‘I think that Cameron’s claims of disaster border on dishonesty’
I thought when he called the referendum, probably we were going to have a sensible, if not an intellectual, debate about the pros and cons of the EU.
“And I do believe that if they had set off to set out what they saw of the advantages and the disadvantages on the other side, and it had been a balanced debate, then they would quite easily have come out with a Remain conclusion.” However, he warned: “They launched very early into this attack, this description of all the horrors that would happen if we exit. I just listened to this and thought, ‘This is complete nonsense’.”
Sir John said that he was “quite up-
set” by Mr Osborne’s decision to release a Treasury document warning that a Brexit will leave British families £4,300 a year worse off.
“I thought, ‘Is this a joke? Is the Chancellor really suggesting that anyone can predict what the world will be like in 2030? How is this possible?”
On his decision not to renew his party membership, Sir John – who is understood to have voted for Ukip in the 2014 European elections – said: “I haven’t renounced it. I’m not joining any other party. I’m just saying that I won’t renew my subscription until we have a change in leadership.”
He said he was incensed by comments made by the Prime Minister earlier this year, when he urged backbenchers not to take a view on the referendum “because of what your constituency association might say”. He said: “These are the people who put Cameron there. I find it obnoxious.”
In his letter, Sir John was also highly critical of Downing Street’s decision to urge military leaders and business fig- ures to support the Remain campaign. He said: “I have found Mr Cameron’s frenetic support and advocacy of his pathetic deal with the EU very upsetting. I think that his claims of disaster for jobs, mortgages, our financial standing and agricultural support border on dishonesty.”
Billionaire Lord Bamford, chairman of JCB, has sent a letter to his 6,000 employees telling them Britain can “stand on its own two feet” if it leaves the EU, the Times reported. Lord Bamford urged them to vote, adding: “How you vote is entirely a matter for you.”