PA George Osborne was grilled over the 'illegal' pro-EU websites

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Tory MP Bernard Jenkin grilled the Chancellor amid a growing row over pro-EU ‘propaganda’ remaining available on official Government websites during the official EU referendum campaign. The Harwich and North Essex MP has previously warned David Cameron he will sue the Government if pro-Brussels messages remain online during the strictly-controlled ‘purdah’ period. Purdah will begin this Friday ahead of the EU referendum, when officials will be banned from publishing material that may influence the vote’s outcome. As part of a £9million splurge of taxpayers’ cash, the Government has flooded social media with links to websites setting out its pro-EU position. But infuriated Brexit-supporting MPs have demanded the websites be taken down from Friday.

It comes amid growing concerns among Leave supporters Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne are attempting to ‘stitch-up’ the EU referendum. Top Brexit campaigners - including Boris Johnson and Owen Paterson - today supported a letter from ex-Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith to Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood and the Prime Minister, in which they demanded the removal of the pro-EU websites. The letter cited legal opinion backing their claim the Government’s refusal to take down the websites would be “a breach of the law” and “a gross violation of the spirit” of providing a fair referendum.

IG Brexit campaigners sent a letter demanding the removal of the websites

How can he justify planning to break the law? Tory MP Bernard Jenkin

Mr Jenkin, chair of the House of Commons’ influential Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, directly challenged Mr Osborne over the websites as the Chancellor stood in for Mr Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions. The prominent eurosceptic asked in Mr Osborne’s “enthusiasm to bludgeon the British voter into supporting the EU that they don't really like” how he can “justify planning to break the law”. He added: “Is he aware that the Public Affairs Select Committee has now published three legal opinions from Speaker's Counsel which make it perfectly clear it is illegal for the Government to keep their pro-EU propaganda up on the Government websites during the purdah period.” In response, Mr Osborne - who was deputising for the Prime Minister while he attends a G7 summit in Japan - said he was “confident” the pro-EU websites “comply with the law” and “comply with the purdah rules”. The Chancellor also attacked Mr Jenkin for getting wrapped up in the dispute rather than focussing on the referendum debate itself. He added: “Can I make a general observation he and I have fought for this referendum, the referendum is taking place. “There are some huge issues at stake about Britain's economy, about Britain's security, about Britain's place in the world. “We have perfectly honourable disagreements on those big issues, let's debate the substance rather than the process and then the British people will feel they've had a range of opinions and they can make their own minds up.”

The Government have indicated they will not publish any new material on the websites after Friday. But Brexit campaigners have argued continuing to keep the websites accessible is still likely to be classed as ‘publishing’ under UK law. Commenting on the row, a Downing Street source said: "We will obviously keep within the rules and the rules are pretty clear. “The Government has a clear position on this referendum, that's why we put things on websites, produce leaflets and so on. "But clearly when you come into the purdah period there will be no new content added to any of those websites." Asked if content already on the sites would be taken down, the source said "you can't unpublish" what has already been posted online. They added: "There wouldn't be any links or any new content.”

EU leaflet 2016 reactions Tue, April 12, 2016 Angry voters are sending pro-Brussels leaflets back to Downing Street after it emerged that the Government is splurging nearly £10 million on the propaganda blitz. Here is a guide on how to send yours back. Play slideshow Twitter 1 of 10 The leaflet being used as toilet paper