Sir Edward Leigh, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Gainsborough, has warned that he “would vote to leave” the EU as it currently stands in a referendum.

“I stand by the Prime Minister’s vision for a reformed European Union outlined in his Bloomberg speech and I’d vote in favour of a new relationship, for the EU we originally voted for in 1975,” the leading backbencher of thirty years’ experience said. “But unless there is a dramatic change in the EU we have now, I’d vote to leave.”

“We simply have to regain control of our borders,” he continued. “We’ve always been a welcoming country, but the massive scale of movement and migration we are experiencing was never envisaged by the fathers of the European Union.”

“Free movement of people doesn’t work when you have economies as diverse as Britain or Sweden on the one hand and Bulgaria and Romania on the other. We need managed migration, under the supervision of our own government and accountable to the British people.”

“Norway and Switzerland have very advantageous relationships with the rest of Europe without being in the EU. Some point out they have little influence in the decision-making process, but if we won’t ask for a migration cap because we know Angela Merkel won’t even think of it, then what influence do we have anyway?”

“This isn’t about a ‘Little England’ mentality but about getting the best deal for Britain with the whole world. We’re a trading nation and we want to keep our economic links with Europe while working to build new links with the growing economies around the world in Brazil, India, China, and Africa.”

“We should have an in/out referendum as early as possible, certainly within a year of a Conservative victory at the general election. I’m glad an in/out referendum is now official Conservative policy, and it’s about time the new generation had their say on our relationship with Europe.”

Sir Edward was speaking in reaction to the Prime Minister’s West Midlands speech on immigration.