A student supporting Britain’s membership of the EU has protested the appearance of Boris Johnson at today’s graduation ceremony by holding up a “Vote Remain” sign on stage.

Ali West, an American/Canadian fourth year St Andrews student, tweeted the image saying, “@BorisJohnson was in the audience at my graduation today, so naturally I had some thoughts. #voteremain #strongerin”.

Mr Johnson, the leading campaigner for a “Leave” vote in today’s referendum on EU membership, was in the audience for the graduation of his eldest daughter, Laura Johnson Wheeler, which took place on the same day.

Speaking to The Saint, Ms West said, “Graduations are not apolitical and never have been.

“In the US, many students decorate their mortarboards with messages about current issues, and invited speakers are often political leaders. I have lived in the UK for half a decade now, and for a multitude of reasons, I feel strongly that leaving the EU would be a grave mistake.

“This referendum was ill-conceived from the start and its rhetoric has been craven.”

“Mr. Johnson, in particular, has continually spread misinformation about the EU for his own political gain, and I could not pass up the chance to tell him in no uncertain terms what I and many of my fellow international students think of his behaviour.”

Mr Johnson also unfurled his own “last chance to vote poster” while sitting in the audience, according to The Daily Record.

A witness told the paper, “It was all done very much tongue in cheek. Both posters got a huge cheer and round of applause. Boris wasn’t telling people who to vote for, just for them to get out there and make the effort.”

The referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU takes place today (June 23).