Cameron has previously made a pledge to hold a vote on the issue in 2017, which would make it two years into a possible next Conservative government term. However, continued debate on membership in the run up to the general election, combined with ongoing economic uncertainty in the euro zone, has led to an increase in pressure. Speaking on radio station LBC, Johnson sided with Longworth and said it was not a bad idea. “Let’s get it done and knock it on the head and do it for the good of Europe,” he added. “The problem is not going away. The whole euro zone is mired in low growth, low productivity, they have a very anti-competitive environment there, a terrible system of regulation coming from Brussels.” Johnson’s time as London mayor will be coming to an end in 2016, having been in the job since May 2008. In September 2014 it was revealed that he would be standing as member of parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, a traditional Conservative stronghold. If he is successful in his bid to rejoin the House of Commons, he will still remain London mayor until the 2016 election. Questioned on LBC, Johnson revealed that he believes UK voters will opt to stay in a “reformed” Europe. Read more about Boris Johnson:
At the BCC conference on 10 February, Longworth said: “The next government must set out what it will do to protect the United Kingdom against the prospect of being in a club, where all the decisions are made, by and for, the Eurozone. “More than any repatriation of powers, businesses want to know that the UK has safeguards against being drawn closer to the euro zone – especially as history tells us that currency unions inevitably fall apart unless there is real political, economic and social integration – ‘ever closer Union’, you might say.” While not in attendance at the BCC conference, chancellor George Osborne joined the debate at a meeting of G20 finance ministers by mentioning the prime minister would not be averse to bringing the date of a referendum forward if it could be proven that renegotiations with the EU could be completed. Johnson’s comments came as the London mayor visited the US to foster greater collaboration with the UK. As part of his trip, Johnson revealed that US investing in UK tech firms is at an all-time high after figures reached nearly $800m during 2014. By Hunter Ruthven
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.