CROWDS roared their support for Nigel Farage as he made his first ever speech in Gloucestershire.

The controversial Ukip leader spoke to hundreds of people in Gloucester’s GL1 Leisure Centre last night as part of his UK tour for the ‘Say No’ campaign which urges voters to act to leave the EU.

After a speech from Ukip trade spokesman William Dartmouth, in which he frequently derided the BBC’s journalistic bias, a palpably excited crowd rose to their feet to greet Mr Farage.

In his slick style, and using minimal notes, he explained why he was giving so much time to the campaign to get Britain out of the EU.

He told the crowds that Britain’s courts could be overruled, it could not govern its own trade and it has no control over its borders because of “people in Luxembourg and Strasbourg”.

He added that “even the first two words on our passport are European Union”.

“This is a long way from the common market that my parents voted for.

“Immigration is completely and hopelessly out of control. It has led to people’s wages being depressed, pressure on our healthcare system and a crisis in primary school places – none of this makes any sense.”

Mr Farage has spoken in Worcester before but never in Gloucestershire. His comments came the day before David Cameron vowed to negotiate a better deal for Britain in Europe.

The Ukip leader’s speech was liberally scattered with humour, including a pantomime-esque call for more boos at the mention of Tony Blair, as well as sinister allusions to Westminster and the “political elite”.

He also made a damning assessment of CBI saying “they are not the voice of British business, they are the voice of Brussels.”

He finished with stern words on the future of the anti-EU movement.

“We are trying to mobilise a people’s army big enough and strong enough that the establishment cannot hold us back.

“I believe in Britain.”

Josh Williams, 19, a law student from Bristol, said: “I’m here because the question of the EU – whether Nigel Farage’s stance on it is right or wrong – will be one of the biggest decisions we make in the next 20 years.

“It’ll be a biggest referendum we’ve had in years.

“My opinion is that we’ll be telling our grandchildren about this.”