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Voting for Brexit means embracing divisive vision of UK, says Osborne Voting for Brexit means embracing divisive vision of UK, says Osborne
(35 minutes later)
George Osborne has told voters that by choosing to leave the European Union they would be embracing Ukip leader Nigel Farage’s “mean, divisive” vision of Britain. George Osborne has told voters that by choosing to leave the European Union they would be embracing Ukip’s “mean, divisive” vision of Britain.
The chancellor used a television interview with the BBC’s Andrew Neil to draw the battle lines for the final two weeks of what he called a fight for “the soul of our country”.The chancellor used a television interview with the BBC’s Andrew Neil to draw the battle lines for the final two weeks of what he called a fight for “the soul of our country”.
While not attacking his close friend and cabinet colleague Michael Gove, or potential leadership rival Boris Johnson directly, the chancellor claimed the campaign to leave had been hijacked by Farage’s anti-immigration agenda. “Nigel Farage and his vision of Britain has taken over the Leave campaign,” he said. While not attacking his close friend and cabinet colleague Michael Gove, or potential leadership rival Boris Johnson directly, the chancellor claimed the campaign to leave had been hijacked by the anti-immigration agenda of Nigel Farage, Ukip’s leader. “Nigel Farage and his vision of Britain has taken over the leave campaign,” he said.
He said warnings about the risk of Cologne-style sex attacks by migrants, or, “bodies washing up on British beaches” – both fears voiced by Farage in recent days – spoke for a Britain he couldn’t endorse. “I don’t want Nigel Farage’s vision of Britain. It is mean, it’s divisive, it is not what we want for our country,” he said. He said warnings about the risk of Cologne-style sex attacks by migrants, or “bodies washing up on British beaches” – both fears voiced by Farage in recent days – spoke for a Britain he couldn’t endorse. “I don’t want Nigel Farage’s vision of Britain. It is mean, it’s divisive, it is not what we want for our country,” he said.
By tarring Vote Leave which includes cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Chris Grayling as well as Gove and Johnson with the same brush as Farage, the Stronger In campaign, which has been rattled by a series of close opinion polls, hopes to win over waverers. By tarring Vote Leave, which includes cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Chris Grayling as well as Gove and Johnson, with the same brush as Farage, the Stronger In campaign, which has been rattled by a series of close opinion polls, hopes to win over waverers.
Gove used a speech on Wednesday to focus on the issue of Turkey’s proposed membership of the European Union, accusing the government of “appeasing” Ankara over its crackdown on free speech in exchange for cooperation over the migrant crisis.Gove used a speech on Wednesday to focus on the issue of Turkey’s proposed membership of the European Union, accusing the government of “appeasing” Ankara over its crackdown on free speech in exchange for cooperation over the migrant crisis.
“There are particular times when the assertion of our liberalism needs to be especially muscular. Nowhere more so than when the essential freedom – freedom of speech – is threatened. Which brings me to the case of Turkey. That country’s democratic development has been put into reverse under President Erdogan,” Gove said.“There are particular times when the assertion of our liberalism needs to be especially muscular. Nowhere more so than when the essential freedom – freedom of speech – is threatened. Which brings me to the case of Turkey. That country’s democratic development has been put into reverse under President Erdogan,” Gove said.
“We and the European Union should be protesting in the clearest and loudest possible manner at this erosion of fundamental democratic freedoms. But instead we and the European Union are making concession after concession to Erdogan.”“We and the European Union should be protesting in the clearest and loudest possible manner at this erosion of fundamental democratic freedoms. But instead we and the European Union are making concession after concession to Erdogan.”
However, Osborne insisted the threat of Turkey joining – which Vote Leave has made central to a poster campaign – is unlikely to be realised in his lifetime.However, Osborne insisted the threat of Turkey joining – which Vote Leave has made central to a poster campaign – is unlikely to be realised in his lifetime.
The chancellor also doubled down on the strategy of warning the public about the economic risks of Brexit, dubbed “Project Fear” by his critics, saying, “there is a lot to be scared about: it is vital that people know what is at stake here”.The chancellor also doubled down on the strategy of warning the public about the economic risks of Brexit, dubbed “Project Fear” by his critics, saying, “there is a lot to be scared about: it is vital that people know what is at stake here”.
He claimed leaving the EU would mean “losing control” over Britain’s economy, comparing it to the shock that followed the 2007-8 financial crisis and plunged the UK into a deep recession.He claimed leaving the EU would mean “losing control” over Britain’s economy, comparing it to the shock that followed the 2007-8 financial crisis and plunged the UK into a deep recession.
The chancellor brandished a small part from an Airbus plane wing, manufactured in a factory in Keighley, warning that it could be made elsewhere – turning workers out of jobs – if Britain no longer had free access to the European single market.The chancellor brandished a small part from an Airbus plane wing, manufactured in a factory in Keighley, warning that it could be made elsewhere – turning workers out of jobs – if Britain no longer had free access to the European single market.
His blunt approach was a sign that Britain Stronger in Europe is seeking to hone and simplify its economic message in the final days of the campaign. It unveiled a poster on Wednesday that is going to be used in billboards across the country, which simply states “out of Europe, out of work” on top of an image of shutters.His blunt approach was a sign that Britain Stronger in Europe is seeking to hone and simplify its economic message in the final days of the campaign. It unveiled a poster on Wednesday that is going to be used in billboards across the country, which simply states “out of Europe, out of work” on top of an image of shutters.
The image represents a final push to get out an economic message, with reference to a Treasury estimate that 3m jobs are dependent on EU trade.The image represents a final push to get out an economic message, with reference to a Treasury estimate that 3m jobs are dependent on EU trade.
Yvette Cooper MP said: “Boris Johnson and Michael Gove are more concerned with their own jobs than the risk that leaving the EU poses to other peoples. For them this is a game but the consequences of Brexit are real.”Yvette Cooper MP said: “Boris Johnson and Michael Gove are more concerned with their own jobs than the risk that leaving the EU poses to other peoples. For them this is a game but the consequences of Brexit are real.”