THE Bishop of Salisbury has savaged the "tone and style" of the referendum debate as being "deeply damaging", despite coming out in favour of remaining inside the EU.

The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam slammed the "exaggerated claims and scaremongering on both sides" which he claimed had begun to feel "dangerous" even before the killing of MP Jo Cox last week.

"It does matter that politicians attempt to tell the truth, perhaps especially when passions are strongly felt," he said. "There is real danger that in a prolonged period of slow economic growth, austerity, and growing inequality, many people will feel our political institutions are too complex and remote and seem not to deliver for them in their daily lives."

The bishop has the climate change portfolio for the Church of England within the House of Lords, and has previously called for green issues to be debated more during the campaign.

However, he chose until the final Sunday before referendum to publicly back the Remain campaign alongside the Bishop of Sherborne and Bishop of Ramsbury.

Outlining his reasons for staying in, Bishop Holtam said the EU had brought "democracy, unprecedented prosperity and peace across Europe".

"I am convinced that remaining in the EU offers the best future for the United Kingdom," he said. "Remaining in the EU is the best way for British leadership in the world. In just about every area of life, even when negotiations are complex or frustrating, it is better to be together.

“One example for me as the Church of England’s lead bishop on the environment, is the care of God’s creation, our common home.

"Pollution does not stop at national borders. Britain in Europe has made a big difference in international negotiations. A bloc with half a billion people can do that. A country of 60 million on its own can’t.

“If we do vote Remain, work to reform the EU must begin soon after. Not just in this country, but all across Europe, people feel detached and let down.”

Votes from across Wiltshire will be counted at Chippenham overnight with a result expected to be declared at around 4am.