This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2018/feb/14/boris-johnson-brexit-speech-referendum-politics-live
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Brexit speech: Boris Johnson refuses to rule out resignation – politics live | Brexit speech: Boris Johnson refuses to rule out resignation – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, has responded to Johnson’s speech this afternoon, saying it was full of “empty rhetoric”. | Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, has responded to Johnson’s speech this afternoon, saying it was full of “empty rhetoric”. |
| This speech underlined the government’s real intentions; a Brexit of deregulation, where rights and protections are casually cast aside and where the benefits of the single market and the customs union are ignored. | This speech underlined the government’s real intentions; a Brexit of deregulation, where rights and protections are casually cast aside and where the benefits of the single market and the customs union are ignored. |
| Nobody will be fooled or reassured by the foreign secretary’s empty rhetoric. His insistence on deregulating our economy is the opposite of what businesses and trade unions want to hear. | Nobody will be fooled or reassured by the foreign secretary’s empty rhetoric. His insistence on deregulating our economy is the opposite of what businesses and trade unions want to hear. |
| Instead of building the consensus we need, the government’s approach will only further divide the country and put jobs, rights and living standards at risk. | Instead of building the consensus we need, the government’s approach will only further divide the country and put jobs, rights and living standards at risk. |
| Chuka Umunna, the Labour MP and leading Open Britain supporter, has dubbed the foreign secretary’s speech an “astonishing exercise in hypocrisy”. | |
| His vision of Brexit may be many things, but it is not liberal. | His vision of Brexit may be many things, but it is not liberal. |
| His plan would see Britain sever trade ties with our largest trading partner, weaken protections for workers, consumers and the environment, and jeopardise the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland, a subject he didn’t even bother to mention. | His plan would see Britain sever trade ties with our largest trading partner, weaken protections for workers, consumers and the environment, and jeopardise the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland, a subject he didn’t even bother to mention. |
| The scaremongering, mistruths, lack of detail and utter disregard for the economic realities of Brexit were an alarming throwback to the referendum campaign. More than 18 months since the referendum, this was simply more of the same project fantasy. | The scaremongering, mistruths, lack of detail and utter disregard for the economic realities of Brexit were an alarming throwback to the referendum campaign. More than 18 months since the referendum, this was simply more of the same project fantasy. |
| He lectures others about betrayal, yet he is unrepentant about the lies he has peddled, be it on how Brexit will deliver £350m extra a week for the NHS, the ridiculous claim that Turkey was joining the European Union, or the assertion that Britain would immediately start negotiating new trade deals with countries around the world when there have been none. | He lectures others about betrayal, yet he is unrepentant about the lies he has peddled, be it on how Brexit will deliver £350m extra a week for the NHS, the ridiculous claim that Turkey was joining the European Union, or the assertion that Britain would immediately start negotiating new trade deals with countries around the world when there have been none. |
| The senior Tory MP, Sarah Wollaston, seems underwhelmed by Johnson’s speech. | |
| #Boris presenting an optimistic vision of global Britain. I hope he is right. But his speech did not address any of the serious practical difficulties that will affect real peoples lives with a hard #Brexit | #Boris presenting an optimistic vision of global Britain. I hope he is right. But his speech did not address any of the serious practical difficulties that will affect real peoples lives with a hard #Brexit |
| I’m not sure you reach out to constituents who come to visit you in a surgery by humiliating & belittling them in a major speech. Nor will global Britain be advanced by a vision of exporting stag parties or innuendo about visitors to Thailand. | I’m not sure you reach out to constituents who come to visit you in a surgery by humiliating & belittling them in a major speech. Nor will global Britain be advanced by a vision of exporting stag parties or innuendo about visitors to Thailand. |
| Clear message from #Boris speech that Govt set on regulatory divergence, leaving CU & SM. Now we urgently need a serious speech that addresses the reality of the practical issues, timescales & contingency planning including Irish border. Time for relentless #OptimismBias is over | Clear message from #Boris speech that Govt set on regulatory divergence, leaving CU & SM. Now we urgently need a serious speech that addresses the reality of the practical issues, timescales & contingency planning including Irish border. Time for relentless #OptimismBias is over |
