David Cameron's disgraced former spin doctor Andy Coulson said his ex-boss lost the Brexit referendum because Westminster treated many voters like fools.

Mr Coulson, who was jailed for 18 months for conspiring to intercept communications, insisted that the ex-PM failed to do enough to deal with the growing anti-Europe, and anti-politics feeling in the country.

Presenting a report for Channel 4 News from his home county of Essex on why the Leave side won, Mr Coulson said: "I think that Westminster talked about self-empowerment, talked about control, but didn't deliver it. In short they kind of took the people of Essex for fools.

"So, it was no surprise that when they then empowered Essex man and woman with a vote on the referendum, they gave their view - very clearly and with bells on."

Mr Cameron's ex-spin chief said the former PM had been cautious on dealing with immigration for fear of being branded "rabidly right-wing".

"When the history of David Cameron's downfall is written, it is likely to be blamed on his decision to call a referendum. But, in truth, the miscalculation that mattered came long before.

"He was anxious about addressing immigration because he believed, quite correctly, that if he did so, he would be portrayed as being rabidly right wing. But to try and move the debate on to calmer territory was just impossible.

"As a result he couldn't do enough, quickly enough, to address the anti-Europe, but also the anti-establishment, the anti-politics, mood that was developing in places like Essex.

"He got it right on MPs expenses, but on these complicated issues of control, and on immigration itself, he was cautious.

"He wasn't alone, of course, the majority of senior politicians from the three main parties were looking in entirely the wrong direction. By the time the referendum campaign started, and Leave upped the anti on immigration, it was just too late," Mr Coulson said.