David Cameron was accused of acting like Neville Chamberlain on Sunday evening, as he was grilled by a live TV audience with just three days to go until the referendum.
The prime minister was confronted by an audience member who did not believe other European leaders would keep their promise to give the UK its renegotiated membership secured by Cameron.
"Mr Cameron, you say that your policy that you've negotiated with Europe can not be overruled, it can," he said.
"Are you really a 21st Century Neville Chamberlain, waving a piece of paper in the air, saying to the public this is what I have I have this promise, where a dictatorship in Europe can overrule it."
The accusation appeared to inject some energy in to Cameron, who had until that point delivered a low-key performance on the BBC Question Time special.
"The other 27 prime minister's and presidents have agreed it, they know if Britain votes to remain they will implement it, this isn't some empire and dictatorship," he said.
And going further, Cameron suggested his position was more Churchill than Chamberlain.
"At my office I sit two yards away for the Cabinet room where Winston Churchill decided in May 1940 to fight against Hitler. The best and greatest decision perhaps anyone has ever made in our country," he said.
"Now he didn’t want to be alone, he wanted to be fighting the French and the Poles and others, but he didn’t quit.
"He didn’t quit on Europe, he didn’t quit on European democracy, he didn’t quit on European freedom. We want to fight for those things today."
He added: "I don’t think Britain is at the end is a quitter, I think we stay and fight."
Chamberlain perhaps is best known for waving the non-aggression pact signed with Hitler in 1938 which he hoped would lead to "peace for our time".