A taxi driver has launched a hard-hitting diatribe against Britain’s political classes who he said have “killed Britain” through uncontrolled immigration, perfectly encapsulating the ‘working man versus elite’ debate at the heart of the EU referendum.

Cabbie ‘Alfie’ from London’s East End said the lives of working people had been turned “upside down” by politicians who had invited migrants into the country without consulting the British people, driving wages and living standards down and bringing services and the housing system to breaking point.

“I’m sick to death of middle class people and business people telling me how great this is, because it doesn’t affect them.”

And he insisted: “What you have to understand is, people like me, we’re not racists, we’re realists.”

Calling in to LBC to discuss the referendum on European Union (EU) membership, he said he was “ashamed” of politicians who were “putting money” and “big business again, as usual, before people,” and that he was “offended” by the Prime Minister and Chancellor talking the British economy down.

“I drive all round this country, and all I see is towns and cities completely gone forever,” he said, adding that the East End is “gone. Our way of life, our communities have been decimated.”

“I have to wait three and half weeks for a doctor’s appointment. Ten years ago I could walk in on the day.

“Housing is just ridiculous. Four years I was on the waiting list and I still didn’t get one. I was told I was never going to get one.

“There is no East End anymore, they’re going to talk about it as history.”

Everything is about money, money, money, and the politicians doing this scaremongering – I’m ashamed of them. I’m ashamed of people who voted them in. All of these people for staying in haven’t got a clue what it’s like for a working class man in this country, to have had this put upon us.

His tongue-lashing wasn’t aimed at any particular party or politician, he explained, but at the political classes in general.

“The biggest traitor to this country – the person who is going to go down as the person who broke this country and who killed Britain is Tony Blair, with his uncontrolled immigration policy. It’s widely [known] now that he didn’t care, he sent people out to get people here.

“David Cameron has done exactly the same. Ever since he’s been in, [immigration levels have] been around the 350,000 [sic] inside and outside the EU. He has no interest in tackling immigration … it’s all about big business as usual.”

And he said he couldn’t care less what the economists warning that Britain will be worse off outside the EU because although they may have a point “to a certain degree,” taking a short term financial hit would be worth it to free Britain from the shackles of the EU.

“We’re the fifth biggest economy. Are you telling me we’re the fifth biggest economy in the world and we can’t make our own deals with [other countries]? I feel offended when people say that. We’re one of the greatest countries in the world! It’s ridiculous.”