David Cameron is seeking to bring together his three predecessors as prime minister in a last-ditch effort to persuade voters to keep Britain in the EU, multiple sources have told Christian Today.
Plans are well developed for the Prime Minister to appear on a platform next week alongside Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Sir John Major.
The remain camp is pinning its hopes on what one source described as "a last minute swing to the status quo", as occurred in the final week of the Scottish independence referendum of 2014.
It is believed that the unprecedented display of one serving and three former prime ministers will impress the electorate.
This week, Cameron has stood back from the campaign to allow senior Labour figures to make the case, amid fears that traditional Labour voters are swinging behind the Leave campaign fronted by Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage.
Brown has emerged as a key player in the push, delivering a speech in Leicester on Monday which followed a Youtube video last week making the elevated case for preserving peace on the Continent while walking through the remains of Coventry Cathedral, bombed by the Nazis in World War Two.
However, sources say that Brown has been reluctant to agree to share a platform with the Prime Minister because Cameron was slow to grant 'devolution max' following the Scottish referendum in which Brown played a pivotal role.
Further, Brown disagrees with the way in which Cameron has led the remain campaign. "Gordon would have fought a campaign on the basis of a reform agenda in Europe, with Britain leading that, not all this defensive stuff about the economy," one source said. "You make the positive, patriotic case then the economic case."
Attempts to persuade Brown to appear alongside Cameron and his old rival Blair as well as Major are being made by Alastair Campbell, Blair's former director of communications, according to sources. Asked by Christian Today about the plan for the four prime ministers to appear together, Campbell declined to comment but did not deny it. "You can authoritatively say that talks are well under way," a separate source said.
The leave campaign has been gaining momentum in the polls in recent weeks, and the latest survey shows those backing 'Brexit' with a seven point lead. A YouGov poll for The Times shows the leave side on 46 per cent support compared with 39 percent support for remain, 11 per cent undecided and 4 per cent planning not to vote.
The British media have been broadly balanced towards Brexit, with the Sun this week backing leaving and the Daily Mail expected imminently to follow suit.
Cameron's future as prime minister depends on the vote next Thursday. If Britain votes to leave the EU he is expected to resign within 24 hours. Johnson is tipped to succeed him as prime minister following a Conservative party leadership contest and there is speculation that there could then follow an early general election later this year.
