Danny Alexander, George Osborne's Liberal Democrat deputy, has been awkwardly undermined by Treasury civil servants in his warning that three million jobs could be jepoardised by Britain leaving the European Union.
Alexander, the Treasury chief secretary, made official analysis public in June that suggested 3.3 million jobs were connected to Britain's EU membership, reportedly defying his own civil servants and the chancellor.
In an attempt to swat down Ukip's argument for withdrawal from the political bloc, Alexander said: “When the focus is on jobs, and growth, and wider risks we take with our prosperity through isolation then the argument can and will be won."
Speaking in Washington, he went on: “Indeed, the latest Treasury analysis shows that 3.3 million British jobs are connected to Britain’s place in Europe. That is the measure of the risk that isolationists would have us take.”
Labour's shadow Treasury minister Cathy Jamieson welcomed the Treasury analysis at the time, concluding that "leaving the EU would be a disaster for jobs and businesses in Britain.
"It’s no wonder George Osborne tried to stop it being published when he and David Cameron are putting their own party’s interest before the national interest when it comes to Europe."
However, civil servants robustly disputed Alexander's figures in response to a freedom of information request from the Open Europe think-tank, suggesting that an outdated and imprecise methodology had been used to calculate the figures.
According to the Times, the civil servants told Open Europe that the figures used were "not an estimate of the impact of EU membership on employment”.
Open Europe, which wants the UK to stay in the EU, said that the Treasury's response showed that Alexander was mixing jobs "linked to the EU directly or indirectly" with those "at risk".
This follows other critics like Ryan Bourne, head of public policy at the Institute for Economic Affairs, who branded the Treasury's analysis "deliberately disingenuous".
"Jobs linked to free decisions of individuals and businesses, not membership of political union," he wrote on Twitter.
Brexiters
Nigel Farage(01 of09)
Open Image ModalThe Ukip leader and MEP is the most famous 'outer'. After his party took over a 100 council seats in May's local election's Nigel Farage is hoping to win the 2014 European elections and then gain MPs in Westminster in 2015. He has confirmed he will seek a parliamentary seat himself. (credit:PA)
Lord Lawson(02 of09)
Open Image ModalMargaret Thatcher's former chancellor and a true 'Tory grandee' revealed in The Times that if and when there is a referendum "I shall be voting out". He also stuck the boot into the David Cameron by saying the prime minister's attempts to renegotiate the terms of the UK's relationship with the EU would be "inconsequential". (credit:PA)
Backbench Brexiters(03 of09)
Open Image ModalThere are quite a few Conservative MPs who would like to wave goodbye to Brussels. Ken Clarke has said the figure is as low as 30 despite the strong eurosceptic feeling on the backbenches. However the exact number is not clear. Mid-Bedforshire MP Nadine Dorries, who remains suspended from the Conservative Party, is currently talk tof the eurosceptic town amid rumours she may defect to Ukip. Other backbench Brexiters include Bill Cash, Douglas Carswell, Peter Bone and Philip Davies and former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth. (credit:PA)
Labour's 'Let's Leave' Lot(04 of09)
Open Image ModalMost of the anti-EU focus is on the Tory benches. But there are more than a handful of Labour MPs would would like to quit Brussels as well. Eurosceptics include Frank Field, Kate Hoey, Austin Mitchell, and Gisela Stuart.Stuart has argued the status quo is "not sustainable" and Britain should leave. (credit:PA)
Media Moguls(05 of09)
Open Image ModalRupert Murdoch has warned that the EU will "sink" the UK. The News International and boss caused a stir when he met Nigel Farage for dinner in London recently and said the Ukip leader was "reflecting opinion" with his anti-EU views.In November 2010 Richard Desmond’s Daily Express became the first UK newspaper actively to call for Britain to leave the EU, launching a ‘Get Britain Out’ campaign (credit:PA)
I'm A Celeb, Get Us Out Of Here(06 of09)
Open Image ModalOf course no campaign is complete without a bit of star power. The pro-EU camp have Eddie Izzard, who do the Brexiters have?Joan Collins, a 'patron' of Ukip, wants the UK to leave. "The EU, controlled from Brussels, cares only about itself," she said in March. (credit:PA)
The Business Types(07 of09)
Open Image ModalMost business leaders do indeed seem content with what Lawson called the "warm embrace of the European single market", but there are a few dissenters. Private equity guys Jon Moulton and Edmund Truell are two and Next boss and Tory peer Simon Wolfson has said: "Britain should stay in Europe, but only on the right terms". (credit:PA)
The Commentariat(08 of09)
Open Image ModalThere are a number of loud voices whinnying on the sidelines to say "neigh" to the EU notably Melanie Phillips, Richard Littlejohn, Tom Utley, Simon Heffer.Basically the Daily Mail stable. (credit:PA)
Edging Towards Exit(09 of09)
Open Image ModalSeveral high-profile politicians appear to be on the verge of calling for the UK to exit the EU - but just are not there yet.Former defence secretary Liam Fox - pictured here with a big gun - has said "life outside the EU holds no terror" should David Cameron's hopes of negotiating a new treaty fail.Education secretary Michael Gove is said to have told friends the UK has "nothing to be scared of" by leaving Europe.And many other eurosceptic cabinet ministers, including Iain Duncan Smith and Owen Paterson are likely to share that view. (credit:PA)