Boris in Brexit visit to borough
BORIS Johnson insisted he is not setting out an alternative vision for Government after outlining plans to introduce an Australian-style points-based immigration system in the UK.
The former Mayor of London was speaking on a visit to the uniform supplier Simon Jersey in Altham on the first day of a Vote Leave battle bus tour in Lancashire.
But Mr Johnson rejected the idea he is making a pitch for a potential ‘postBrexit’ Government should the county vote to leave the European Union in the referendum later this month. He said: “All we are saying is what any government could do and we are saying after we vote Leave on June 23 it will be up to the Government to take back control.
“Not just of immigration policy but obviously of huge sums of money, of our ability to set our eco- nomic and political priorities and to stop the situation where 60 per cent of the laws going through the Palace of Westminster comes from the EU.”
When pushed on whether he and his ‘Brexiteer’ colleagues are setting out an alternative vision for Government he said: “The answer to that is no.”
Mr Johnson, who was joined on the visit to the clothing factory by Government minister Priti Patel, said the immigration policy advocated by the Leave campaign would simply help politicians keep their promises.
“What we are saying is that politicians when they make their promises about reducing immigration would be able to keep those promises because at the moment they can’t because of membership of the EU,” he said.
Mr Johnson and Ms Patel were given a guided tour of the clothing factory and spoke to employees about their work making the formal uniforms for Team GB athletes heading to Rio 2016.
Managing director James Saunders said Mr Johnson, who was wearing a blue linen jacket, had his “own sense of style”.
He said: “We’d probably put him in a nice Simon Jersey navy blue suit. Boris has got his own sense of style and I think he deserves credit for his own, personal sense of style.”
The Chamber of Commerce for East Lancashire is inviting local businesses to attend a referendum debate at Clayton Business Park on Wednesday, June 15.
The event will run from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
To book your free place email d.grantham@ chamberelancs.co.uk or call 01254 356433.
See next week’s Observer for all the arguments from the Remain and Leave camps.