EU Parliament

Markerstudy Group chief executive Kevin Spencer has emailed his staff urging them to vote to remain in the EU.

In his letter to 4,000 employees, Spencer said that their decision would affect the business and them as an employee, Kent Online reports.

The note said: “I’m a definite ‘in’ and the reason is simple. I have built a business, raised a family, bought a home and generally had a good life being part of the EU. Of course, there are bits I’d change but on the whole I feel we are better in.

“Furthermore, we are a European company utilising freedom of services. If we vote out this all ends. It’s true to say we do not have a plan B because nobody knows the result.”

Spencer also rejected any claims that immigration should be a reason to vote out.

“We need immigration – my mother is a migrant from Ireland and if she hadn’t come to England, I wouldn’t have started the company and you wouldn’t have the job you have today.

“So I ask of you two things. Firstly, don’t be indifferent to this. Ensure you are registered and have your say. And secondly, vote to remain in – it will affect us as a business and you as an employee.”

A Markerstudy spokeswoman said: “We believe it’s the correct thing to try and guide our colleagues.

“We were asking them to ensure they were registered and that an out vote would inevitably affect the way we trade.

“We felt it was remiss of us not to explain the consequences of an out vote and how it might affect our employees, because as one of Kent’s largest employers, Brexit would potentially mean large job losses for us.”