The gospel according to Obama: President preaches at the British people and issues extraordinary threat that 'the UK will be at the back of the queue' for trade deals with America if it leaves the EU

At an extraordinary press conference in Downing Street this afternoon the US President urged Britons to vote to stay in the EU on June 23. Mr Obama enraged the Leave campaign by saying a US-UK trade deal was 'not going to happen any time soon' if Britain leaves the EU, saying the priority for the Americans was finalising a free trade deal with the whole of the EU rather than individual countries. He also warned that Brexit would weaken Nato and leave Britain without its biggest market on continental Europe. The President was earlier heavily criticised for making such a major intervention in a foreign election and branded 'downright hypocritical' by Boris Johnson accepted the decision was one for the British people. But he insisted he had an obligation to intervene any way - and even claimed he was 'enhancing' the debate. 'Part of being friends is to be honest,' he said. 'It is a matter of deep interest to the United States because if affects our prospects as well. The UK is at its best when it is helping to lead a strong Europe - it leverages UK power to be part of the European Union.'