| In response to the foreign secretary’s speech, the Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson, Tom Brake, dismissed Boris Johnson as “completely deluded”. | In response to the foreign secretary’s speech, the Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson, Tom Brake, dismissed Boris Johnson as “completely deluded”. |
| This speech wasn’t about the most important issue facing our country right now, this was about Boris’ ambitions to become the next prime minister. And it probably wasn’t much help on that front either. | This speech wasn’t about the most important issue facing our country right now, this was about Boris’ ambitions to become the next prime minister. And it probably wasn’t much help on that front either. |
| The lack of detail and understanding shown in this back of a fag packet speech would be astounding, if we didn’t already know that the government has no clue and no plan. | The lack of detail and understanding shown in this back of a fag packet speech would be astounding, if we didn’t already know that the government has no clue and no plan. |
| As ever, Boris managed to find time to practice a dead language but failed to tackle the live issues. We are still completely in the dark on the government’s plan to tackle issues such as the Northern Ireland border which are central to his brief as foreign secretary and crucial to the future of our nation. | As ever, Boris managed to find time to practice a dead language but failed to tackle the live issues. We are still completely in the dark on the government’s plan to tackle issues such as the Northern Ireland border which are central to his brief as foreign secretary and crucial to the future of our nation. |
| That concludes the foreign secretary’s speech. | That concludes the foreign secretary’s speech. |
| Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, said it was “total nonsense” to claim that he wanted to build a European superstate. Some in the British political establishment were “pretending that I am a stupid stubborn federalist” he said when asked to respond to the Johnson speech. | Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, said it was “total nonsense” to claim that he wanted to build a European superstate. Some in the British political establishment were “pretending that I am a stupid stubborn federalist” he said when asked to respond to the Johnson speech. |
| I am strictly against a European superstate. We are not the United States of America, we are the European Union … the European Union cannot be built against European nations. | I am strictly against a European superstate. We are not the United States of America, we are the European Union … the European Union cannot be built against European nations. |
| My colleague, Jessica Elgot, asks whether the foreign secretary feels some of remainers’ anger has been fuelled by his own government, which has referred to them as “saboteurs” and “citizens of nowhere”. Was that language a mistake? Johnson says: | My colleague, Jessica Elgot, asks whether the foreign secretary feels some of remainers’ anger has been fuelled by his own government, which has referred to them as “saboteurs” and “citizens of nowhere”. Was that language a mistake? Johnson says: |
| I think the prime minister’s language, when I’ve heard her, has been always irenic and she understands the task we have; we have to bring people along with this project. | I think the prime minister’s language, when I’ve heard her, has been always irenic and she understands the task we have; we have to bring people along with this project. |
| I accept that, this morning, I’m not going to bring along everybody, But I’ve got to try, I’ve got to make the effort. Because, in the end, these are people’s feelings and people’s feelings matter. | I accept that, this morning, I’m not going to bring along everybody, But I’ve got to try, I’ve got to make the effort. Because, in the end, these are people’s feelings and people’s feelings matter. |
| Johnson agrees Theresa May is “the cure” for “Brexchosis”; a term he coined in his speech. | |
| The foreign secretary is asked by the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn to guarantee he won’t resign this year if his cabinet colleagues diverge from his vision of Brexit. In response, he avoids the question, saying: | The foreign secretary is asked by the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn to guarantee he won’t resign this year if his cabinet colleagues diverge from his vision of Brexit. In response, he avoids the question, saying: |
| We’re all very lucky to serve and I’m certainly one of those. | We’re all very lucky to serve and I’m certainly one of those. |
| Johnson is asked if he is the right person to reach out to remain supporters, given his own language towards them. | Johnson is asked if he is the right person to reach out to remain supporters, given his own language towards them. |
| He says he believes his comments have been moderate throughout and the leave side needs to reach out. Johnson says he thinks his job is to engage with people, to find out their fears and to engage them. | He says he believes his comments have been moderate throughout and the leave side needs to reach out. Johnson says he thinks his job is to engage with people, to find out their fears and to engage them. |
