WORCESTER'S MP urged pub-goers to help Britain "lead and not leave" the EU during an impassioned debate last night.

Robin Walker took part in Worcester's final Q&A at the Cap 'N' Gown before Thursday’s referendum by issuing an impassioned plea for Remain.

But the night also saw the chief executive of pressure group The Freedom Association turn up to savage David Cameron, calling the Prime Minister "a liar" over the way he has handled the campaign.

Simon Richards, who is from Cheltenham and runs the pressure body, said both the PM and Chancellor George Osborne have over-egged the concerns about Brexit.

But he also criticised Leave over its controversial £350 million weekly EU 'cost' figure, calling it "dishonest".

Mr Walker called himself a "Eurosceptic" but told the packed pub his serious concerns about the economy led him to back Remain in recent months.

"Europe does need to change and there's lots I'd like to see changed in it, but my argument is to let us lead, and not leave," he said.

"I was sceptical about it and still am, that it can solve all our problems, but my experience as an MP is that all of those key decisions, how much we spend on education, the NHS, defence, all of those are made by parliament."

He said Britain's "remarkable record" of direct foreign investment is largely down to being in the single market of 500 million EU customers, saying the Commonwealth nations see the UK as "a conduit" to European business.

But Simon Richards, who attended the debate to back Leave, said neither side had covered themselves in glory.

"That £350 million is not a fire I would have used, or would have used in this campaign," he said.

"I think we should be a bit more honest with the public, the true figure is around £180 million a week, it's big enough that we shouldn't need to exaggerate.

"But I do also have to say, and I say this as a member of the Conservative Party, that the tactics of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have been a disgrace.

"There's been a great deal of exaggeration on both sides."

He savaged the EU for having "appallingly low growth rates and scandalous unemployment", and criticised its "lack of democracy" before saying Britain would be better off leaving.

VISA SYSTEM DESCRIBED AS ‘UNFAIR’

THE Government came under fire for being "unfair" to non-EU nationals during the Cap 'N' Gown debate.

Saqib Bhatti, president of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, was invited to the debate to back Leave and said the UK has a "chaotic visa system" that stops talented people from settling, to compensate for EU freedom of movement.

"We're the fifth largest economy in the world, a truly global nation but we've had to crack down on our visa regime so much due to this EU freedom of movement system," he said.

He told the pub a "talented computer programmer from Bangalore" would be denied a visa while less talented EU nationals came come in freely, harming the economic growth of the UK.

"I want to get out the EU because I'm an optimist, I believe we can stand on our own two feet," he said.

"The EU lurches from crisis to crisis, it's declining economically."

But Lib Dem Peer Lorely Burt, the party's spokesperson for business, innovation and skills, said: "We are on a train that's heading into the unknown.

"The Treasury says three million jobs are linked to the EU.

"Cars are 20 per cent less expensive, flights 40 per cent less, and roaming charges 70 per cent less as a result of our campaigning within the EU.

"The EU is a platform for big companies, some of them set up here, they like it here because we speak English - and Worcester is one of the finest cities we have."