Brexit campaign dominated by “older men shouting about immigration”

Speaking at The Argus's EU debate she said we should “stop apologising for free movement”, and that leaving the EU would mean giving up the gift of being able to live, love, work, travel and retire in 28 countries.

But MEP and Leave campaigner Daniel Hannan said anyone voting Leave expecting immigration to stop overnight would be disappointed, and stressed “the problem with the EU is that it has become remote, undemocratic, cut off from the people it purports to speak for and a plaything for corporates and lobbyists.”

He drew laughs for comparing voting to remain in the EU because you like Europe with supporting FIFA because you like football.

Other hot topics covered by the panel and their questioners included the economy, the prospects for young people, whether the EU was a force for peace, and two competing visions for a future in, or out, of the union.

Hove MP Peter Kyle responded to a question on investment by saying: “All we can do is point to facts, and say every business and entrepreneur will have access to the largest free trade area in the world. The opposite is to offer instability and insecurity because there is no certainty as to what would come next.”

But Rory Broomfield of the Freedom Association argued: “Outside of the EU the government could, if it wished, regulate for the British economy rather than having the EU regulate on behalf of 28 nations. So the benefits of being outside to attract business would be to make investment conditions suitable.”

The show of hands from the 400-strong audience at the Clarendon Centre in New England Street, Brighton, might have suggested a slight movement from Leave to Remain during the course of the evening, but both camps were well represented and in good voice.

One young Brighton man said that he had entered the auditorium as a Leaver but had decided to Remain after hearing the panel.  He was worried about the future of his European friends who live in the city.

Mr Hannan said categorically that nothing would change except that they would no longer be able to vote in local elections, adding: “It is outrageous to sow doubts in the mind of those people for political point scoring.”

But Ms Lucas said: “Young people are the lifeblood of this city and more insecurity is the last thing they want. We don’t know what’s going to happen to ex-pats or to European migrants here.”

The sides also clashed over war and peace: Mr Kyle said that the EU was a force for good, and a civilising influence on the countries still hoping to join like Albania which has just abolished the death penalty.

But Mr Hannan asked: “Is binding these countries together through Schengen and the eurozone stoking or soothing national antagonisms across the continent?”