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The former Prime Minister discredited the Brexiteers as “un-British” and “undemocratic” because of their tendencies to launch “low-grade personal abuses” against those with opposing views, including the Bank of England Governor. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Sir John urged the Prime Minister and other “more reasoned” Tories to “disown their rancorous colleagues” for failing to address arguments that are put to them.

GETTY Sir John Major launched an indirect attack on Johnson and Gove

Sir John said: “It is time for the minority of ‘Ultra Brexiteers’ – those who believe in a complete break from Europe – to stop shouting down anyone with an opposing view. “It is not only unattractive but profoundly undemocratic and totally un-British. What is most striking is that, amid all the noise they make, they comprehensively fail to address any argument put to them.” Without mentioning names, the 73-year-old’s attack seemed to be aimed at leading Leave campaigners such as Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Iain Duncan Smith and Jacob Rees-Mogg.

All the pictures from Brexit Bill Tuesday Tue, March 7, 2017 Theresa May is facing a second defeat on her Brexit bill Tuesday as the House of Lords votes on another change which would give parliament the final say on leaving the EU Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 20 Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, speaks in the House of Lords Chamber at the start of the third day of The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

Last week, Boris Johnson said it would be “perfectly okay” for Britain to leave the EU without a trade deal. But Sir John said Britain would not be able to thrive under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules as 90 per cent of UK exports to the EU would become more expensive, with tariffs that would add about £6 billion to their costs.

Pleading for a “serious discussion” on Brexit, Major went on to slap down the Leave campaign who won the Referendum with “fake facts and bogus promises”. He added: “It was dishonest and wrong to promise the British people an easy, favourable deal with the EU, wrong to promise swift new trade deals, and wrong to state that the Irish peace process would not be unsettled by Brexit.” His comments come after Lord Norman Lamont criticised Sir John’s pessimistic assessment of Britain’s chances outside the European Union.

GETTY Sir John Major urged the Prime Minister May to "disown" the Brexiteers