After his son led the UK to Brexit, Boris Johnson's father has announced he has applied for French citizenship.
Long time Remainer, Stanley Johnson, 80, says he has family ties with the country, adding that he believes he 'will always be a European'.
Speaking on a radio interview with LBC, Stanley said: "If I understand it correctly, I am French. My mother was born in France, her mother was totally French as was her grandfather. So for me it is about reclaiming what I already have. And that makes me very happy.
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"I will always be a European, that's for sure. One cannot tell the British people: you are not Europeans. Having a tie with the European Union is important."
Stanley once worked for the European Commission, with son Boris, 56, attending school in Brussels as a child, where he learned to speak French himself.
It's not known whether Boris, whose real name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, will also apply for French citizenship, given he too would be eligible.
Boris Johnson was a prominent figure in the Vote Leave campaign, before he became the UK PM.
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The news of Stanley's plans comes as the UK prepares to leave the EU, which will be effective from 11pm tonight (31 December).
An eleventh-hour post-Brexit deal was only reached on Christmas Eve, following four years of complicated negotiations.
In a statement, the UK government described the deal as 'everything the British public was promised during the 2016 referendum'.
The full statement read: "Everything that the British public was promised during the 2016 referendum and in the general election last year is delivered by this deal.
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"We have taken back control of our money, borders, laws, trade and our fishing waters
"The deal is fantastic news for families and businesses in every part of the UK.
"We have signed the first free trade agreement based on zero tariffs and zero quotas that has ever been achieved with the EU.
"The deal is the biggest bilateral trade deal signed by either side, covering trade worth £668bn in 2019.
"The deal also guarantees that we are no longer in the lunar pull of the EU, we are not bound by EU rules, there is no role for the European Court of Justice and all of our key red lines about returning sovereignty have been achieved.
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"It means that we will have full political and economic independence on 1st January 2021.
"A points-based immigration system will put us in full control of who enters the UK and free movement will end."
It added: "We have got Brexit done and we can now take full advantage of the fantastic opportunities available to us as an independent trading nation, striking trade deals with other partners around the world."
Featured Image Credit: PA
