London Mayor Boris Johnson arrives home in London on Feb. 21.(Photo: AFP)
Influential London Mayor Boris Johnson said Sunday he will urge British voters to leave the European Union when the country holds a June referendum on the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>issue.
American-born Johnson, a popular and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>charismatic politician<span style="color: Red;">*</span>long suspected of harboring ambitions to become prime minister, described<span style="color: Red;">*</span>his decision in a newspaper column as "agonizingly difficult." He said the "last thing I wanted was to go against (Prime Minister) David Cameron or the government."
"After 30 years of writing about this I have a chance to do something," said Johnson, who started his career as a journalist and continues to write a regular column for the
Telegraph newspaper.
Johnson's backing for a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>so-called Brexit — a British exit from the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>28-nation political bloc<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a major blow for Cameron who late last week secured concessions from EU leaders over the terms of Britain's membership.
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Another close friend and political ally of Cameron's, Justice Minister Michael Gove, has also come out in favor of severing ties with the EU. Johnson is<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the seventh senior member of Cameron's Conservative Party, including six cabinet members, to support the "Out" campaign.
The vote is scheduled for<span style="color: Red;">*</span>June 23. Polls<span style="color: Red;">*</span>show the nation is evenly split on the issue.
Johnson, 51,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>is a bigger prize because he is one of Britain's most well-known and loved politicians who makes headlines wherever he goes. Polls also show that he is the most popular potential Conservative Party leader candidate to replace Cameron when he steps down.
Cameron went on the offensive Sunday in a TV<span style="color: Red;">*</span>appearance, arguing that Britain was safer and stronger within the EU<span style="color: Red;">*</span>than outside it.
“In a world where you have got (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to the east and (the Islamic State) to the south, how do you stay strong?” he said.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>“By sticking with your neighboring countries, your partners and your friends.”
Johnson's mayoral term<span style="color: Red;">*</span>expires in May. He wants his successor to be Zac Goldsmith, another Conservative politician who wants Britain to leave the EU. "Out" campaigners say the EU does not do enough to safeguard British interests on trade, security and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>welfare policies.
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