Bill Clinton has called on the UK to vote to stay in the European Union.

The former US President said: “I have seen the difference your leadership has made both within the EU, and as a leading representative of Europe throughout the world. I hope you will stay.”

And he said that he feared for the Northern Irish peace process were the UK to leave in an article for the New Statesman magazine.

Mr Clinton wrote that the world would respect the outcome of this month’s vote.

But he said voters should know “how much America and the rest of the world have valued - and continue to value - a strong UK playing its full part in a strong EU”.

He added that transatlantic co-operation was essential and that co-operation was strongest “when Europe is united”. He said it was also important not to minimize the benefits of EU membership to the UK.

“For example, I was honored to support the peace process in Northern Ireland. It has benefited from the UK’s membership in the European Union, and I worry that the future prosperity and peace of Northern Ireland could be jeopardized if Britain withdraws.”

He also said that he personally had felt a great “admiration and affection” for the UK for almost 50 years and has seen “the difference your leadership has made both within the EU, and as a leading representative of Europe throughout the world. I hope you will stay.”