'Reclaiming what I already have': Boris Johnson's father applies for French citizenship

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s father and a former member of the European Parliament, Stanley Johnson on December 31 said that he was in the process of applying for a French passport in a bid to maintain his EU ties. Just a day after EU and the UK formally signed post-Brexit deal into law, Stanley told RTL radio that he wanted to become a French citizen because of strong family links in the EU state and said “I am French” before adding that “I’ll always be European”.

“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,” said the 80-year-old while speaking in French.

“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,” he added.

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Stanley’s son, UK PM Boris Johnson: The face of Brexit

Contrary to Stanley’s claim of being European, his son, Boris was also the public face of the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum and believes that the UK can “prosper mightly” as a fully sovereign nation outside the 27-nation-bloc which according to him is overly bureaucratic. Even now, while hailing the post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU, the British PM said it was Britain “taking back control” and reaching the nation’s ‘full potential’. However, on December 30, Boris appeared to take a more conciliatory note.

He said, “This is not the end of Britain as a European country. We are in many ways the quintessential European civilisation... and we will continue to be that.”

While introducing the bill to the UK parliament, Boris Johnson also said, "With this bill, we are going to be a friendly neighbour, the best friend and ally the EU could have.” After nine months of tiresome negotiations, the senior officials of the UK and the European Union have finally signed the Brexit deal just before the December 31 deadline of the 11-month transition period. Since the Brexit talks about dominated the UK politics throughout the year amid the COVID-19, the ‘British exit’ from the EU 48 years after it joined the European Economic Community is now done and dusted. 

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