LONDON - Former prime minister John Major warned Friday against using immigration as a political football ahead of next month's referendum on British membership of the EU, saying it risked "fuelling prejudice".
The former Conservative leader, who wants Britain to stay in the bloc in the June 23 vote, said supporters of a so-called Brexit were peddling "absurd falsehoods" about how mass immigration would end if Britain left the European Union.
"We mustn't overlook genuine concerns, but these should be expressed with care, honesty and balance. Not in a manner that can raise fears or fuel prejudice," Major said in remarks released to the media.
The desire to stop hundreds of thousands of EU citizens coming to Britain each year has been a key element of the campaign to leave the bloc, with Nigel Farage's UK Independence Party making the point repeatedly.
Major appeared to be aiming his remarks at those Conservatives who are campaigning for Brexit alongside UKIP.
"As the Leave arguments implode one by one, some of the Brexit leaders morph into UKIP, and turn to their default position: immigration," Major said.
"This is their trump card. I urge them to take care, this is dangerous territory that -- if handled carelessly -- can open up long-term divisions in our society."
Britain's prime minister from 1990 to 1997, Major was due to speak to Oxford University students later Friday.(AFP)