DAVID Cameron mingled with stars from the entertainment world, including The Wire actor Dominic West, as leading showbusiness figures gave their backing to the UK remaining in the European Union.

Hollywood actors including Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Keira Knightley are among the big names who have backed the Remain cause.

In a further boost to the Remain camp, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau gave his backing to the UK staying in the EU and warned that a post-Brexit trade deal would not be easy.

Mr Cameron, accompanied by former Labour Culture Secretary Dame Tessa Jowell, visited London's Abbey Road Studios - and walked across the zebra crossing made famous by The Beatles - after 282 figures from the entertainment industry including authors Dame Hilary Mantel and John le Carre signed a letter supporting a Remain vote.

The group, including Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle and poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, said being part of the EU "bolsters Britain's leading role on the world stage", warning that Brexit would leave the country "an outsider shouting from the wings".

The Creative Industries Federation revealed that more than 96 per cent of its members supported a Remain vote on June 23.

Mr Cameron said: "When it comes to creativity, British talent and expertise has made this country the envy of the world.

"Whether it is music or film, art or video games, the UK leads Europe. More than most, this is a sector that thrives on being open to the world outside.

"Whether it's bringing in talent, filming on location or simply having access to the Single Market of 500 million people across Europe.

"The results of Creative Industries Federation's survey are clear: we are better off in a reformed European Union than out on our own. To leave would be a leap in the dark."

But House Of Cards creator Lord Dobbs said the UK's success in the creative industries had nothing to do with the "failing" EU.

Asked why should voters listen to people whose projects were largely financed by the EU about the merits or demerits of staying in the Brussels bloc, a Downing Street spokesman replied: “The key point is - this is something people don’t realise - the huge value of the creative industries to the economy. £84bn is a significant chunk of money coming into the UK from our creative industries. That is the most significant statistic. The poll by the federation showed 96 per cent of its members want to stay.”

He said he did not know how much of the £84bn would be lost if Britain left the EU but noted how pursuing the single digital market would allow the revenue from the creative industries to grow.

Mr West, best known for playing Jimmy McNulty in the TV series The Wire, took part in a round-table discussion at Abbey Road chaired by fellow Old Etonian Mr Cameron.

The actor was one of the signatories to the letter supporting Remain, which said: "From the smallest gallery to the biggest blockbuster, many of us have worked on projects that would never have happened without vital EU funding or by collaborating across borders.

"Britain is not just stronger in Europe, it is more imaginative and more creative, and our global creative success would be severely weakened by walking away."

But Tory peer Lord Dobbs, speaking in a personal capacity, said: "Our creative industries are booming because of the talent that is in Britain's DNA.

"We are world leaders in so many creative areas. From theatre to literature, video games, feature films, fashion, music and so much else, British artists lead the way and are celebrated around the globe.

"It's a success that has been created by the dedication, hard work and extraordinary creative abilities of our artists, it's not because of the EU.”

The Tory peer, a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, famous for penning the House of Cards political thriller, insisted culture owed nothing to committees.

“Ancient Greece was the birthplace of our civilisation yet today, because of the EU's appalling policies, streets that were once filled with the world's greatest philosophers and playwrights are choked with desperate beggars and mountains of rotting rubbish.

"These are the realities of the EU. It's failing. The dream is dead. We need to move on," he added.

Meantime, Mr Trudeau became the latest foreign leader to give his backing to the UK remaining in the EU, echoing US president Barack Obama's warning that a trade deal with a post-Brexit Britain would not be straightforward.

Canada's deal with the EU is held up by many in the Leave camp as a model for how the UK would thrive if the country votes for a divorce from Brussels on June 23.

But Mr Trudeau, noting that it was still to enter into force after a 10-year-plus negotiation, said: "There's nothing easy or automatic about that. So there's a bit of an oversimplification of the story happening there."

He added: "Britain is always going to have clout, it's just obviously amplified by its strength as part of the EU. I believe we're always better when we work as closely as possible together and separatism, or division, doesn't seem to be a productive path for countries."

Elsewhere, Commons Leader Chris Grayling, a leading Outer, said building enough houses to meet the demands of a rising population due partly to migration would "change the nature and character" of the country.

He was commenting on a European Commission report published this week, which recommended the UK should build 220,00 more houses a year to keep up with demand, including from European migrants.

Mr Grayling said there was a "fundamental democratic gap" in the EU advising that not enough houses were being built in the UK, while at the same time preventing the country from controlling EU migration.

But No 10 denied the EU was ordering Britain to build more homes.

“That is not the case. We are not in the position of being ordered to build homes by anybody. On a broader point, we want to see more homes built in the UK. The Prime Minister has talked about getting more homes built and the EU role in that, well, there isn’t one,” added the spokesman.