Boris Johnson has said British people should be "proud and positive" about the future - as speculation grows that he will imminently launch a bid to succeed David Cameron as Prime Minister.
The figurehead of the official Leave campaign outlined his vision of post-Brexit Britain and sought to reassure anxious Remain voters as he conceded the 52%-48% referendum result was "not entirely overwhelming".
He insisted "the only change" will be to free the country from the EU's "extraordinary and opaque" laws, which "will not come in any great rush".
And he appeared to pour cold water on the idea of a second Scottish independence referendum, saying he did not "detect any real appetite" for one - despite a weekend poll suggesting 59% support for a new vote north of the border.
The former London mayor signalled his intention to continue some of Mr Cameron's policy initiatives, saying: "We must pursue actively the one-nation policies that are among David Cameron's fine legacy, such as his campaigns on the living wage and life chances."
He said Brexit should not mean Britain turning its back on Europe, writing: "I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be.
"There will still be intense and intensifying European co-operation and partnership in a huge number of fields: the arts, the sciences, the universities, and on improving the environment.
"EU citizens living in this country will have their rights fully protected, and the same goes for British citizens living in the EU.
"British people will still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and to settle down. As the German equivalent of the CBI - the BDI - has very sensibly reminded us, there will continue to be free trade, and access to the single market."
He went on: "The only change - and it will not come in any great rush - is that the UK will extricate itself from the EU's extraordinary and opaque system of legislation: the vast and growing corpus of law enacted by a European Court of Justice from which there can be no appeal.
"This will bring not threats, but golden opportunities for this country - to pass laws and set taxes according to the needs of the UK.
"Yes, the Government will be able to take back democratic control of immigration policy, with a balanced and humane points-based system to suit the needs of business and industry.
"Yes, there will be a substantial sum of money which we will no longer send to Brussels, but which could be used on priorities such as the NHS.
"Yes, we will be able to do free trade deals with the growth economies of the world in a way that is currently forbidden."
Mr Johnson also reached out to disappointed Remain voters, saying: "There were more than 16 million who wanted to remain.
"They are our neighbours, brothers and sisters who did what they passionately believe was right. In a democracy majorities may decide but everyone is of equal value.
"We who are part of this narrow majority must do everything we can to reassure the Remainers.
"We must reach out, we must heal, we must build bridges - because it is clear that some have feelings of dismay, and of loss, and confusion."
No comments:
Post a Comment