Michael Gove would vote to leave the EU on the basis of the current relationship with Brussels if there was an immediate referendum.
Tory eurosceptics were given a boost when two Cabinet ministers publicly declared they would vote to leave the European Union on the basis of the present relationship with Brussels.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond joined the Education Secretary Michael Gove in saying he would back a British exit if there was an immediate referendum.
Both senior Government figures insisted they backed David Cameron’s bid to negotiate the return of some powers and put the resulting relationship to voters in an in/out referendum by 2017 if the Tories win the next general election.
However, Mr Hammond and Mr Gove, along with Home Secretary Theresa May, indicated that they would abstain in an expected Commons vote this week attacking the failure to include legislation paving the way for a referendum in the Queen’s Speech.
