Chingford and Woodford Green MP Iain Duncan Smith has said Brexit would benefit Britain's poorest people.

Mr Duncan Smith, who resigned as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions last month, has criticised the Government’s backing of the EU referendum remain campaign, claiming it is not in the interest of the UK's worst off.

He also claimed Britain’s borders are “out of control” and that a vote to leave the EU would give the UK greater powers to crack down on criminals.

He said yesterday (April 25): “Britain’s poorest people would benefit from a leave vote, because the pressure on schools, hospitals and housing caused by the huge number of migrants coming in from the EU would be lifted.

"It's not about ending migration, it's about controlling it."

He described the Government’s 14-page pro-Europe leaflet sent to 27 million homes across the country as “one-sided” and claimed predictions made by the Institute of Fiscal Studies about the risk of a drop in GDP were merely “speculative”.

He said: “The Prime Minister’s premise on why he would vote to stay in the EU were based on him going away and getting full reform, with a list of important features like border control, power of the European Courts of Justice and devolution of employment law.

“My belief is that he did not get a reform that makes it worth staying, meaning the logical position is to leave.”

He also defended London Mayor Boris Johnson’s controversial reference to US President Barack Obama as “part-Kenyan” as a reason for his “anti-British” arguments.

The EU referendum is on on June 23.