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EU Referendum: Boris Johnson stands by Hitler EU comparison | |
(about 20 hours later) | |
Boris Johnson is standing by his comparison of the EU's aims to Hitler's, saying a row over the issue is an "artificial media twit storm". | |
The pro-Brexit Tory MP said both the Nazi leader and Napoleon had failed at unification and the EU was "an attempt to do this by different methods". | The pro-Brexit Tory MP said both the Nazi leader and Napoleon had failed at unification and the EU was "an attempt to do this by different methods". |
Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, who backs Remain, said the comparison was "offensive and desperate". | Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, who backs Remain, said the comparison was "offensive and desperate". |
Meanwhile, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has backed Mr Johnson to be the next PM. | Meanwhile, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has backed Mr Johnson to be the next PM. |
Mr Farage told the Mail on Sunday he was a "Boris fan" and said he was backing the former London mayor to succeed David Cameron, if the prime minister resigned following the EU referendum. | Mr Farage told the Mail on Sunday he was a "Boris fan" and said he was backing the former London mayor to succeed David Cameron, if the prime minister resigned following the EU referendum. |
The referendum takes place on 23 June, when voters in the UK will be asked whether they want the country to stay in or leave the European Union. | The referendum takes place on 23 June, when voters in the UK will be asked whether they want the country to stay in or leave the European Union. |
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Johnson said European history had seen repeated attempts to rediscover the "golden age of peace and prosperity under the Romans". | Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Johnson said European history had seen repeated attempts to rediscover the "golden age of peace and prosperity under the Romans". |
"Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods," he said. | "Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods," he said. |
"But fundamentally what is lacking is the eternal problem, which is that there is no underlying loyalty to the idea of Europe. | "But fundamentally what is lacking is the eternal problem, which is that there is no underlying loyalty to the idea of Europe. |
"There is no single authority that anybody respects or understands. That is causing this massive democratic void." | "There is no single authority that anybody respects or understands. That is causing this massive democratic void." |
'Divisive politics' | 'Divisive politics' |
Rejecting Mr Johnson's analysis, Hillary Benn said: "Leave campaigners have lost the economic argument and now they are losing their moral compass. | |
"To try and compare Hitler and the Nazis - the millions of people who died in the Second World War, the Holocaust - with the free democracies of Europe coming together to trade and co-operate, and in the process to help to bring peace to the continent of Europe after centuries of war, is frankly deeply offensive." | "To try and compare Hitler and the Nazis - the millions of people who died in the Second World War, the Holocaust - with the free democracies of Europe coming together to trade and co-operate, and in the process to help to bring peace to the continent of Europe after centuries of war, is frankly deeply offensive." |
Mr Johnson, who is one of the leading voices in the campaign to get Britain out of the EU, was asked about the criticism of his comments earlier on Monday. | |
He said there had been several attempts over thousands of years to "recreate the dream of the Roman Empire". | |
He added: "Very often that's been done by force. The EU is different, it's trying to do it in a more bureaucratic way." | |
He repeated his point that the EU was "completely undemocratic". | |
Former Labour minister Yvette Cooper, who supports the Remain campaign, has accused Mr Johnson of a "shameful lack of judgement" and a willingness to play "the most divisive, cynical politics". | |
Lord Bramall, a former head of the British army, said making a comparison between the EU and Nazi Germany was "absurd". | Lord Bramall, a former head of the British army, said making a comparison between the EU and Nazi Germany was "absurd". |
He added: "Hitler's main aim was to create an empire in the East and violently subjugate Europeans. Any connection between that and the EU is simply laughable." | He added: "Hitler's main aim was to create an empire in the East and violently subjugate Europeans. Any connection between that and the EU is simply laughable." |
'Historical parallels' | 'Historical parallels' |
But Tory Leave campaigner Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Johnson's comments were "absolutely true". | But Tory Leave campaigner Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Johnson's comments were "absolutely true". |
He said Hitler and Napoleon "wanted to create a single European power... by force. And the EU is trying to do it by stealth." | He said Hitler and Napoleon "wanted to create a single European power... by force. And the EU is trying to do it by stealth." |
Former Conservative cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC Mr Johnson's article was "rather good" and used "some historical parallels" to explain the concept of "greater Europe". | Former Conservative cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC Mr Johnson's article was "rather good" and used "some historical parallels" to explain the concept of "greater Europe". |
"I think the whole process of trying to drive Europe together by force or by bureaucracy or whatever other means ultimately makes problems, and that's what he was saying." | "I think the whole process of trying to drive Europe together by force or by bureaucracy or whatever other means ultimately makes problems, and that's what he was saying." |
Conservative MP Chris Grayling said Mr Johnson's comparison represented the words of a "historian who was doing a piece of historical analysis". | Conservative MP Chris Grayling said Mr Johnson's comparison represented the words of a "historian who was doing a piece of historical analysis". |
He said: "If you look 10 years down the road, there are clear plans to create a federation in the eurozone that is going to dominate. | He said: "If you look 10 years down the road, there are clear plans to create a federation in the eurozone that is going to dominate. |
"It is going to look like a United States of Europe." | "It is going to look like a United States of Europe." |
Meanwhile, Bank of England governor Mark Carney has defended his warning that a vote to leave the EU could spark a recession, saying he had "absolutely not" overstepped the mark. | Meanwhile, Bank of England governor Mark Carney has defended his warning that a vote to leave the EU could spark a recession, saying he had "absolutely not" overstepped the mark. |
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who also backs Remain, told ITV's Peston on Sunday he wanted an EU that was "a unity of people of the left... collectively working for a better standard of living across Europe". | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who also backs Remain, told ITV's Peston on Sunday he wanted an EU that was "a unity of people of the left... collectively working for a better standard of living across Europe". |
Asked how he and Mr Cameron could have such different views yet both support Remain, he said people should "listen to both of us and make up their minds". | Asked how he and Mr Cameron could have such different views yet both support Remain, he said people should "listen to both of us and make up their minds". |
But he said the two were unlikely to share a platform. "I don't think it would work," he said. | But he said the two were unlikely to share a platform. "I don't think it would work," he said. |
Mr Farage, who is due to take part in a debate with Mr Cameron, told Peston he could understand why the prime minister was unwilling to debate a pro-Brexit Conservative minister. | Mr Farage, who is due to take part in a debate with Mr Cameron, told Peston he could understand why the prime minister was unwilling to debate a pro-Brexit Conservative minister. |
He said Mr Cameron feared "it could lead to divisions [in the Tory party] that could never be mended". | He said Mr Cameron feared "it could lead to divisions [in the Tory party] that could never be mended". |
With less than six weeks to go until the vote, polls have put the Remain and Leave campaigns at roughly 50-50. | With less than six weeks to go until the vote, polls have put the Remain and Leave campaigns at roughly 50-50. |