THE "secretive" and "impenetrable" European Union does not have Britain's best interests at heart, the David Cameron’s former strategy guru has claimed.
Steve Hilton, one of the Prime Minister’s oldest advisors, said Britain is "ungovernable" as long as it remains within the 28-member bloc.
The guru, who allegedly convinced Cameron to stand for the Tory leadership, believes a Brexit vote next month would help "take back power from the arrogant, unaccountable, hubristic elites and putting it where it belongs – in people’s hands".
But the former advisor warned the EU will punish Britain for the referendum if the Vote Leave campaign is successful by introducing fresh rules and regulations.
Mr Hilton said: "A decision to leave the EU is not without risk. But I believe it is the ideal and idealistic choice for our times."
He also savaged the Tory party, claiming excessive amounts of Government time are spent dealing with the EU-related workload, instead of focusing on their own manifesto promises and policies.
Mr Hilton said: "It’s become so complicated, so secretive, so impenetrable that it’s way beyond the ability of any British Government to make it work to our advantage.
"Membership of the EU makes Britain literally ungovernable, in the sense that no administration elected by the people can govern the country."
He went on to ridicule Cameron's EU deal, saying that the Prime Minister's "modest" demands were wafted away by EU officials.
The 46-year-old said: "The arrogant and dismissive treatment of Britain’s relatively modest demands in the 2015/2016 negotiations shows that the EU is just not interested in anything other than superficial change.
"You might as well hope for Vladimir Putin to embrace liberal democracy."
He added: "One way of thinking about this referendum is that the choice is actually not between staying and leaving; but between leaving, and joining a new EU.
"It would be the EU unleashed, freed from the constraints of having to placate the pesky British.
"Once they know we will never leave, all our leverage will be gone."
Mr Hilton dismissed claims the EU was vital for Britain's security and suggested it was more important to focus on partnering with the United States and Nato.
The former senior advisor dismissed claims that Britain's economy would crumble should it leave the Brussels club and slammed the pro-security rhetoric being peddled by the In Campaign.
He said: "The idea that a British Prime Minister can’t protect Britain properly without the EU is frankly astonishing and, if true, rather alarming.
"But of course it’s not true."