Boris Johnson has made a bombshell claim that then Prime Minister David Cameron offered him a senior Cabinet role in exchange for his support in the 2016 EU referendum. According to Johnson's account in an interview with a BBC documentary, he played tennis with Cameron in early 2016 and was told by the Prime Minister that he would be rewarded with a top job if he backed Remain. The extraordinary revelation raises fundamental questions about the conduct of the referendum campaign, which ultimately led to Britain's departure from the EU.
Johnson's assertion directly contradicts previous denials from Cameron, who had maintained that he did not attempt to persuade Johnson to remain in the EU during the referendum. The Prime Minister at the time is said to have made the offer of a senior Cabinet position in an effort to secure Johnson's support for the Remain campaign. The implications are far-reaching, as they suggest that Cameron was willing to use his power to influence the outcome of the referendum.
The significance of Johnson's involvement in the Leave campaign cannot be overstated – his decision to back Brexit was a pivotal moment in the referendum's outcome. Now, it appears that he may have been offered a high-profile incentive to do so. The Conservative Party has yet to comment on the matter, but Labour leader Keir Starmer has seized on the revelation, describing it as 'a clear example of the Establishment trying to manipulate the outcome of the referendum'. Whether or not Cameron's offer was ever taken seriously by Johnson remains unclear, but the fact that it was made at all has raised fundamental questions about the integrity of the referendum process.
At the heart of this controversy lies a deeper concern – whether the result of the 2016 EU referendum was truly a democratic decision. The revelation of Cameron's offer has sparked intense debate among politicians, with many questioning the tactics used by the Government to try to influence the outcome. As the UK continues on its path towards Brexit, this episode serves as a stark reminder that the legacy of the 2016 referendum is still contested and contentious.