Live updates: Reaction to WTO chief's Brexit warning

Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have challenged David Cameron to a face-to-face debate ahead of the EU referendum.

Mr Cameron will take questions from an audience live on ITV at 9pm tonight, with Nigel Farage representing the "Leave" side.

Mr Gove and Mr Johnson challenged the prime minister to debate a member of Vote Leave, which Mr Farage is not part of.

In a joint statement, they said: "We think that the public deserve the chance to hear these issues debated face-to-face between the prime minister and a spokesman for Vote Leave so they can judge for themselves which is the safer choice on June 23.

"The prime minister was absolutely right to hold this vote and allow ministers the chance to disagree with him. We hope that in the same spirit he will accept this invitation."

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Vote Leave campaigner Michael Gove has said leaving the EU would enable Britain to forge new partnerships with other major international trading blocs.

The Conservative MP said Britain would be able to establish new trade deals with countries like the US, Canada, India and Japan.

"It's also the case that we will be able to spend some of the money that is currently spent on our behalf by the European Union on our priorities, so it's a win-win if we choose to leave," he said.

Mr Gove's comments come after the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) warned that it could take decades for Britain to negotiate new trade deals if it decides to leave the EU.

David Cameron cited the WTO's warning in a speech in central London today, stressing that leaving the EU would be a "high-risk bet for our children".

Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said David Cameron and the Remain campaign are worried about the outcome of the upcoming EU referendum.

The leading Leave campaigner said "project fear has now become project threat", as the result of the June 23 vote becomes increasingly less clear-cut.

"They thought they'd be comfortably in the lead at this stage of the campaign - they're not," he said. "It's neck and neck, it's anyone's game."

His comments come after the prime minister used a swiftly arranged press conference in central London today to accuse Leave campaigners of telling "complete untruths".

Boris Johnson has criticised people "queuing up" to say Britain "will go down the plughole" if the country votes to leave the European Union.

Mr Johnson said it is "disappointing" to hear "so much negative rhetoric" coming from the UK government and the Remain campaign.

The former Mayor of London was responding to comments made by Janet Yellen, the chair of the US central bank, who said Brexit would lead to "significant economic repercussions".

Earlier the Prime Minister David Cameron said a vote to leave the EU would be a "high-risk bet for our children", which followed an intervention by the head of the World Trade Organisation, who warned that negotiating new trade deals post Brexit could take "decades".

"This is a great country and great economy, and I think people know we can do brilliantly if we take back control not just of huge sums of money, but our immigration policy and our tax and our trade policies," said Mr Johnson.

"This is the chance for us to go global and reflect the scale of what the UK is able to achieve," he added.

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British exporting businesses could be hit by £34 billion in additional red tape costs if the UK leaves the EU, Sajid Javid has said.

The business secretary said being outside the EU's common rule book could severely hit businesses trading in goods and services and cost an average of £80,000 for each exporting business.

Speaking in Canary Wharf as part of the EU referendum campaign trail, he said: "Faced with those huge extra burdens, our companies would simply export less - that would mean lower growth and it would mean fewer jobs."

He added that the EU is crucial for Britain's services sector, which is a "massive driver of our economy" because it is responsible for "80% of UK jobs".

Mr Javid insisted that as a member of the EU, Britain helps sets the rules, and "90% of the time, we get the rules that we want".

The business secretary was speaking at the event with Labour politician Peter Mandelson.

David Cameron has said a vote to leave the European Union would be a "high-risk bet for our children", as he pointed to today's intervention by the head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that negotiating new trade rules after Brexit could take "decades".

Speaking in central London, the prime minister attacked Vote Leave's campaign of "complete untruths", which he said are being used due to a lack of "any credible experts" backing their argument.

Mr Cameron said voting to remain in the EU "matters for your job... for the prices you pay in the supermarket each week, for the mortgage you pay, or your chances of getting on the housing ladder.

"It matters for your pension, the price of your family holiday (and) the money we have available to spend on your local hospital or school," he added.

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