A DORSET MP who defied the Government whip in Monday’s EU vote has vowed to fight on “until we get our country back”.

The Conservative South Dorset MP, Richard Drax, was one of 81 who voted in favour of a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU, leave it or renegotiate membership.

But David Cameron survived the biggest rebellion of his tenure so far to win the vote and stave off a referendum.

Mr Drax said: “We will carry on the cause, singing from the rooftops. We want our country back.”

He said it was “rather depressing” that the Government was not listening to the country “because the vast majority of our nation wants a re-look at our relationship with the EU”.

Mr Drax described Brussels as a “marauding federalist beast which is devouring our hard- fought freedoms one by one”.

He added: “I don’t have the confidence the other members of the Commons have that we will be able to keep the EU and its greedy legislative programme at arm’s length.”

Although he had announced his intention to vote against the government, he said he had come under no pressure from the whips, not even receiving a telephone call.

“My whip is a gentleman,” he said. “And I am an ex-soldier and more than capable of taking care of myself.”

Christchurch MP Chris Chope also supported the motion.

He said: “I think that we’ve reached the stage now where we need to have a complete reappraisal of our relationship with the EU. I hope that the Prime Minister will be given a stronger hand in negotiating a better deal for the UK.”

Dorset’s other Tory MPs all sided with the Government, although member for Bournemouth West, Conor Burns, said he did so “reluctantly”, as having three options in a referendum did not work.

He said: “If I thought for one minute that the motion before Parliament would bring the repatriation of powers from Brussels back to Westminster any closer, I would be the first to resign and vote for it.

“I do not believe it does.”

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood also voted with the Government, saying that having three choices in a potential referendum was “flawed”.

He said: “I’ve had a lot of letters and correspondence on this and the overwhelming view is to stay in the EU but to renegotiate terms.”

But he said that should be done before a referendum was held, as did Mr Burns.