‘Leading from front’ Remainer Stanley Johnson U-turns on UK's EU exit as bloc stagnates
BORIS JOHNSON's father has criticised the EU as he heaped on praise for Brexit Britain while talking about the Ukraine crisis.
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Stanley Johnson said the UK’s leadership “from the front” during the Ukraine crisis demonstrates why Brexit was a “probably a good idea”. Mr Johnson Sr, who voted to remain in the EU referendum, criticised EU leaders for failing to act quickly enough in cutting oil imports or supplying arms to Ukraine.
He told LBC: “At this moment you have to say Europe needs to pull its socks up.
“I mean, Germany is saying they can’t cut back on its oil imports. Well, why isn’t the rest of Europe coming to help Germany?”
“I mean it is absolutely absurd this this country, Ukraine, which has suffered so much, is now suffering [more].”
Mr Johnson Sr added: “I say to myself, in this particular case, Brexit was probably a good idea, because Boris has been able to lead from the front here.”
He said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was “holding up” the EU from “making the right decision”.
The Prime Minister’s father said: “You have Viktor Orban up there who is holding the European framework up from making the right decisions.”
He also praised his son's decision to go to Kyiv.
He said: “I had absolutely no prior knowledge of the trip to Kyiv.
“But I will say I thought it was an absolutely wonderful, wonderful example of leading from the front.”
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Despite a EU ban on coal from Russia, and moves to ban oil, consensus among the 27 EU member countries on ending Russian gas supply has proved more difficult to secure.
When asked about Britain’s decision to send 120 armoured vehicles as well as new anti-ship missile systems, Mr Johnson Sr said: “I think [UK leadership] has been incredibly important.
“I think the anti-ship missiles which are going out with [armoured vehicles] is vital.”
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He added: “Europe needs to come in behind us in a big way. And I’m not yet convinced that they’ve got the message.”