Boris Johnson has asked other Brexiteers not to “gloat” regarding the fact that the U.K. is leaving the E.U.
In a speech, Johnson stated that the entire purpose of Brexit is to create “hope not fear.”
A Call to Unite
Foreign Secretary Johnson spoke on Valentine’s Day to encourage love, not war, among his fellow Brits. He urged people throughout the country to “unite about what we all believe in”, which, he said, is an “outward-looking, confident” United Kingdom.
He stated that the departure from the Euroepean Union will not be a “great V-sign from the cliffs of Dover.” He also underscored that the decision to leave can no longer be reversed. He said that the U.K shouldn’t have to adhere to the E.U.’s rules once Brexit is complete.
Johnson’s View of Brexit
Johnson called into question the economic benefits of taking part in the European Union’s single market and its customs union. The U.K. government will be leaving those behind when Brexit occurs.
This is only one of many speeches being made by Prime Minister Theresa May and several of her ministers. The goal is to lay out the “road to Brexit.” Johnson was among the top participants in the successful 2016 “Leave” campaign in favor of Brexit. That said, he has, at times, been accused of attempting to undermine the PM’s Brexit strategy.
However, despite his track record of working against May’s work for Brexit, he adhered to the official negotiating position of the U.K. government during this most recent speech.
Message to Those Who Want to Remain
As an attempt to try to ease the tension between those on either sides of the Brexit debate, Johnson said in his speech that he had taken the risk of “simply causing further irritation” but accepted that he would not be able to “persuade everybody.” However, he stated that he felt that “I have to try. In the end these are people’s feelings and people’s feelings matter.”
He added that it’s important to remember that the people who wanted to remain “are actuated by entirely noble sentiments, a real sense of solidarity with our European neighbours and a desire for the UK to succeed.”