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Boris Johnson insists he is not presenting a post-Cameron government Boris Johnson insists he is not presenting a post-Cameron government
(35 minutes later)
Boris Johnson has insisted he is not presenting an alternative programme for government in preparation to succeed David Cameron, after the leave campaign set out detailed plans for a points-based immigration system and a cut to VAT on energy bills. NEW FILE NOW EMBARGO 10pm
The former London mayor said the Brexit campaign was merely setting out the policy options in the event of Britain leaving the EU, after putting forward the proposals with Michael Gove, the justice secretary, and Priti Patel, the employment minister. Rowena Mason, Heather Stewart and Anushka Asthana
“All we are saying is what any government could do and we are saying after we vote leave on 23 June it will be up to the government to take back control,” he said. Boris Johnson has insisted he is “not forming an alternative government” to replace David Cameron, after he put forward detailed plans for a new immigration system and a cut to VAT on energy bills.
Asked whether he was setting out an alternative to Cameron’s government, he said that was not the plan. But he referred several times to the policies that would be carried out by “the government of the day” and “any government” that might be in power after the 23 June referendum, rather than this current government. The former London mayor had joined with Michael Gove, the justice secretary, and Priti Patel, the employment minister, to pledge new Australian-style immigration controls by 2020, which would restrict the entry of migrants into the UK according to their skills.
However, he insisted these were only recommendations for policy that any government could follow after a vote to leave the EU on June 23.
“We are not forming an alternative government, we are presenting alternatives to the government,” he said.
Gove, a close political ally of Cameron until the EU referendum campaign, said the aim was to “liberate” the prime minister to be able to fulfill his manifesto pledge to reduce net migration to tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands.
“The only way [Cameron] can fulfil that pledge is by leaving the EU,” he said. “He’s the prime minister who sets policy, he will set policy on 23 June but we just want to liberate him to be able to fulfil the manifesto pledge we all stood on.”
However, Cameron has made clear that he does not believe in an Australian-style points system, which he claims would “crash the economy” and could actually lead to higher immigration.
When it was pointed out to Johnson that he would have to change Cameron’s mind or depose him in order to implement the plan, he said: “At the moment we are stuck in the EU so it [the immigration policy] is not possible but post June 23 that option will be on the table. What we want to do is take back control over immigration and have more fairness over the way it is done.”
Asked whether he was setting out an alternative to Cameron, he said that of course that was not the plan.
But he several times referred to the policies that would be carried out by “the government of the day” and “any government” that might be in power after the June 23 referendum.
Patel went on to tell a crowd in Preston, Lancashire, that the Brexit campaign was looking to “take back control of our country and our government”.
All the leading campaigners for Brexit, including Johnson, Gove and Patel, claim publicly that they would want Cameron to carry on as prime minister regardless of the referendum result.
Cameron himself is insisting that he would want to stay on to negotiate with Brussels, despite having said he does not want to serve a third term. However, he would undoubtedly come under intense pressure to resign, if the country rejects his entreaties to stay in the EU. Some within his party want him to face a leadership challenge regardless of the result.
Johnson has long been a favourite to succeed Cameron but his chances of being the successful candidate in any leadership race have increased since he backed the campaign to leave the EU, with Conservative members mostly in favour of Brexit.
The immigration policy statement released on Tuesday night appeared particularly like a manifesto pledge as it was set out jointly by Johnson, Gove and Patel, who could be three leading figures in any post-Cameron government. It was also phrased as a pledge, rather than merely an option.
“By the next general election, we will create a genuine Australian-style points-based immigration system. The automatic right of all EU citizens to come to live and work in the UK will end, as will EU control over vital aspects of our social security system,” they wrote.
Remain campaigners immediately said the plan would be economically disastrous and could even lead to higher levels of net migration.
“Australia has more migration per head than we do here in the UK, so I think it’s the wrong approach,” Cameron told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I also think if we were to say to Europeans they needed work permits to come to Britain, European countries would say to us we need work permits to go and work there.”
George Osborne, the chancellor, branded the promise of a points-based system “fantasy politics” that would lead to a rise in net migration.
