Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski warns on EU membership debate

In a letter to fellow Conservative MPs, Mr Kawczynski said the plan to impose a four-year ban on some benefits for migrants was a "distraction" and that he wanted to see more conversation about constitutional reform.

He said: "The renegotiation of our membership of the EU has to be about fundamentally important constitutional issues and about who governs Britain and that is what I am interested in – not social security payments for EU migrants.

"Research has shown that most of the migrants who come from Europe are here to work and many are very highly skilled."

In a letter to fellow MPs , Mr Kawczynski said that the "coverage on benefits is a distraction" and that "contributions in income tax outstrip any benefits they may get many times over".

The comments come amid plans from Prime Minister David Cameron to re-negotiate Britain's membership with the EU.

But Mr Kawczynski said most of the media coverage about the plans had focused on benefits.

He said: "The majority portray the average Polish migrant as a plumber, but many are highly skilled and are graduates, financiers, directors – all sorts.

"I come across a great deal of them in London and the Prime Minister has asked me to engage with them and advise him.

"They are here to work and contribute to taxation.

"I don't want the re-negotiation to be hijacked by an issue which I don't see as predominant importance.

"I see the ability to bring sovereign powers back to the UK and sovereign issues as the number one factor on whether or not I am about to support staying in."

The MP added that the issue of free movement is particularly important.

He said that while there are large numbers of people coming to the country, a further two million British people had taken advantage of the concept of free movement with many living in Cyprus, Spain and Portugal.

He added that the media has a responsibility to ensure people know about all the issues of EU membership.

Mr Kawczynski said: "I understand the concern of the Prime Minister about the numbers – we are a small island and something does need to be done about the sheer numbers.

"There are two reasons we are more attractive than other countries in the EU like Finland or Portugal.

"The first is the size of the economy, and the second is the fact that we are one of two English speaking nations.

"I understand that he needs to discuss these issues, but I don't want this to be hijacked by this one issue of benefits.

"I think people are more interested in British sovereignty."