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Gove, Johnson and Duncan Smith are overstating EU exit case - Major Gove, Johnson and Duncan Smith are overstating EU exit case - Major
(35 minutes later)
Sir John Major has launched an attack on senior Conservatives in the Vote Leave campaign, accusing them of exaggerating arguments to exit the EU.Sir John Major has launched an attack on senior Conservatives in the Vote Leave campaign, accusing them of exaggerating arguments to exit the EU.
The ex-Tory PM said claims by Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith did not bear factual scrutiny and warned about the tone of some exit campaigners' rhetoric on immigration.The ex-Tory PM said claims by Michael Gove, Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith did not bear factual scrutiny and warned about the tone of some exit campaigners' rhetoric on immigration.
Vote Leave said Sir John was "wrong".Vote Leave said Sir John was "wrong".
MP Peter Lilley said Leave had got the tone right on immigration and suggested Sir John was "inventing a straw man".MP Peter Lilley said Leave had got the tone right on immigration and suggested Sir John was "inventing a straw man".
"He was saying there is misuse of the issue - and that certainly would be wrong - but he didn't give any examples of this misuse," he told the BBC. "He was saying there is misuse of the issue - and that certainly would be wrong - but he didn't give any examples of this misuse," Mr Lilley, a former minister under Sir John, told the BBC.
Pro-exit employment minister Priti Patel said Sir John was a "respected former prime minister" but it would be the public - not politicians - who would decide the outcome of the referendum. Employment minister Priti Patel, who is backing a vote to leave the EU, said Sir John was a "respected former prime minister" but it would be the public - not politicians - who would decide the outcome of the referendum.
The UK votes on whether to stay in or leave the European Union on 23 June.The UK votes on whether to stay in or leave the European Union on 23 June.
In a hard-hitting speech in Oxford, Sir John - whose seven years in Number 10 were dominated by internal party rows over Europe - said the Remain side must "debunk myths" about immigration, sovereignty and the economy to prevail in the referendum. David Cameron is campaigning for a Remain vote, as is most of his cabinet, but the party is deeply split over the issue, with many of its MPs supporting an exit.
Economic facts were simply "brushed aside" by Vote Leave, he said, adding that those who favoured an EU exit were propagating "absurd falsehoods". In a hard-hitting speech in Oxford, Sir John - whose seven years in Number 10 were dominated by internal party rows over Europe - said the Remain side must "debunk myths" about immigration, sovereignty and the economy if it was to prevail.
He claimed that economic facts were simply "brushed aside" by Vote Leave and that those who favoured an EU exit were propagating "absurd falsehoods".
"There is no shortage of their exaggerations," said Sir John, citing the cost of being in Europe as a "clear example"."There is no shortage of their exaggerations," said Sir John, citing the cost of being in Europe as a "clear example".
"(UKIP's) Nigel Farage, Iain Duncan Smith and Boris Johnson all put it at £20bn a year - it's even on Boris' battle bus; Michael Gove is more modest at £18bn (£350m a week), all of which, they tell us - if only we could be free of Europe - would be spent on the health service and our hospitals. "(UKIP leader) Nigel Farage, Iain Duncan Smith and Boris Johnson all put it at £20bn a year - it's even on Boris's battle bus; Michael Gove is more modest at £18bn (£350m a week), all of which, they tell us - if only we could be free of Europe - would be spent on the health service and our hospitals.
"If only," he said - adding that their figures are "wrong". But he said their figures were "wrong" and said they should apologise for "peddling a clear cut untruth".
Voting to leave the EU was not "taking back control", as Leave campaigners argue, Sir John said: "It is nothing other than reckless, imprudent folly." Sir John also dismissed arguments made by Leave campaigners, including Mr Johnson, that an EU exit would boost Britain's sovereignty.
'Pure demagoguery'
Sir John also dismissed arguments made by Leave campaigners, including Mr Johnson, that Britain would regain its sovereignty if it exited the EU.
"We should not forget that - in well over 90% of the votes cast in Brussels - the UK wins," he said."We should not forget that - in well over 90% of the votes cast in Brussels - the UK wins," he said.
"The caricature that we are repeatedly voted down in Europe is ill-informed nonsense.""The caricature that we are repeatedly voted down in Europe is ill-informed nonsense."
On immigration, Sir John suggested some Leave campaigners were in danger of morphing in to UKIP by pushing the issue and warned it risked creating "long-term divisions" in society. 'Pure demagoguery'
He singled out for criticism claims made by Leave campaigners - including Mr Gove - that EU expansion would open Britain's borders up to another 88 million people. The former prime minister also took issue with some of the Leave campaign's rhetoric on immigration.
He claimed senior Tories were "morphing" into UKIP by pandering to immigration fears and warned it risked creating "long-term divisions" in society.
He singled out for criticism claims made by pro-exit campaigners - including Mr Gove - that EU expansion would open Britain's borders up to another 88 million people.
"I assume this distortion of reality was intended to lead the British people into believing that almost the entire population of possible new entrants will wish to relocate to the UK."I assume this distortion of reality was intended to lead the British people into believing that almost the entire population of possible new entrants will wish to relocate to the UK.
"If so, this is pure demagoguery. I hope that - when the heat of the referendum is behind us - the proponents of such mischief making will be embarrassed and ashamed at how they have misused this issue," he said."If so, this is pure demagoguery. I hope that - when the heat of the referendum is behind us - the proponents of such mischief making will be embarrassed and ashamed at how they have misused this issue," he said.
Sir John said he did not want to "silence" debate on immigration, as it was a "legitimate" issue - but he warned that "care honesty and balance" was needed to avoid "raising fears or fuelling prejudice".Sir John said he did not want to "silence" debate on immigration, as it was a "legitimate" issue - but he warned that "care honesty and balance" was needed to avoid "raising fears or fuelling prejudice".
Defence minister and Vote Leave campaigner Penny Mordaunt said that while she had "great respect" for Sir John, "he's wrong" on immigration.Defence minister and Vote Leave campaigner Penny Mordaunt said that while she had "great respect" for Sir John, "he's wrong" on immigration.
"We've got to talk about immigration. It's of huge concern to the public," she said, saying the UK "does not have full control of our borders"."We've got to talk about immigration. It's of huge concern to the public," she said, saying the UK "does not have full control of our borders".
"We can't keep certain people out, we can't deport certain people. That's a real problem," she added."We can't keep certain people out, we can't deport certain people. That's a real problem," she added.
Meanwhile, Conservative David Davis said it was "grossly unfair" to dismiss concerns about immigration as "UKIP".Meanwhile, Conservative David Davis said it was "grossly unfair" to dismiss concerns about immigration as "UKIP".
"Sir John is right to warn that debates on immigration must not slip into xenophobia. But there are also great dangers from ignoring the very real concerns of the voters, and dismissing them as divisive and prejudiced," he said."Sir John is right to warn that debates on immigration must not slip into xenophobia. But there are also great dangers from ignoring the very real concerns of the voters, and dismissing them as divisive and prejudiced," he said.
He added that there were "even greater dangers" from letting immigration "run completely out of control".He added that there were "even greater dangers" from letting immigration "run completely out of control".