The anti-Europe UK Independence Party (UKIP), which quadrupled its number of seats held in the European Parliament to 12 this month, has claimed its policy of pulling out of the European Union wouldn’t affect the freedom of labour movement.

Spokesman Quentin Williamson said: “Our policy is to prevent economic migration and control our own borders. If we pull out of the EU I don’t think there would be any overall effect on recruitment.

“We have enough people in this country to fill all vacancies, except perhaps for lorry drivers and plumbers. It is merely a question of altering training schemes.”

UKIP wants complete withdrawal from the EU and plans to replace it with trade agreements and treaties with individual countries.

Its best showing was in the East Midlands, where it came within 0.3% of beating the Tories and its star candidate, the former chat show host Robert Kilroy-Silk, was elected to the European Parliament.

But a foreign office spokeswoman said the freedom of labour movement was of huge benefit to the UK.

“Under the EU regulations all member state citizens who choose to can work, study and travel across all the EU states,” she said. “This brings enormous benefits both economically and socially to all countries involved.”