Boris Johnson: '˜I'll work hard to repair divisions'

The former London mayor admitted a huge responsibility was being placed on the shoulders of voters and argued referendums should remain a rarely used device in British politics.

Mr Johnson campaigned on the streets of Selby on Wednesday alongside the town’s MP, Nigel Adams, as part of a nationwide tour on the last day of campaigning.

With polls continuing to show a close result is likely, Mr Johnson acknowledged either outcome would leave a large section of the British public disappointed.

The campaign has also focused heavily on the split between senior Conservative figures.

Mr Johnson told The Yorkshire Post: “It will be important for politicians on all sides to show magnanimity, depending what the result is, and fortitude but also to make the best of what happens.

“I hope very much if we win there will be a recognition this is an important choice and people will make the best of it.

“Within the Conservative Party there is obviously a clear split down the middle but I think that will be easily repaired and I will certainly be working very hard to make sure that it is.”

Mr Johnson insisted the Leave campaign had already succeeded in changing the tone of the discussion in the country on issues such as immigration even before today’s vote.

He said: “What’s been very striking in the last few days has been how many people, on both sides of politics, Theresa May. Harriet Harman, Tom Watson all saying now that the deal on free movement earlier this year wasn’t good enough and we need to have anther go.

“My point to everybody is, look, we had our point of maximum leverage, Britain went to everyone and said ‘give us change’ and they didn’t give us anything. We vote to remain, that’s it, no more change, believe me, why should they give us anything?”

Mr Johnson said his days spent criss-crossing the country had convinced him of the need for a debate about immigration.

“Yes there’s space to grow, but that needs to happen with consent and people need to feel involved in that decision. And if we’re going to keep growing by 300,000 a year then people need to feel they voted for that. That’s all I’ll say about that.

“You could make a case for it. You could say Britain would be a great country of 80 million and there’s plenty of space to grow but you’ve got to show how that happens, how the infrastructure works, how the schools, hospitals, how it all fits together and who is going to pay for it.”

Asked whether the EU referendum could lead to more issues being decided in this way, Mr Johnson put his head in his hands and laughed: “Let’s hope not!”

He continued: “I think most people, honestly, would say it’s been important to do it, and I hope we win, I pray everyone will do the right thing and take back control, but I don’t think we’d want to go through this more than once every 25 years.”

SELBY came to a standstill on Wednesday as Boris Johnson arrived to rally Vote Leave supporters outside Selby Abbey.

The former London mayor said it had been a “wonderful campaign”.

To cheers, he shouted: “We are on the verge of making history in our country and in the whole of the European Union.”

Mr Johnson had earlier been introduced to the crowd by Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams as one of the people who had “put their head above the parapet, stood up for Britain and led this campaign.”

Mr Johnson had started the day with an early morning stop at Billingsgate Fish Market before a mixture of planes and helicopters took him on to Essex, Leicestershire, Wolverhampton and, after his stop in Selby, County Durham.

Speaking in Selby, Mr Johnson admitted the the noisy helicopter had taken its toll. “I’m as deaf as a post,” he said.