Boris Johnson says 'no' vote in EU referendum will mean Brexit, not a new membership deal

Boris Johnson has reiterated his position on the UK leaving the European Union (EU) ahead of the EU referendum vote on 23 June. In his first interview since announcing his support of the Brexit campaign the London Mayor firmly stated that "out is out".

Speaking to The Times newspaper the Conservative MP said that the EU would only listen to a country if it chose a "no" vote and said that the UK should agree a "better" series of trade deals instead of trying to stay within the European economic alliance. He told the newspaper that he wanted Britain to negotiate a "series of trade arrangements around the world" instead of renegotiating the UK's membership deal in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU. Some Brexit campaigners think that the possibility of a second deal will be the only way in attracting undecided voters who would wish to leave, but are still undecided.

Some Brexit campaigners think offering the prospect of a second EU membership deal will attract some undecided voters.

Johnson's comments echo Prime Minister David Cameron's position. The PM has insisted that there is no "third way" on the ballot paper, as suggestions that EU leaders would offer a new deal if the UK votes to leave are "complete fiction". Cameron supports the UK staying in the EU under his renegotiated deal.

Negative campaign complaints

Speaking to The Times, the London Mayor berated the prime minister and the chancellor George Osborne for focusing on the problems that would be caused by a vote to exit the EU. "I think it's my job to try to explain to people why I feel as I do and to do my absolute best to dismiss project fear, which I think is nonsense," he said.

Johnson also said that the UK could have a "really great future", with a "more dynamic economy" if it voted to exit the EU. He indicated that Britain needs to take control of its own borders and that the PM had not been able to reduce the numbers of migrants to Tory's target of less than 100,000 a year, creating an "absolute crisis in housing".

In October 2015, Johnson told the BBC, that he supported staying "in a reformed European Union but I think the price of getting out is lower than it's ever been. It's better for us to stay in, but to stay in a reformed EU. That's where I am".