Fri Feb 17, 2017 6:02 pm
Tony Blair has told pro-EU Britons it is their "mission" to "rise up" and persuade Brexit voters to change their mind about leaving the European Union.
In a speech made to the pro-European campaign group Open Britain, the former prime minister said the British people voted without the knowledge of "the true terms of Brexit" and so therefore should be given another vote.
The ex-PM's comments were quick to draw criticism.
A Labour source from his own former party said "no wonder we are still trying to recover from Tony Blair's legacy when he has such contempt for democracy", while Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Boris Johnson added it was "insulting the intelligence of the electorate to say they got it wrong."
Mr Johnson even urged the public "to rise up and turn off the TV next time Blair comes on with his condescending campaign."
Mr Blair said in his speech to Open Britain members that the referendum vote was "based on imperfect knowledge".
The UK prime minister from 1997 to 2007, said: "The people voted without knowledge of the terms of Brexit. As these terms become clear, it is their right to change their mind.
"Our mission is to persuade them to do so."
Claiming that those in power who voted for Brexit have "always wanted a hard Brexit" and that the "policy is now Brexit at any cost" he then called upon pro-EU Britons to expose the "actual cost" of leaving the EU.
Fri Feb 17, 2017 8:10 pm
Fri Feb 17, 2017 9:14 pm
Sun Feb 19, 2017 4:30 pm
Jeremy Corbyn urges Tony Blair to 'get on board' with Brexit at a conference in Coventry
Jeremy Corbyn has called on former Prime Minister Tony Blair to respect the EU referendum result.
At a Local Government conference at the University of Warwick in Coventry yesterday, the Labour Leader said the cross-party movement to change the course of Brexit was 'unhelpful'.
During the same speech he went on to attack Conservative austerity cuts and UKip.
He called on Labour supporters to reject the government’s austerity cuts.
Mr Corbyn also condemned UKip, accusing them of “trading on prejudice” as the party’s leader Paul Nuttall faced fresh questions about claims made on his website.
At Saturday's conference, Mr Corbyn said Tony Blair's vision was unhelpful and that he needed to 'get on board' with Brexit.
Mr Corbyn said: "It's not helpful.
"The referendum gave a result, gave a very clear decision on this, and we have to respect that decision, that's why we didn't block Article 50.
"But we are going to be part of all this campaigning, all these negotiations about the kind of relationship we have in Europe in the future."
He added: "The referendum happened, let's respect the result. Democracy happened, respect the result."
He said: "We are going to be outside the European Union. We are not leaving the continent of Europe, we are still going to work with them.
"I think it would be helpful if people put their energies in the direction of building those good relations and ensuring we have a viable economy, not some offshore tax haven bargain basement, doing deals with Trump's America.
"My job is to take our party forward into an investment-led economy that reduces inequality in this country, that builds houses when people need them, that gets the good jobs people need in the hi-tech industries the National Investment Bank will fund.
"Get on board with that strategy."
Sun Feb 19, 2017 4:50 pm
Sun Feb 19, 2017 6:32 pm