Michael Gove, pictured today arriving for an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr

Michael Gove today denied there would be a recession triggered by a Brexit vote on Thursday, rejecting an economic consensus warning of a downturn if voters quit the EU.

The Justice Secretary said Britain would in fact thrive if freed from the constraints of Brussels and in an 11th hour plea to the electorate, urged them to 'vote for hope'.

Mr Gove's intervention, ahead of a major TV interview today, comes as the referendum campaign gradually resumes following the shocking killing of Labour MP Jo Cox.

Both sides of the referendum battle shut down for two days after the shocking events on Thursday as a shattered Westminster was left reeling by the attack.

Mr Gove's intervention, in the Sunday Telegraph, urged voters to support democracy when they go to the polls on Thursday.

He told the paper: 'There are great things that Britain can do in the future as a progressive beacon.

'By voting Leave, we have that opportunity.

'People should vote for democracy and Britain should vote for hope.'

Mr Gove said: 'I can't foretell the future but I don't believe that the act of leaving the European Union would make our economic position worse, I think it would make it better.'

Amid reports some Tories are lining up Theresa May as a 'caretaker' replacement for David Cameron should he lose on Thursday, Mr Gove insisted the Prime Minister should stay on whatever the result.

He told the Telegraph: 'I absolutely think that David Cameron should stay, whatever the result of the referendum and I hope that he will stay for the full second term which he was elected to serve.

'I don't want to have anyone else as Prime Minister other than David Cameron and if people spend their time thinking about some of this stuff then they are getting in the way of two things: one a fair, open, fact-based referendum debate; and two, the Conservative government continuing afterwards in a stable and secure fashion.'

In his own return to campaigning today, Mr Cameron warned the economy 'hangs in the balance' on Thursday.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the Prime Minister said: 'If you're not sure, don't take the risk of leaving... If you don't know, don't go.'

He added: 'If we choose to go out of the EU, we will go out – with all of the consequences that will have for everyone in Britain.

Prime Minister David Cameron resumed campaigning activities today, two days after an extraordinary joint appearance with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in Birstall, Yorkshire, pictured. Mr Cameron warned the economy 'hangs in the balance' on Thursday

'If we were to leave and it quickly turned out to be a big mistake, there wouldn't be a way of changing our minds and having another go.'

The Sunday Times today said senior Conservatives were planning on how to deal with the aftermath of the referendum 'if everything goes wrong'.

Sources told the paper Home Secretary Mrs May could be thrust forward to ease the party through a transition period.

An unnamed cabinet minister said: 'Several of us are talking about whether she should be a caretaker leader to get things back on an even keel.