Video: Europe's bananas, says Boris, as egg protesters scramble in York

Boris Johnson has defended his remarks about the EU regulation of bananas, saying there are four directives relating to the fruit.
Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.
Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.

The former London mayor addressed a crowd in the centre of York, including one student he thought was going to throw an egg at him, but did not.

He told 22-year-old heckler Simon Grigg “Don’t waste that egg” when there were people hungry in the UK, as he began a Vote Leave bus tour of Yorkshire.

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Mr Johnson said: “I said the other day that there was an EU directive on bananas.

Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.
Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.

“And the Remain campaign got very angry - they said that I was wrong.

“I was wrong. Shall I tell you what? There isn’t one directive - there are four directives on bananas, including on the curvature of bananas.

“Do you think we need to be told by the EU about what sort of bananas we are selling, or how powerful our hairdryers are, or how much suction there should be in our vacuum cleaners? It’s out of control.”

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Mr Johnson said: “I think they’re rattled on the Remain side because they’re putting out more propaganda than we’ve seen at any time since 1992 when they said that we couldn’t leave the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. Do you remember that?

Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.
Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.

“They said it would be a disaster, they said interest rates would go up and it would be an economic catastrophe for this country if we left the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, that’s what the Treasury said.

“And what happened? It was a liberation for this economy. We did better than ever before.

“They were wrong then, my friends, and they are wrong now.”

Mr Grigg said he had taken three eggs with him and put one in the pocket of a Vote Leave supporter.

Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.
Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.
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Asked if he was going to throw them, he said: “No, I was not going to throw an egg. The egg was just to mess with them.

“The egg was to cause a scene.”

Mr Grigg added: “Today was a protest against the Conservative Party, it wasn’t to do with Vote Leave or the EU.”

Mr Johnson took the Vote Leave bus to the Ginetta sports car factory where he tested one of the top specification vehicles which can retail at up to £200,000.

Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.
Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson in York, where he was traveling on the Vote Leave campaign bus ahead of the EU referendum in June.

Company chairman Lawrence Tomlinson took the wheel as the Tory MP was thrown around the car park in a series of high-speed doughnuts and other tricks.

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Mr Johnson said he was fine after he emerged from the passenger seat and recalled his poor performance on Top Gear.

As he toured the factory he revealed to the mechanics and engineers that he never had the “faintest idea” about car parts when he worked as a motoring correspondent on GQ magazine, and claimed he made up all the technical jargon.