Boris Johnson manages to talk his way out of being egged on the EU campaign trail

The former mayor of London warned a man who had brought eggs to a rally not to waste food

Boris Johnson today talked a heckler down from egging him in a confrontation on the campaign trail in York.

The former mayor of London, who is campaigning to leave the European Union, was giving an informal soapbox speech to about 200 people near the city’s Shambles area.

Spotting a student carrying eggs, he said: “There are people hungry in this country, my friend; don't waste that egg.”

The would-be egg thrower heeded the politician’s warnings and did not throw his eggs.

Sam Grigg, 22, said he brought the eggs to “cause a scene”.

“The eggs were to cause a disturbance and get people on edge. The eggs were a joke. I didn't actually throw them. I knew I would have been arrested,” he reportedly said.

During his speech Mr Johnson used his speech to liken the Remain campaign to those who were against exit from the European Monetary Union in 1992.

He said leaving the EMU had been a “liberation” for the British economy.

“They were wrong then, my friends, and they're wrong now,” he said.

While Mr Johnson campaign for Leave in Yorkshire, his Conservative colleague David Cameron and George Osborne campaigned on the south coast of England for Remain.

Mr Osborne presented a Treasury report into Brexit which he said showed the UK would suffer a “DIY recession” as a result of crashing out of the union.

Mr Cameron meanwhile defended calling the referendum in the first place, arguing that he had “good reason” to do so despite his own warnings that its result could cripple the British economy.

The campaign today is entering its final month, with the vote scheduled for 23 June this year.