EU referendum: Vote Leave campaign apologises for putting wrong names on pro-Brexit letter

David Ross, the Carphone Warehouse co-founder, and John Caudwell, who launched Phones 4U, had not agreed to be on it

Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith at the Vote Leave launch (PA)

Campaigners for Vote Leave have apologised after incorrectly adding the names of two business leaders to a letter of 250 signatories backing exit from the EU.

The pro-Brexit campaign has now removed David Ross, the Carphone Warehouse co-founder, and John Caudwell, who launched Phones 4U, from the list published on Saturday, after it was revealed the pair had not agreed to be on it.

A spokesman confirmed that Mr Ross's name was included erroneously and apologised.

Mr Caudwell had previously supported the campaign, but he had not put his name forward for the list.

Other signatories on the list include JD Wetherspoon pub boss Tim Martin, hotelier Sir Rocco Forte and former HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan. However, the international bank has declared it is in favour of Britain staying in the EU and threatened it would move 1,000 jobs to France if the vote is in favour of Brexit.

A referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU will be held on 23 June, with recent polls giving a narrow lead to the in campaign.

The announcement comes after bosses of 36 of the largest companies in Britain, including budget airline easyJet, defence contractor BAE Systems and oil group Shell, signed a letter urging voters to remain in the EU last month.

Vote Leave have announced that its business council would be chaired by John Longworth, who resigned his role as director general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Suzanne Evans, who recently joined the board of Vote Leave, was suspended from UKIP earlier this month.