One pledge fulfilled doesn’t mean Brexit supporters will water down demands
Eurosceptics say funding is ‘fantastic news’ but warn it must not be used as leverage for concessions
EUROSCEPTICS have welcomed Theresa May’s decision to fulfil the Leave campaign’s NHS funding pledge, but warned it must not be used as leverage to water down their other Brexit demands.
Boris Johnson described the Prime Minister’s announcement to pour an additional £384million per week into the NHS as “fantastic news”.
The Foreign Secretary’s fellow Brexiteers were equally effusive in their praise for the move.
However, they stressed that delivering on the pledge must not be used as a bargaining chip to dilute other Brexit promises, such as ending the free movement of people between the EU countries and the UK.
The Leave campaign said during the 2016 referendum that the UK sent £350 million per week to the EU in cash terms, which could be spent on the NHS instead.
The claim was heavily criticised by Remain campaigners, who questioned its accuracy. Mrs May’s decision to deliver the NHS funding pledge with a cash boost in excess of what was mooted during the campaign will be a major boon to Brexiteers. Mr Johnson said: “Fantastic news on NHS funding – a down payment on the cash we will soon get back from our EU payments.”
Mr Johnson, as one of the leading voices of the Leave campaign, has become the main figure associated with the £350million slogan that was emblazoned on the side of a red bus.
Fulfilling the promise is likely to do much to rehabilitate his image in some quarters and bolster his credentials in any future Tory leadership contest.
Peter Bone, the Eurosceptic Tory MP, said he was “absolutely delighted” the Leave campaign’s pledge was being fulfilled. However, he said it must not be used as leverage to argue for concessions in other key areas.
He said: “The Leave campaign was clear on a few things: one was ending free movement, one was not sending billions of pounds to the EU each year and one was making our own laws.
“That’s what we promised. It looks like we will deliver on not sending money and spending it here.
“But that does not mean that we can go away from the other points. We have got to deliver all of these things that people voted for, and the Prime Minister has always been clear on these things and that is why I have been able to support her on that.
“If you do not end free movement, then you have broken the fundamental pledge of the referendum.”
He said the NHS pledge should not be seen as a case of “give them that and they will be quiet”.
‘I actually think Theresa May is now delivering the Brexit bonanza, everything that was promised’
Nigel Evans, another Tory Brexiteer, said “people knew what they were voting for” and the Government must deliver all of it.
He said: “We need to deliver on everything that was promised and of course that includes controlling our own borders – that is important.
“Nothing must be decided by the European courts, we are not going to be sending billions to Brussels, we are not joining the single market or the customs union.
“I actually think Theresa May is now delivering the Brexit bonanza, delivering on everything that was promised.”