Wetherspoon founder serves up a "Brexit" argument with pints of beer

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Tim Martin, the founder of JD Wetherspoon, is taking the EU referendum debate into his pubs, talking to customers and distributing half a million beer mats challenging the independence of statistics quoted by the government.

Martin, who is chairman of the company, said he did not support any political party, but was intervening in the debate to highlight the number of decisions that were taken by unelected officials in Brussels.

"The EU is becoming increasingly undemocratic," he told Reuters. "That's the key issue behind the campaign.

"The democratic deficit point hasn't been defended (by the remain campaign). Their campaign has been based on fear of leaving."

"In" campaigners like Chancellor George Osborne were relying on economic data from organisations like the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of England, both of which Osborne was linked to, he said.

"It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) 's just the establishment ganging up and it's completely evident that they were unable to predict the last recession or that the euro wouldn't work for example," he said on Tuesday.

Among executives of large British listed companies, Martin is heavily outnumbered by those backing "remain" in a race that pollsters say is neck and neck.

Vodafone was the latest company to say a British vote to stay in Europe would be best for its business earlier on Tuesday.

Martin, however, said he trusted the public to make the right decision, and he has printed arguments on both sides of the debate in Wetherspoon News, a magazine available in the group's 920 pubs.

Martin said he himself had no plans to enter politics, quoting a line from singer Meat Loaf: "I would do anything for love (but I won't do that)."

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Stephen Addison)