THE SECRETARY of State for Energy and Climate Change gave her blessings to a Reading based company and spoke out against a potential Brexit today (May 11).

Speaking from the offices of energy technology firm EDMI in Green Park, Mrs Rudd praised the company as an example of a British business that benefits from the UK's ties with the European Union.

Mrs Rudd said: “I have come to Reading today to see this fantastic business.

“It is a great example of a business expanding into a growing area and a good example of a business that brings wealth to this country through its work in Europe.

“I am absolutely certain that we should remain in the EU.

"Business like this are using our ties with the continent as a spring board for further expansion into European markets."

Mrs Rudd was joined by the company's General Manager Alan Masterman, who put his weight behind the remain campaign and explained the role EDMI, which has been in Green Park since 2014 and employs 120 people on the site, plays in the energy sector.

“EDMI is one of the leading smart metering companies in the world,” said Mr Masterman.

“Smart meters will be rolled out into most people's homes by 2020 and will allow people to easily view how much energy they are using at what times.

“As a foreign company the best way for us to get into European markets is through the UK.”

Mr Masterman went on to say that the instability he believed would follow from a British exit could lead to companies such as EDMI going offshore in search of less volatile markets.

Just before Mrs Rudd was whisked away to Reading station in order to catch an afternoon meeting in London, the MP for Hastings and Rye played down any notions of friction within a Conservative Party split over Europe.

“We discussed it once in our first cabinet meeting,” Mrs Rudd said.

“Everything is fine and there is no difficulty working together.”