Obama Lands In London And Sparks EU Row

Barack Obama has arrived in London and immediately triggered a furious political row by urging the UK to stay in the European Union.

In a move that will enrage Tory Eurosceptics but delight pro-EU MPs and campaigners, the President says the EU makes Britain even greater.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Obama said the sacrifice of his country's soldiers during the Second World War means America has a stake in the referendum debate.

His column read: "Our special relationship was forged as we spilled blood together on the battlefield. From the ashes of war, those who came before us had the foresight to create the international institutions and initiatives to sustain a prosperous peace: the United Nations and NATO; Bretton Woods, the Marshall Plan, and the European Union."

And making his controversial plea, the President said: "The European Union doesn't moderate British influence - it magnifies it. A strong Europe is not a threat to Britain's global leadership; it enhances Britain's global leadership.

"The United States sees how your powerful voice in Europe ensures that Europe takes a strong stance in the world, and keeps the EU open, outward looking, and closely linked to its allies on the other side of the Atlantic. So the US and the world need your outsized influence to continue - including within Europe."

But the President is already facing a furious backlash from senior Tory Eurosceptics.

Writing in the Sun, Boris Johnson said of his intervention: "It is incoherent. It is inconsistent, and yes it is downright hypocritical."

The President will have lunch at Windsor Castle to mark the Queen's 90th birthday and attend a dinner hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Mr Obama and David Cameron are also going to discuss bilateral efforts to "root out terrorism around the world".