EAST Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has said the UK is “in a good place” as it prepares to leave the European Union.

Echoing Prime Minister Theresa May’s words at the Conservative Party Conference in the autumn, he said: “I think the UK is a truly great nation and, as our prime minister says, we are going to make a success of Brexit – and we will.”

The Minister of State for Employment, who presides over the highest rate of employment since records began in 1971 – with 74.6 per cent of people aged 16 to 64 in work – said the UK had been estimated, at the end of last year, to have the fastest growing economy in the G7 for 2016 and firms continued to create jobs in Britain.

Despite voting to remain in the EU, Mr Hinds was optimistic when speaking about the impact of Brexit on jobs, and agreed that a positive approach to leaving the EU was important for its success.

“We have the highest employment we have ever had and, at the end of last year when it was measured, the fastest economic growth in the G7 (UK, Germany, US, Japan, Canada, France, Italy),” he said. “That suggests the underlying condition of the UK economy is very good. When you are in Government you always account for a different range of possibilities and contingencies, but right now we are in a good place.”

He said the UK was “in a good position” to deal with any uncertainties arising from Brexit, adding: “We stay vigilant and we take nothing for granted, but the news, in terms of firms investing in this country and creating jobs, continues to be good.”

Speaking ahead of an East Hampshire jobs fair for the over 50s, which he is hosting at Alton College next month, Mr Hinds’ positivity post Brexit reflected his confidence in the UK before the EU Referendum on June 23 last year.

In February last year, while David Cameron was renegotiating the terms of UK’s membership of the EU, Mr Hinds said: “I have always said that I would not fear for Britain outside the EU - we are a strong and great nation and a major economy, but the first best outcome would be for Britain to be in a reformed EU that works better for us.”

Asked why - as a former chairman of conservative think tank The Bow Group which strongly supported Brexit - he voted to remain in the EU, Mr Hinds said he had acted in what he believed to be the best interests of the country’s economy.

“I voted to remain, and I campaigned to remain, because I believed that was economically the right thing to do,” said the former Bow Group chairman from 2001 to 2002. Previous chairmen had included Peter Lilley, Norman Lamont, Michael Howard, Leon Brittan and Geoffrey Howe.

However, Mr Hinds said that, following a full debate and a high turnout, “the vote was clear” and the democratic will of the people had to be respected.

Mr Hinds’ East Hampshire constituency was split almost 50-50 in the EU Referendum, with the remain side winning by 770 votes. A total 37,346 people (50.5 per cent) voted to remain, and 36,576 (49.5 per cent) voted to leave, with a turnout of 81.6 per cent.

In December last year The Bow Group, founded in 1951, was awarded the Public Affairs Award for think tank of the year for its “very strong spread of detailed initiatives leading to significant outcomes”. The award followed the year in which The Bow Group supported both the UK leaving the EU and Donald Trump becoming president of the US.

Asked about the controversial US president, Mr Hinds said: “The United States is an absolutely fundamental ally of the UK and Mr Trump is the elected president of the United States. We must work with him and his administration.”

Asked whether he considered himself “a full-bloodied conservative” and whether “centrism was dead”, Mr Hinds, 47, replied: “I’m full blooded and I’m Conservative, and I know elections are won and lost in the centre.

“In Parliament, there are a remarkable number of things that people agree on and obviously there are things they disagree on.

“I’m a Conservative and I believe in the Conservative way and I believe it has delivered for this country.”

Mr Hinds took over from Priti Patel both as exchequer secretary to the Treasury in 2015 and as Minister of State for Employment last year.

Asked whether he had his sights set on a cabinet post, the MP said he did not.

“I am busy enough doing what I am doing now,” replied the married father of three, whose children are aged four, five and seven. “I love my job.”

Mr Hinds, who lives between Alton and Petersfield, said he found it “a great privilege” being able to help people to get into work, and to earn incomes to support themselves and families.

He was elected as the Conservative MP for East Hampshire in 2010.