But Boris Johnson derides the use of Brown as a 'desperate' move

Gordon Brown today insisted dealing with illegal immigration and not working migrants was the key to tackling public concerns as he relaunched the struggling Remain campaign.

The ex-prime minister used a major speech to insist the world's problems are best solved by cooperation and not by withdrawal from the world.

Speaking to activists from both the Labour In and Britain Stronger in Europe campaigns, Mr Brown was handed a leading role in a scramble to ensure Labour voters turn out on referendum day.

Mr Brown today launched a five point plan for EU reform which he said could be implemented by Britain when it takes the rotating presidency of the EU for the first time in 12 years next year.

But his efforts to breath fresh life into a beleaguered Remain campaign beset by fears of immigration and allegations of scaremongering were dismissed by Vote Leave champion Boris Johnson.

Ex-prime minster Gordon Brown today used a major speech to try and kick start the ailing Remain campaign with just 10 days until the referendum

The ex-mayor of London claimed deploying Mr Brown with just 10 days to go, in an echo of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, was a 'desperate' move from a 'rattled' campaign.

Mr Brown repeated claims about immigration he first made to the BBC this morning, insisting illegal immigration was the key problem.

He told the Today programme: 'In the document we actually say we've got to help communities that have been hit by rising levels of population, we've got to do something to help them with the health service and the schools and with the provision of public services.

'We think Europe should contribute to that as well as the British Government – and that's something that could be done tomorrow.'

But he added: 'Norway, outside the European Union, has a higher rate of migration; Switzerland, outside the European Union, has a higher rate of immigration.

'If you look at the actual figures themselves then, what, 500,000 of the people who you classify as Europeans coming into Britain... are Irish citizens – nobody wants to exclude the Irish citizens from Britain.

'The real problem we're dealing with – and this is, again, in the document – and the biggest problem is illegal immigration.'

Asked about people's concern legal migration drove down wages and put pressure on public services, Mr Brown said: 'If you talk to an American, if you talk to an Indian, if you talk to people in Europe it is illegal immigration that is the problem they are most worried about.

'And the numbers that are coming into the United States, 11 million, India, 20 million and we've got to do something about it by cooperation, and that is the only way: working with the other European authorities.'

In his speech in Leicester, Mr Brown said that globalisation had created challenges which required 'economic co-operation and sharing and integration' between nation states, but at the same time led to demands from some to 'bring control back home'.

'It is not just here in Britain, it is in Trump in America, other movements in America, other movements in Europe - Greece, Spain, Germany, Austria,' he said.

Mr Brown today spelt out a five point plan for how he wanted to see the EU reformed under British leadership during the UK's turn holding the rotating presidency next year

Mr Brown addressed activists in Leicester as he launched the 'Leading not Leaving' relaunch of the campaign to keep Britain inside the EU

Mr Brown continued: 'Globalisation creates this sense there's a runaway train out of control. What we need to do is to show we can manage globalisation and global change in the public interest but at the same time we have got to respect people's love of national identity.

'We've got to show that we can balance the autonomy that people want with the co-operation we need. That is what the European Union is about.

'It is not some giant project for a federal superstate, but it's not a return - which is impossible - to 19th century views of sovereignty which even America, the biggest superpower in the world, has left behind.'

GORDON BROWN'S FIVE POINT PLAN TO FIX THE EU Gordon Brown today published his three page, five point plan to fix the EU's problems Gordon Brown today spelled out his five point plan for how Britain could reform the EU. He said Labour's aim was 'full employment' and said Britain holding the rotating EU presidency in 2017 would help achieve this goal. The ex-PM said reforms could include 'action to improve living standards through energy price cuts', fuelled by pooling of renewable energy in Europe. Mr Brown advocated further EU-level action to tackle tax havens as well as further protection for workers' rights. EU reform to ensure greater security could also be pursued by the British presidency, Mr Brown said. At no point in his three page document does Mr Brown mention the Conservatives are in Government and will be in charge of the 2017 presidency agenda. Advertisement

Mr Johnson, speaking from the Vote Leave battle bus, said: 'I think people are increasingly listening to what we have to say.

'I must say I think that the Remain campaign are getting slightly rattled now, if you have a relaunch with Gordon Brown that's got to be some measure of desperation in my view.'

The Tory MP for Uxbridge also repeated his demand the Remain campaign spell out how it would deal with runaway immigration - hours after Migration Watch forecast net migration continuing to run at more than 250,000 for the next 20 years.

Mr Johnson said: 'They have no answer. We're advocating an Australian-style points system so that we get into this country the people that are needed for the economy and in a way that is not discriminatory.'

Vote Leave chairwoman Gisela Stuart said: 'We know that hardworking British people are feeling the strains caused by uncontrolled migration - and that they are sick and tired of being told their concerns are somehow illegitimate.

'The Remain campaign have nothing to say on immigration, and Gordon Brown added nothing to their case today.

'As an immigrant myself, I am conscious of benefits immigration brings to this country - but it needs to be controlled.

'I have been very clear that I would like to see the introduction of an Australian Points based system - something that would also serve to end the discrimination inherent in the current system.

'But the fact of the matter is that the democratically elected UK parliament is prevented from doing any such thing because of the EU's obsession with open borders.

'The only way to take back control of our borders and our country is to Vote Leave on 23 June.'

Mr Brown's intervention was dismissed today by Labour MP John Mann, one of the few Labour MPs backing a Brexit vote on June 23.

He said: 'Gordon refers to illegal immigration and illegal immigration is not the issue in the Labour heartlands, in fact illegal immigration is a tiny, tiny issue in the Labour heartlands.

'It's about pay, it's about conditions, it' s about wages going down, it's about agency work – that's why there's this popular revolt out there among Labour voters.

'Gordon re-emerging on the scene, great though he was while in power, just reminds us that Labour is uncomfortable with these issues.'