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He added: "There has always been a minority of the population who emotionally regard themselves as being British but not European. But this feeling fades with each generation. Each successive generation regards itself as more European than its predecessor. Whereas my generation put on its knapsack and went to Brighton for the weekend, the modern generation puts on its knapsack and goes around the world.

"We also have a political party, UKIP, that is dedicated to taking us out of Europe. But make no mistake: UKIP does not represent the majority of the British population. Present the people with the broader arguments and they will be persuaded that staying within the EU is in our best interest. But we have to have some indication that Britain and Europe can find agreement on difficult issues and thats what the renegotiations are going to be all about."

He insisted that the European Union will be able to reform freedom of movement because Britain has "more [immigration] than we can cope with".

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, has suggested she would rather see Britain leave the EU than change the principle of freedom of movement within the European Union.

But Sir John said that other founding freedoms of the European Union have not been fully honoured, including the single market and free movement of goods.

He said: "So are we to be told by our European friends that free movement of people is sacrosanct, it is a founding element of the European Union and it cannot even be constrained at a time of emergency, and yet all of the other things we signed up to in 1973 and enshrined in legislation in 1987 cannot be finished."

He said: "Geographically, we are a small nation. And we welcome people who comes and bring skills to our country we think it is flattering to our country that they come.

"But they are coming in such large numbers that we cannot cope with their housing, their welfare, their social security.

"Very few of the eastern Europeans who come to us are benefit tourists. They come to the UK to work."

He said that if Europe was commit to its founding principles it would "cut the British argument about Freedom of Movement at the knees".

Original post:
Sir John Major: Britain is becoming more European and will not heed Ukip