Cummings defends Brexit, claims Turkey IS joining EU and Remain used invented figures
Dominic Cummings grilled by Kuenssberg on 'conning' UK public
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The former campaign director for Vote Leave said it was clear anti-Brexit campaigners had tried to hide Ankara’s desire to join the group of European nations in the run-up to the EU referendum. The possibility stoked fears among the British public as they prepared to cast their votes, with many fearing a huge influx of immigrants if Turkey was admitted to the bloc.
In his latest blogpost, Mr Cummings wrote: “Fact: Turkey has been in the process of joining for decades.
“It was official government policy for Turkey and other countries to join ASAP.
“‘Pave the road from Ankara to London,’ said Cameron.”
He was referring to the controversial comments made by former Prime Minister David Cameron which were unearthed before the June 2016 EU referendum.
The Tory leader was accused of “appeasement” towards Turkey for supporting efforts to bring the nation into the fold.
As far back as 2005, just after he had risen to the helm of the party, he said: “We warmly welcome the accession talks with Turkey and Croatia.”
And he complained that progress on bringing the two countries into the trading bloc had been “desperately slow”.
The following year he said the UK supports the “enlargement of the EU so we welcome the accession talks with Turkey”.
Mr Cummings has used his blog to put forward his opinions since stepping down from his role as adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
He said the Turkey comments made by Mr Cameron caused a “nightmare” for the Remain campaign.
He also said the anti-Brexit group resorted to spouting “invented figures” in a desperate effort to secure a victory for their side.
He pointed to analysis published by the Treasury at the time which warned each household could lose £4,300 if Britain was no longer part of the EU.
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Former Chancellor George Osborne concluded that the economy would shrink by six percent by 2030 if the country gained independence from Brussels.
Mr Cummings wrote: “This is an example of an ‘invented figure.'”
He added: “Most campaigns do what Remain did and just invent garbage.
“We were more successful than most campaigns because we used facts instead of just inventing things.
“And SW1 freaks out partly because deep down many know this is true.”
Mr Cummings continues to be vocal on political issues after leaving his top role in Downing Street.
In an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, he claimed he began talking to allies about how to oust Mr Johnson as Prime Minister just days after the December 2019 general election victory.
He said: “We were already saying, by the summer either we’ll all have gone from here, or we’ll be in the process of trying to get rid of him and get someone else in as prime minister.
“He doesn’t have a plan, he doesn’t know how to be prime minister and we only got him in there because we had to solve a certain problem not because he was the right person to be running the country.”
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