THE minister for Europe has argued that staying in the EU is vital to driving economic growth in Cornwall during a heated debate in Penryn on Friday.

At a question and answer session organised by the student union for Falmouth University and the University of Exeter in Cornwall (FXU), Mr Lidington said: “People invest in Cornwall from all over the world, partly because it is a gateway to the European market of 500 million people. Outside the EU, we would get a lot less than we are getting now”.

Almost 200 people filled the Stannary on the Penryn Campus where the minister was joined on stage by Truro and Falmouth MP Sarah Newton and the Vice-Chancellors of Falmouth University and the University of Exeter, Professor Anne Carlisle and Professor Sir Steve Smith.

Questions from the audience of public, staff and students ranged from sovereignty to economics and immigration.

Event host Adam Parsons , from BBC Newsnight, had to intervene on more than one occasion as the debate became heated. FXU are planning more events ahead of the vote on June 23.