Former London mayor draws sharp criticism for EU, Nazi comparison
Former Mayor of London and Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Boris Johnson rides away after delivering a speech on the European Union (EU) ahead of the June 23 EU Referendum. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
Mr Johnson is one of the leading figures campaigning for Britain to leave the EU in closely-fought referendum being held on June 23.
His comments drew swift criticism from opponents, who said they were “offensive” and showed a “lack of judgement”.
Johnson’s comments were attacked by opposition politicians and in Europe, while “EU to Hitler” was trending in London on Twitter.
Mr Johnson is a leading member of the ruling Conservative party of Prime Minister David Cameron, who is leading the campaign to keep Britain in the EU.
LONDON, Sunday
Former London mayor Boris Johnson has claimed the European Union is behaving like German Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler by trying to create a superstate.
Mr Johnson is one of the leading figures campaigning for Britain to leave the EU in closely-fought referendum being held on June 23.
His comments drew swift criticism from opponents, who said they were “offensive” and showed a “lack of judgement”.
Mr Johnson said the last two thousand years of European history had featured repeated efforts to bring the continent together under a single government, emulating the Roman empire.
“Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods,” Mr Johnson told The Sunday Telegraph.
“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,” he said.
Johnson’s comments were attacked by opposition politicians and in Europe, while “EU to Hitler” was trending in London on Twitter.
Mr Hilary Benn, foreign affairs spokesman for the main opposition Labour party and a supporter of EU membership, said: “After the horror of the Second World War, the EU helped to bring an end to centuries of conflict in Europe and for Boris Johnson to make this comparison is both offensive and desperate.”
Another leading pro-EU Labour figure, Ms Yvette Cooper, said Johnson was playing a “nasty, nasty game”. “...he exposes his shameful lack of judgement, willingness to play the most divisive cynical politics, and the emptiness of his arguments,” she said.
Mr Johnson is a leading member of the ruling Conservative party of Prime Minister David Cameron, who is leading the campaign to keep Britain in the EU.
Mr Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, backed Mr Johnson to follow Mr Cameron as prime minister in an interview with the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
Analysts suggest that Mr Cameron will be forced to resign if Britain votes to leave the EU and Mr Johnson is one of the favourites to take over from him.
Known for his rhetorical flourishes, he was accused of racism last month after suggesting US President Barack Obama removed a bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office because of anti-British sentiment linked to his “part-Kenyan” heritage.
