WORKERS at BMW's Cowley plant have joined campaign efforts backing Britain's continued membership of the European Union (EU).

At a packed meeting about 60 Unite 'shop stewards' met with Oxford East MP Andrew Smith and Anneliese Dodds, an MEP for the South East, who set out the case for staying in the EU and answered questions.

Ms Dodds said the EU was "essential for industry in Oxford", particularly for the Mini plant.

She added: "It means Oxford-made products can be easily traded across a union of 500 million consumers.

"That trade must be fair as well as free, which is why our social rights from the EU are so important – rights to protect agency and temporary workers, and for all of us to work in safe places free from discrimination, and with guaranteed holidays.

"I'm delighted that the BMW Unite branch has already started the referendum discussion with its members."

Mr Smith said: "It was a really good meeting with a thorough discussion of the big issues at stake in the referendum.

"We agreed it was really important to get accurate information in people’s hands about the importance of EU membership for jobs and workers’ rights, and just how crucial it is for people to use their vote."

Their comments come after senior figures at BMW told employees in a letter that without EU free trade agreements its operating costs for imports and exports in the UK could rise.

It prompted a warning from Prime Minister David Cameron that a vote to leave the trade bloc would "put at risk a great success story" in Oxford, where the company employs about 5,000 people.

Unite has said it favours remaining in because of the rights given to workers, which it claims would otherwise be "under threat".

It came after Oxford Economics yesterday released a report that found Britain's economy was likely to be harmed if it left the EU.

The thinktank said households would only gain from the move if the government secured almost identical agreements to those it enjoys under its current membership, with taxes likely to rise otherwise.

The study modelled nine different scenarios. Only one "best-case", in which migration continued at present levels, was favourable, the study found.

But its findings were dismissed by the campaign group Vote Leave.

Group chief executive Matthew Elliott said: "Another day, another pro-EU campaign report. Business will thrive outside of the EU just as it has thrived outside of the Euro, despite the warnings to the contrary made by pro-EU campaigners 15 years ago."

Vote Leave attacked what it said were "disingenuous" findings, such as claims that GDP would fall, and said they were based on "flawed assumptions".

It said the report compared what GDP would be in 2030 if Britain remained in the unreformed EU and what it might be if the country voted to leave.

A campaign spokesman: "In other words, the report admits that GDP will be greater in 2030 than it is today if we Vote Leave."