The special relationship Britain has with the US would benefit from increased involvement in the European Union, Lord Hurd will argue on Tuesday.

Speaking at an event organised by Britain in Europe, the former Tory foreign secretary will suggest that, rather than looking to become a superpower, Europe should improve co-ordination efforts to reap the benefits of a flexible foreign policy, whether conducted by individual members, intergovernmentally or through European institutions.

Lord Hurd's comments follow a Downing Street meeting that led to anger among smaller EU member states that Britain, France and Germany were dominating the EU's response to the "war on terrorism".

However, Lord Hurd's arguments prompted a critical response from those cautious of deepening Britain's involvement in the European Union.

Dominic Cummings, co-director of the No campaign, said: "The most damaging thing for British influence would be to sink ourselves into an economically flawed euro experiment. People like Hurd should drop this perpetual introspection about EU structures and address the real threats that Britain faces."