Boris Johnson’s five point plan for Brexit
With the Conservative leadership drama continuing, once-upon-a-time hopeful Boris Johnson has some advice.
The former London mayor said that there are still too many young people who believe that the older generation have stolen their future, adding: "It is time for this nonsense to end.Q"
Writing in the Telegraph, Johnson said: "It was wrong of the government to offer the public a binary choice on the EU without being willing – in the event that people voted Leave – to explain how this can be made to work in the interests of the UK and Europe. We cannot wait until mid-September, and a new PM. We need a clear statement, now, of some basic truths."
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- Firstly, Johnson said there's no risk to the status of EU nationals now resident in the UK. "Indeed immigration will continue – but in a way that is controlled, thereby neutralising the extremists."
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Other EU nations want to trade with the UK. In fact, "it is overwhelmingly in the economic interests of the other EU countries to do a free-trade deal, with zero tariffs and quotas, while we extricate ourselves from the EU law-making system".
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Outside of the EU, other nations are already applying for free trade deals with the UK.
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The UK can supply leadership in Europe on security and other matters, but at an intergovernmental level.
- Simply, the "future is very bright indeed".
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Johnson's advice comes as Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary, came out in support of Theresa May.
May continues to lead the pack, with Johnson's former ally Michael Gove, trailing. Andrea Leadsom, Liam Fox and Stephen Crabb lag behind the frontrunners.
Johnson was up there with May before Gove entered the race – the former mayor announced that he would not seek the leadership the day after Gove threw his hat in the ring.