Michael Gove also said, however, the best course of action would be to follow Prime Minister David Cameron´s plan to renegotiate powers, lead Europe to the changes it needs – and then put the issue to the public in a referendum, the BBC reported Sunday.

Gove is so far the highest-ranking Conservative in London to publicly comment on the possibility of Britain´s leaving the EU, the BBC said.

"I am not happy with our position in the European Union but my preference is for a change in Britain´s relationship with the European Union. Life outside would be perfectly tolerable, we could contemplate it, there would be certain advantages," said Gove.

Cameron has committed to a referendum on a British EU exit in 2017, in the event the Conservatives win the next election, the BBC reported.