| Johnson is now taking questions. He is asked about “yet another speech” from a cabinet minister. Do people not have the right to ask: “where’s the clarity?” | Johnson is now taking questions. He is asked about “yet another speech” from a cabinet minister. Do people not have the right to ask: “where’s the clarity?” |
| He says the government has offered clarity in past speeches and must make the positive case for Brexit. Having apparently misheard the word ‘clarity’ as ‘carrots’, he segues on to farming. | He says the government has offered clarity in past speeches and must make the positive case for Brexit. Having apparently misheard the word ‘clarity’ as ‘carrots’, he segues on to farming. |
| Johnson warns against a second referendum, telling his audience: | Johnson warns against a second referendum, telling his audience: |
| I say in all candour that if there were to be a second vote I believe that we would simply have another year of wrangling and turmoil and feuding in which the whole country would lose. | I say in all candour that if there were to be a second vote I believe that we would simply have another year of wrangling and turmoil and feuding in which the whole country would lose. |
| So let’s not go there. | So let’s not go there. |
| Johnson addresses the third concern he says pro-remain supporters express to him: fear of the economic impact. | Johnson addresses the third concern he says pro-remain supporters express to him: fear of the economic impact. |
| Those figures reflect the broader story that the lion’s share of the growth is taking place outside the EU, and especially in the Asia-Pacific region. | Those figures reflect the broader story that the lion’s share of the growth is taking place outside the EU, and especially in the Asia-Pacific region. |
| Earlier, Johnson referred to immigration, saying: “We must remain a magnet for ambition and drive.” | Earlier, Johnson referred to immigration, saying: “We must remain a magnet for ambition and drive.” |
| We will be able to take back control of our borders – not because I am hostile to immigrants or immigration. Far from it. We need talented people to come and make their lives in this country – doctors, scientists, the coders and programmers who are so crucial to Britain’s booming tech economy. | We will be able to take back control of our borders – not because I am hostile to immigrants or immigration. Far from it. We need talented people to come and make their lives in this country – doctors, scientists, the coders and programmers who are so crucial to Britain’s booming tech economy. |
| But we also need to ask ourselves some hard questions about the impact of 20 years of uncontrolled immigration by low-skilled, low-wage workers – and what many see as the consequent suppression of wages and failure to invest properly in the skills of indigenous young people. | But we also need to ask ourselves some hard questions about the impact of 20 years of uncontrolled immigration by low-skilled, low-wage workers – and what many see as the consequent suppression of wages and failure to invest properly in the skills of indigenous young people. |
| We do not want to haul up the drawbridge; and we certainly don’t want to deter the international students who make such a huge contribution to our HE economy, with 155,000 Chinese students alone. | We do not want to haul up the drawbridge; and we certainly don’t want to deter the international students who make such a huge contribution to our HE economy, with 155,000 Chinese students alone. |
| Johnson has suggested most people in the UK have very little understanding of what the EU does - and how. | Johnson has suggested most people in the UK have very little understanding of what the EU does - and how. |
| We now have arrangements of such complexity and obscurity that I ask even my most diehard of remainer friends if they can explain their Spitzenkandidaten process – which has genuinely delighted the MEPs as much as it has mystified the UK; or the exact relationship between the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, justiciable in Luxembourg, and the European Convention on Human Rights whose court sits in Strasbourg. | We now have arrangements of such complexity and obscurity that I ask even my most diehard of remainer friends if they can explain their Spitzenkandidaten process – which has genuinely delighted the MEPs as much as it has mystified the UK; or the exact relationship between the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, justiciable in Luxembourg, and the European Convention on Human Rights whose court sits in Strasbourg. |
| How many in this room knows the answer to those questions, let alone the name of their Euro-MP? | How many in this room knows the answer to those questions, let alone the name of their Euro-MP? |
| He says at least most people, when they see him in the street, know what he does in their name. | He says at least most people, when they see him in the street, know what he does in their name. |
