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EU reform on UK sovereignty is not achievable, says Boris Johnson | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
EU reforms on UK sovereignty are "not achievable" and the government has not delivered "fundamental change", Boris Johnson has said. | |
David Cameron has said he has secured a commitment to exempt the UK from "ever closer union". | David Cameron has said he has secured a commitment to exempt the UK from "ever closer union". |
But Mr Johnson told the BBC's Andrew Marr the EU wanted a "superstate into which we would inevitably be dragged". | But Mr Johnson told the BBC's Andrew Marr the EU wanted a "superstate into which we would inevitably be dragged". |
Instead, the UK had a "once in a lifetime opportunity" to make its own relationships with other nations. | |
Mr Johnson said the outcome of Mr Cameron's negotiations on EU reform led to his decision to support a vote to leave the EU in June's referendum. | |
"We were told were going to get wholesale changes," he said. | "We were told were going to get wholesale changes," he said. |
"Anybody looking at the agreement that we have before us now would be in no doubt that this is not fundamental reform. | "Anybody looking at the agreement that we have before us now would be in no doubt that this is not fundamental reform. |
"The next item on the agenda is the further evolution of what was a common market into this superstate into which we would inevitably be dragged." | "The next item on the agenda is the further evolution of what was a common market into this superstate into which we would inevitably be dragged." |
In February the government announced it had reached a deal to set out the UK's relationship with the EU. The prime minister had wanted an opt-out of the EU's founding ambition to forge an "ever closer union". | In February the government announced it had reached a deal to set out the UK's relationship with the EU. The prime minister had wanted an opt-out of the EU's founding ambition to forge an "ever closer union". |
The final deal said the UK "is not committed to further political integration into the European Union" and that this would be incorporated into EU treaties. | The final deal said the UK "is not committed to further political integration into the European Union" and that this would be incorporated into EU treaties. |
The prime minister said in February: "Let me put this as simply as I can: Britain will never be part of a European superstate." | The prime minister said in February: "Let me put this as simply as I can: Britain will never be part of a European superstate." |