‘Brexit was blue-collar voters throwing a bit of a tantrum’

BORIS JOHNSON’S deputy at the Foreign Office has claimed the EU referendum result was partially caused by working-class voters throwing a “bit of a tantrum” over immigration.

Sir Alan Duncan said traditional blue-collar Labour supporters had been “stirred up” by the immigration issue in the run-up to June 23 last year, prompting them to back Brexit.

Speaking in the US where he is meeting state governors, he said the Government’s job now was to ensure that the UK’S withdrawal turned into an “opportunity and not a disaster”. Sir Alan said: “The campaign stirred up a lot of sentiment among people who were not habitual voters, particularly on the issue of immigration.

“You could feel blue-collar, urban, traditional Labour opinion going viral for Leave. They were stirred up by an image of immigration, which made them angry and made them throw a bit of a tantrum.”

Henry Bolton, the new Ukip leader, suggested he was showing “contempt” for Leave voters and that Theresa May should sack him. “How can a man who is meant to represent the UK in Europe feel that way about the majority of UK people? The contempt that he shows towards the 17million is a disgrace.”