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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dave Burke

Bitter Boris Johnson rails against new Brexit deal but admits public fed up

Bitter Boris Johnson has lashed out against Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal - claiming it isn't about "taking control".

In an intervention that will anger No10, he said he would "find it difficult" to support the Westminster Framework and described it as the EU "graciously unbending".

Addressing an audience in Westminster, Mr Johnson - who also recounted being called a 'w*****' by a stranger - admitted that people are fed up of griping over Brexit.

It comes as Mr Sunak attempts to persuade hard-line Conservatives and the DUP to support his Windsor Framework without reigniting the damaging civil war within his own party.

But Mr Johnson admitted that the public is fed up with seeing politicians arguing about Brexit nearly seven years after the referendum.

Rounding on Mr Sunak's Windsor Framework, announced earlier this week, Mr Johnson said: "This is not about the UK taking back control and although there are easements this is really a version of the solution that was being offered last year to Liz Truss when she was foreign secretary.

"This is the EU graciously unbending to allow us to do what we want to do in our own country, not by our laws, but by theirs."

Rishi Sunak with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (Dan Kitwood/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

He said that his controversial Northern Ireland Protocol - which has been credited with causing the province's devolved government to collapse - should be restored if Mr Sunak's deal doesn't work out.

Mr Johnson continued: "This deal helps to accomplish the key objective that I spoke of, it acts as a drag anchor on divergence which is the point of Brexit.

"I'm going to find it difficult to vote for something like this myself because I believe we should have done something different."

Later audience members were asked for a show of hands if they thought Brexit was a good idea - to a poor response.

Mr Johnson admitted that the public is fed up with Brexit arguments (PA)

The former PM said: "We haven't done enough yet to convince them it can deliver the change we want to see."

Addressing Mr Sunak's deal, he said: "I've had camera crews outside my door asking me what I think about this.

"No one can say they don't know my views now. It's clear that is where people are now and it's clear from this room that people want to move on.

"They want a deal, they don't want any more ructions, I get that."

Asked about his plans for the future, Mr Johnson said: "I've got a big budget of words I have to write, I'm churning that out."

And he conceded: "I obviously need to do a better job of explaining and supporting and defending Brexit. It's clear that I need to do more on that."

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