EU referendum: Margaret Thatcher’s former defence chief quits Tory party over David Cameron's 'tirade of fear'

'They launched very early into this attack, this description of all the horrors that would happen if we exit. I just listened to this and thought, ‘this is complete nonsense’

Margaret Thatcher's former defence secretary Sir John Nott (Rex)

Margaret Thatcher’s former defence secretary has suspended his Conservative party membership over the “poisonous” EU referendum campaign and placed blame on David Cameron’s “tirade of fear”.

Sir John Nott, who was Baroness Thatcher’s defence chief during the Falklands war, attacked the current Tory leader for “alienating Conservatives” and said he would not renew his membership “until we have a change of leadership”. Sir John served in government between 1979 and 1983.

In a letter to the MP of his former constituency the veteran Tory politician lashed out at the Prime Minister and George Osborne, the Chancellor, for their “fairly frenetic campaign” in favour of the EU.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Sir John added: “I thought that when he [Mr Cameron] called the referendum, probably we were going to have a sensible, if not an intellectual, debate about the pros and cons of the EU.

“And I do believe that if they had set off to set out what they saw of the advantages and the disadvantages on the other side, and it had been a balanced debate, then they would quite easily have come out with a Remain conclusion.”

He added: “They launched very early into this attack, this description of all the horrors that would happen if we exit. I just listened to this and thought, ‘this is complete nonsense’.”

British Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, with Geoffrey Howe, Keith Joseph, John Nott, Norman Tebbit on the Conservative front bench in the House of Commons on 4 November 1981 (Getty ) (Getty)

The high-profile resignation comes as the chairman of JCB Lord Bramford wrote to his 6,500 UK employees to explain why he favours a vote to leave the EU. The billionaire businessman, who has donated millions of pounds to the Tory party in the past 15 years, told his staff leaving the bloc was of “diminishing economic importance”.

He also said that more than 53 per cent of all UK exports go to non-EU nations.

His letter states: “I voted to stay in the Common Market in 1975. I did not vote for a political union, I did not expect us to hand over sovereignty to the EU.

“I certainly did not expect unaccountable leaders in Brussels to govern over us.

“So do I wish to remain in an EU of diminishing economic importance as it moves towards ever closer union? Or do I want us to pull out of the EU, reclaim our sovereignty and regain control of how we trade with Europe and the world?”

The EU referendum debate has so far been characterised by bias, distortion and exaggeration. So until 23 June we we’re running a series of question and answer features that explain the most important issues in a detailed, dispassionate way to help inform your decision.

What is Brexit and why are we having an EU referendum?

Will we gain or lose rights by leaving the European Union?

What will happen to immigration if there's Brexit?

Will Brexit make the UK more or less safe?

Will the UK benefit from being released from EU laws?

Will leaving the EU save taxpayers money and mean more money for the NHS?

What will Brexit do to UK trade?

How Brexit will affect British tourism

What will Brexit mean for British tourists booking holidays in the EU?

Will Brexit help or damage the environment?

Will Brexit mean that Europeans have to leave the UK?

What will Brexit mean for British expats?