Most Tories want Britain to leave the EU

A survey of party members by the ConservativeHome website for The Independent found 54 per cent would favour ending Britain’s EU membership and signing up to a free-trade agreement.

Almost a quarter – 24 per cent – would like continued co-operation on key policy areas, while 10 per cent said Britain should maintain its current relationship but ignore European laws deemed not in the national interest.

Five per cent said the UK should leave the EU and not seek any new agreements, while only 3 per cent said the Government should keep the current relationship.

Baroness Thatcher is the politician whose views they most closely indentified with, followed by London mayor Boris Johnson and former US president Ronald Reagan. David Cameron came eighth just behind UKIP leader Nigel Farage.