Downing Street sources also dismissed Vote Leave’s policies, calling them “completely unworkable” and adding: “Above all, it’s not in their power to implement it.”
Sir Nigel Sheinwald, former British representative to the European Union, confirmed it could have practical consequences for Brits wanting to emigrate in the future if other European countries apply similar rules to UK citizens.
“I doubt the leave campaign have even bothered to think about this, but the other EU countries are bound to look at reciprocal measures which could involve Brits having to be fluent in the language before working, living or retiring in other countries in Europe,” he said.
“You don’t need to have been in as many negotiations as I have in Europe to know that Vote Leave’s immigration plans will have far reaching and serious negative consequences...
“The introduction of this policy could well make life difficult for Brits already living in the rest of Europe. But it will certainly lead to serious restrictions of the right of Brits wanting to live and work on the continent in the future.
Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI director-general, added: “The UK already has a points-based system for non-EU migrants. Extending this to Europe would require giving up access to the single market, which would be hugely damaging for our economy.
“In addition, it is important to recognise the £2.5bn tax contribution migrants make to the UK. We must continue to ensure that free movement of labour in the EU remains a right for workers that boosts our prosperity, not a route to benefits.”
Others raised concerns about the tone of Vote Leave’s campaign, with Trevor Phillips, the former chair of Britain’s equality watchdog, saying the leave camp are putting forward an ugly, desperate and careless argument on immigration that risks fuelling an insurgency of far-right politics.
Phillips, a board member of Britain Stronger in Europe, said the senior Conservatives “shout fairness but mean exclusion” when they promise to put in place an Australian-style points system to crackdown on EU migrants.
“I think the Brexit camp is desperate and they have run out of arguments and are really trying to strike some emotional chords of a particularly ugly kind,” he told the Guardian.
Related: Brexiters are missing the point of Australian-style immigrationRelated: Brexiters are missing the point of Australian-style immigration
Patel also told a crowd in Preston, Lancashire, that the Brexit campaign was looking to “take back control of our country and our government”.
She was backed up by Gove who said leaving the EU would “make the government accountable to the people of this country, and give the next generation the confidence of knowing that their destiny is going to be shaped by people they chose, they elected, and who have got the best interests of this wonderful nation at heart”.
He added: “Twenty-one days, £350m, 55 million people in this country liberated: that’s the promise if we vote to leave the European Union.”
Johnson has long been considered a favourite to succeed the prime minister, although he insists this will not happen even if there is a vote to leave.
Cameron has also insisted that he would want to stay on to negotiate with Brussels but he would come under intense pressure to resign if the country rejects his entreaties to stay in the EU. Some within his party want him to face a leadership challenge regardless of the result.
Johnson’s chances of being the successful candidate in any leadership race have increased since he backed the campaign to leave the EU, with Conservative members mostly in favour of Brexit.
Related: 'The whole process is a travesty': readers on the EU referendumRelated: 'The whole process is a travesty': readers on the EU referendum
The immigration policy statement released on Tuesday night appeared particularly like a manifesto pledge as it was set out jointly by Johnson, Gove and Patel, who could be three leading figures in any post-Cameron Conservative government. It was also phrased as a pledge, rather than merely an option.
“By the next general election, we will create a genuine Australian-style points-based immigration system. The automatic right of all EU citizens to come to live and work in the UK will end, as will EU control over vital aspects of our social security system,” they wrote.
In response, Cameron warned that an Australian-style immigration system could “crash our economy”.
Remain campaigners have said the plan would be economically disastrous and could even lead to higher levels of net migration. “Australia has more migration per head than we do here in the UK, so I think it’s the wrong approach,” the prime minister told BBC Radio 5 Live.
British citizens would also be disadvantaged, he said. “I also think if we were to say to Europeans they needed work permits to come to Britain, European countries would say to us we need work permits to go and work there,” he said.
George Osborne, the chancellor, also branded the promise of a points-based system “fantasy politics” that would lead to a rise in net migration.
Downing Street sources dismissed Vote Leave’s policies, calling them “completely unworkable” and adding: “Above all, it’s not in their power to implement it.”