Euroscepticism in Britain will continue to flourish as long as Brussels remains outside of proper democratic scrutiny in this country, Peter Hain has said.

The leader of the Commons, interviewed in the Guardian, said that "there is a chasm between the British people and the Brussels institutions".

"It is absolutely crucial that the British parliament, which is the cockpit of democracy, acts as a proper link between Europe and British citizens, and that is not happening now," he said.