General Election: Boris Johnson accuses Jeremy Corbyn of trying to ‘fiddle’ with second Brexit referendum
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched an attack against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s plans for a second EU referendum ahead of the pair’s final TV debate before the General Election.
Johnson claimed Corbyn would give 2m EU nationals a vote alongside resident Brits, saying it was an attempt to “fiddle” with the vote to ensure Leave cannot win.
It follows a similar allegation from Johnson’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, last week, suggesting the Vote Leave mastermind is also behind this latest strategy.
“Your policy is to cancel the result of the last referendum and to hold another one,” Johnson wrote in a letter to Corbyn.
“You have made clear that you oppose an Australian-style points system and you will not only continue ‘free movement’ with the EU but your policy is extend it to the entire world.”
“Even worse, your manifesto sets out plans to fiddle your second referendum on Brexit. You want to give 2m EU nationals the vote in your referendum,” Johnson added in a letter seen by Sky News.
“This is a sly attempt to undermine the result of the 2016 referendum, and is profoundly undemocratic. No true democrat, even the most ardent supporter of Remain, could support your attempt to undermine the result of a democratically expressed vote.
“Your policy of giving millions of foreign citizens the vote in order to overturn the referendum would create incredible bitterness that might take decades to repair,” Johnson continued.
He urged Corbyn to reconsider the policy before next Thursday’s election.
“Imagine how people will feel if the biggest democratic exercise in our history is overturned because you gave 2m EU citizens the power to reverse Brexit. It would alienate millions who already feel disenfranchised and ignored by our political system,” Johnson said.
The Tory ploy came as BBC presenter Andrew Neil chastised the Prime Minister again for failing to appear for an interview with him, as other leaders including Corbyn and the Liberal Democrats’ Jo Swinson have.
“We’ve always proceeded in good faith that the leaders would participate,” Neil told Sky.
“And in every election they have. All of them. Until this one. It is not too late. We have the interview prepared. Oven-ready, as Mr Johnson likes to say.”