Shadow business secretary Angela Eagle went on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show earlier today to play down warnings that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was failing to campaign strongly enough for the European Union referendum "remain" camp.

The Opposition is "united in our determination" to secure victory in June, the Wallasey MP told Marr, with no more than handful of MPs backing Brexit.

Mr Corbyn recognises that "it's Labour votes that'll keep us in Europe," she said.

Prime Minister David Cameron's internal battles with his party are the price he pays for a "cynical manipulation" of the EU issue, she said.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith appeared on the same show and launched a blistering attack on those campaigning for a vote to remain in the EU.

Mr Cameron had led a fresh assault on pro-Brexit campaigners, using a newspaper article to accuse them of wanting to take "the gamble of the century" with the UK's future.

But Mr Duncan Smith - one of five Cabinet ministers who have broken ranks to join the Leave campaign - insisted a post-exit favourable trade deal with the rest of the EU is "very doable".

"I have never heard such a lot of pessimistic, downsizing of Britain's aspect. Britain is a phenomenal country, the fifth largest in the world," he said.

"It has stood alone and fought for freedom. It has traded, it has global trade.

"Why would we have such a low opinion of the British people that we go out and we talk about leaping into the dark?

"We talk about profound shocks, we talk about them not being capable, that we're too small.

"My view is Britain is a great country. The people here are inventive, innovative, and they will find a way with us to have a real deal that gives Britain access to the world."

Andrew Marr had earlier quizzed Ms Eagle over the leadership of the Labour Party, saying "a lot of people in the party say Angela Eagle is a future leader..."

Ms Eagle responded that his remark was "very interesting " but that the only leadership debate currently underway is in the Conservative Party and she is concentrating fully on her shadow business secretary job.