Angela Eagle MP, Labour’s Shadow First Secretary of State and Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, commenting on the letter from Airbus Group chiefs to their 15,000 UK employees and their supply chain on Britain’s place in Europe, said:

“This letter backing Britain’s continued membership of the European Union is from a world-leading business who have a significant footprint in the UK and directly employ thousands of people in high-skilled, well-paid jobs. It is a hugely welcome intervention and shows exactly what’s on the line for workers and businesses in the referendum.

"Many businesses set up in Britain because we have access to the largest single market in the world and are an outward-looking, proud trading nation. Britain is better off in Europe because it brings us jobs, growth and investment. It is vital that our businesses - large and small - which rely on trade with Europe, can benefit by exporting more and create more jobs here in the UK.”