THE decision to send a Government-produced leaflet to every household in the country setting out the case for voting to remain in the EU in June's referendum has provoked a blistering row between the in and out camps.

Downing Street said the move was a response to polling which showed 85% of the public wanted more information from the Government to help them make an informed choice on June 23.

The Prime Minister said he would "make no apologies" for throwing the full weight of the Government behind one side of the argument, declaring: "It is not, in my view, just legal - I think is it necessary and right.

"I don't want anyone to go to the polls not knowing what the Government thinks, and I think that is money well spent."

But Wirral MEP Paul Nuttall described it as ”an affront to the democratic process."

Wirral Globe:

“Taxpayers money is blatantly being used by the government to finance this propaganda blitz but meanwhile the campaign for Brexit is not allowed to spend such a vast sum," said Mr Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader.

“How unfair is that and alien to the British sense of fair play?

“It is also completely in keeping with EU tactics which not only try to fool people into believing it it is good for us but use our own money to bludgeon us about the head with their misinformation.

“Trying to justify it by saying that independent polling indicates 85% of voters want more information to make a decision before the June 23 referendum is disingenuous.

"People do want more information but they want to know the case for both sides and not just one.”

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is a disgraceful abuse of taxpayers' money.

"When cash is scarce and budgets are tight, politicans should not be wasting nearly £10 million of our cash on political propaganda.

"The country is having an important debate about its relationship with the EU and it is essential that it is held on a level playing field.

"When provisions are already in place for each official campaign to receive equal amounts to help make their case to voters, this move will only serve to unfairly skew the debate.

"This is not 'government money', it is all taxpayers' money and it is deplorable that ministers see fit to use it to try to instruct us how to vote."

Yesterday 12 council leaders from across the North West - including Wirral's Phil Davies - united to sign a letter warning that “the disastrous economic effects of Brexit could mean catastrophe for our councils’ ability to deliver the services people rely on.”

In a letter to The Times, the 12 argued that in order to continue to support local businesses and jobs, remaining in the EU is crucial.