from EU quotas would eventually harm fish populations rather than help the industry to flourish.

Mr Stewart was speaking exclusively to The Argus during a visit to the University of Sussex for a grilling by students in a Q&A on the environment and the EU referendum.

He called on students to register to vote in the referendum before the end of the month.

He urged them not to miss out on the “biggest political decision” of their lives and not to leave a decision affecting “them, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren” to older generations.

Mr Stewart said Britain’s standing as an island was largely irrelevant when it came to the environment, when 80 per cent of its birds migrated elsewhere and up to 50 per cent of air pollution is blown over from mainland Europe.

The Penrith and The Border MP said it was vital that Britain remained a presence around the EU table for vital upcoming negotiations aimed at cutting air pollution deaths by half by 2030 and discussions on ammonia and methane emissions which could threaten the country’s open field farming.

He said countries like Norway still had to abide by EU environmental regulations but had no say in shaping it.

Speaking about the Sussex coastline, he said: “Beachy Head is probably the most striking landscape in the whole of Britain.

“The Sussex coast is an example for Britain, a model of tourism, farming and environment working together.”

Mr Stewart said the greatest benefit in terms of trees of EU membership was a database of invasive species sightings which were vital to prevent any return of the devastating Dutch Elm disease as well as protecting native oak and ash trees.

He said: “Under the EU scheme, if there is an Asian hornet wasp spotted in Italy, an image can be seen in Britain for scientists to identify it.”