Boris Johnson urges Sun readers ‘with history in their hands’ to back Brexit
Tory heavyweight says Leave campaign is 'on verge of history'
BORIS JOHNSON urged millons of Sun readers "holding history in their hands" to back a Brexit — and “let the Lion roar again”.
Speaking on the eve of the biggest vote for two generations the Tory heavyweight said the Leave campaign was “on the verge of history”.
And he told wavering voters it was time to “cry freedom” by BeLeaving in Britannia — and throwing off the shackles of the European Union.
He was speaking to the Sun during a whistlestop 500 mile tour of Britain where he was asked to kiss a fish in London, flew by helicopter to a former WWII airfield and ended the day pulling pints in the north-east.
He was met by hordes of Out voters everywhere he went, stopping for selfies every 10 metres before joking: “Where are these Remain supporters the polls keep telling us about?”
But with experts claiming today’s Referendum is still too close to call, the Brexit standard bearer implored Sun readers to make the crucial difference and make June 23 ‘Independence Day’.
In a passionate Churchillian-style plea, he branded the Referendum a “Battle for British democracy”.
And he said: “Sun readers have the future of our country in their hands.
“They represent the best of Britain, the best of British instinct, and I know they believe in our great country and I hope very much they want to take our country forward tommorow on a path toward greater democracy, greater openness to trade with the rest of the world and a more dynamic future for Britain.
“They know the brave cross they put on the ballot paper can make the difference between restoring democracy in Europe or remaining shackled to Europe.
“It will be a historic moment.”
And he stormed: “It’s time to take the chains off the giant, unshackled Britannia and let the Lion roar again!”
As BoJo flew the flag, fellow Brexit backing Tory Michael Gove hit the south coast with Armed Forces Minister Penny Mordaunt.
Speaking on the campaign trail in Bournemouth, Mr Gove warned a vote for Remain today would mean it was “game over” for Great Britain as Brussels would never change their ways.
He said the Eurocrats running the EU would “never reform”.
Separately, Out campaiging Jobs Minister Priti Patel delivered a rousing battle cry to vote leave — urging votes to “take back our destiny”.
She warned it was Brits’ “last chance to keep our democracy” because if we vote to Remain we would be “settling for whatever crumbs Angela Merkel was willing to drop.”
But in a frantic last day’s campaigning a clearly exhausted Boris Johnson was the champion for the Brexit cause.
Despite a two-hour live TV debate on Tuesday night the former Mayor of London was up before dawn to start his 500 mile whirlwind campaign tour by car, plane and helicopter.
He began at Billingsgate fish market in London he shook hands and posed for selfies with traders who backed his stance on a Brexit - in part because of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy.
He posed with a salmon offered by a fish porter.
As photographers urged him to kiss the fish he revealed he had “once kissed a crocodile in Australia”.
He drove to Maldon, Essex where he had time to buy a copy of the Sun on a walk through the town.
He told activists: “I do think we are on the verge, possibly, of an extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed in the whole of Europe.”
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Lorry drivers hooted their horns in support as he met locals in Ashby-de-la Zouch in Leicestershire before he visited Wolverhampton.
He then flew to Selby in Yorkshire, landing by helicopter at Burn airfield, a former WWII site for Bomber Command.
On descent he quipped “Let’s put on Ride of the Valkyries” in a reference to a classic scene from the film Apocalyspe Now.
Speaking to the Sun among a wall of well wishers wanting photos, the man critics claim is only in the campaign for his own political career insisted his passion for the cause had only grown since he came out for a Brexit in February.
He confirmed separately yesterday to the BBC that at one stage he had written two letters to the PM -one backing Remain and the other a Brexit, the one he eventually sent.
But he told the Sun he had only become “more certain” a Brexit was the right thing to do the longer the campaign has gone on.
And he urged Brits to consider what would happen if we vote to Remain.
He said: “We will be locked to a system that can only get worse.
“We will forever be subservient to a supra-natioal, federalist state.”
Dismissing Downing Street’s arguments a Brexit was a leap into the dark, he said it was a “stride into the light”.
“There’s a great sunlit meadow out there.
“We have just got to open the door.”
Batting off criticism the Leave campaign was anti-immigrant, he said he loved immigration and Britain’s multi-cultural society, but Britain had to take back control, and he reassured Sun readers he firmly believed net migration of 184,000 EU nationals a year was far too high.
He promised a vote to leave the EU would see immigration fall by the end of the current Parliament.
Pulling a pint at the end of the day in the George Pub at Piercebridge, Co Durham he urged supporters to “drive for the line”.
Asked about his own stamina, he smiled: “Hard as nails.”
As he played barman, Mr Gove in Bournemouth said all the evidence suggested millions of voters were still to make up their minds.
And he said: “I get the impression there are some people who believe we should leave the European Union but their’s is a quiet and polite patriotism.
“I think you’ve got to take this opportunity to take this once in a lifetime opportunity to leave because if we vote to remain I don’t think we’ll be in a stronger position to reform the European Union.”
With him, Tory rising star Penny Mordaunt insisted Brexit supporters should not be made to “feel guilty” or be told they are “narrow minded little Islanders”.
She said: “That is quite wrong — these people believe in their country, they believe in what it is capable of if it has the freedom that it needs to thrive.
“This is an attempt to make people feel guilty about what they know in their hearts and their heads is the right thing for them and their families and it is a sign that they have lost the arguments.”
BOJO'S 500 MILE BREXIT TOUR
0445: Leaves home in London drives to Billingsgate (5 miles)
0515: Tours Billingsgate fish market - kisses fish
0545: Drives to Maldon in Essex (45 miles)
0655: Arrives Maldon High Street & buys a copy of the Sun in local newsagents
0715: Meets supporters at the Jolly Sailor waterfront
0800: Coffee with John Whittingdale and supporters
0815: Drives to Southend airport (25 miles)
0900: Flies from Southend airport to East Midlands airport (150 miles)
0945: Drives EMA to Ashby de la Zouch (11 miles)
1015: Arrives at Ashby de la Zouch for town centre walkabout
1115: Drives from Ashby de la Zouch to Wolverhampton (40 miles)
1215: Arrives at Wolverhampton Express & Star to meet staff and be
interviewed by editor
1330: Helicopter Wolverhampton airport to Selby (114 miles)
1430: Walkabout and stump speech in Selby
1550: Helicopter Selby to Darlington (72 miles)
1610: Arrives in Darlington
1630: Visit and stump speech with activists at a local pub
1715: Departs by car for Durham/Tees airport (20 miles)
1800: Departs Durham Tees
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