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EU row: Cameron has 'low opinion of British people'

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has accused the Prime Minister of having "a low opinion of the British people" by downplaying the UK's prospects if it left the EU.

It comes after a Sunday newspaper column in which David Cameron accused MPs backing an EU exit of wanting to take "the gamble of the century" with the country's future.

Amid rising tensions between the pro- and anti-Brexit camps, Mr Cameron has reportedly been threatened with a challenge to his leadership unless he tones down attacks on MPs backing the "leave" campaign.

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Around half of bosses of Britain's top firms will 'back staying in EU'

David Cameron is campaigning to stay in the EU Credit: PA

Around half of the bosses of Britain's 100 biggest companies are preparing to back David Cameron's campaign to keep the country in the European Union, it has been reported.

Chief executives and chairmen from around 50 FTSE companies are prepared to sign a letter in support of the Prime Minister's re-negotiation package, the Financial Times reported.

Supporters are said to include senior figures from Shell, BAE Systems, BT and Rio Tinto.

The move comes after Boris Johnson, five Cabinet ministers and a large swathe of Conservative backbenchers declared their support for Brexit this weekend.

A draft of the letter, which is due to be published on Tuesday, states: "Following the prime minister's renegotiation we believe that Britain is better off staying in a reformed EU."

The FT said that the bosses of a number of smaller companies were also expected to sign.

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