| If we wanted to find the person responsible for drafting the next phase of EU integration ... we wouldn’t know where to find them, let alone how to remove them from office. | If we wanted to find the person responsible for drafting the next phase of EU integration ... we wouldn’t know where to find them, let alone how to remove them from office. |
| That is why people voted Leave – not because they were hostile to European culture and civilisation, but because they wanted to take back control. | That is why people voted Leave – not because they were hostile to European culture and civilisation, but because they wanted to take back control. |
| That is why it is so vital not to treat Brexit as a plague of boils or a murrain on our cattle, but as an opportunity, and above all as an economic opportunity. | That is why it is so vital not to treat Brexit as a plague of boils or a murrain on our cattle, but as an opportunity, and above all as an economic opportunity. |
| Addressing the second concern, Johnson insists the UK will not become insular as a result of the Brexit vote. | Addressing the second concern, Johnson insists the UK will not become insular as a result of the Brexit vote. |
| Brexit is not “some V-sign from the cliffs of Dover”, he says. Instead, he says - quoting Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address - that it’s the expression of Britain’s desire for governance “of the people by the people for the people”. | |
| We will continue to be European “both practically and psychologically” he says. But Britain have a wanderlust beyond the EU, Johnson says. Uk will seek a deal that will still enable “cheapo flights to stag dos in historic cities.” | We will continue to be European “both practically and psychologically” he says. But Britain have a wanderlust beyond the EU, Johnson says. Uk will seek a deal that will still enable “cheapo flights to stag dos in historic cities.” |
| We will still fall in love with people in other countries, he says, Britons will still retire to Spain. But will it be as easy? It’s pretty distressing and difficult at the moment if your spouse is non-EU at the moment... | We will still fall in love with people in other countries, he says, Britons will still retire to Spain. But will it be as easy? It’s pretty distressing and difficult at the moment if your spouse is non-EU at the moment... |
| Boris takes the opportunity to mention his bridge again - need more links across the Channel than a single railway line, he says | Boris takes the opportunity to mention his bridge again - need more links across the Channel than a single railway line, he says |
| Johnson says to those who “worry about our strategic position” and the risks to national security: | Johnson says to those who “worry about our strategic position” and the risks to national security: |
| Our commitment to the defence of Europe is unconditional and immovable. | Our commitment to the defence of Europe is unconditional and immovable. |
| He adds that the UK is a major contributor to Europe and will remain so. That is not dependent on EU treaties, he says. | He adds that the UK is a major contributor to Europe and will remain so. That is not dependent on EU treaties, he says. |
| Johnson says there are three main branches to the opposition to Brexit: | Johnson says there are three main branches to the opposition to Brexit: |
| Johnson says Brexit “need not be nationalist, but can be internationalist” and seeks to allay those three concerns. He acknowledges that he “runs the risk of causing further irritation” in making such an argument, but that it is a risk he must run. | |
| The foreign secretary says the pro-leave supporters must not leave behind those who want to remain, saying that is what had happened in reverse after the UK first decided to join the EU. | The foreign secretary says the pro-leave supporters must not leave behind those who want to remain, saying that is what had happened in reverse after the UK first decided to join the EU. |
| It is not good enough for us to say to remainers: ‘you lost, get over it’. | It is not good enough for us to say to remainers: ‘you lost, get over it’. |
| Opening his speech, Boris Johnson says he recently spoke to a constituent who was thinking of leaving the UK for Canada over the Brexit vote. | Opening his speech, Boris Johnson says he recently spoke to a constituent who was thinking of leaving the UK for Canada over the Brexit vote. |
| He says that, in some cases, people are coming around. In others, the anti-Brexit feeling is hardening. | He says that, in some cases, people are coming around. In others, the anti-Brexit feeling is hardening. |
| Boris says he recognises the grief and alienation felt by remainers, including friends and family, as well as people abusing him in the street | Boris says he recognises the grief and alienation felt by remainers, including friends and family, as well as people abusing him in the street |
| Boris Johnson has arrived and is about to deliver his speech. | Boris Johnson has arrived and is about to deliver his speech. |
| Boris Johnson arrrives for his Valentine’s Day speech, it’s a love letter to remainers... pic.twitter.com/0r4sspBgC2 | Boris Johnson arrrives for his Valentine’s Day speech, it’s a love letter to remainers... pic.twitter.com/0r4sspBgC2 |