Portsmouth has a '˜decisive part to play' in EU referendum says Michael Gove

That’s the view of Michael Gove as he today pays a final visit to the city in the run-up to Thursday’s crunch vote.

The justice minister, who is a leading figure in the Leave party, arrived in Portsmouth this morning on the Brexit battle bus.

He will be speaking to people at Guildhall before heading off to Southampton on the whistle-stop tour of the south.

Speaking to The News, Mr Gove urged city voters – whatever their stance on the referendum – to hit the polls and make their voices heard.

‘Portsmouth is a proud city and has helped shaped Britain’s history,’ said the Tory MP.

‘Every vote counts across the country but especially in Portsmouth and if people believe that our country is better run by people who are accountable to them, if they believe in our democracy and want to see it reinvigorated I hope they vote to leave tomorrow.

‘The simple question I would like people to ask themselves is this: who is going to run the country better – unelected and unaccountable people in Brussels who we can’t throw out when they get things wrong or people in this country who are answerable to you and who will follow the instructions you send them?’

He added: ‘If you vote in Portsmouth you could play a decisive part in deciding Britain’s future.’

Campaigners fighting for the UK to remain in Europe argue that leaving the union could put thousands of jobs at risk and untold strain on the nation’s economy.

The effort is backed by more than 1,700 senior business leaders of FTSE 100 companies in the UK who said a vote to leave would be damaging to Britain.

Polling stations will open tomorrow from 7am until 10pm.