Mayor of London Boris Johnson joins the Brexit campaign

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is to join the campaign for Britain to leave the EU.

Mr Johnson put an end to months of speculation, saying British prime minister David Cameron’s re-negotiation failed to deliver fundamental change in Britain’s relationship with Brussels.

“I don’t think that anybody can claim that this is fundamental reform of the EU or of Britain’s relationship with the EU,” he said.

His announcement is a huge boost for the “out” campaign potentially giving them a popular figurehead able to connect with voters.

At the same time, it comes as a bitter blow for Mr Cameron who had long believed his old rival from their days at Eton and Oxford would ultimately fall in behind his EU re-negotiation package.

Mr Johnson said he had agonised over the decision.

“The last thing I wanted was to go against David Cameron or the government but after a great deal of heartache I don’t think there is anything else I can do,” he said.

“I will be advocating vote leave... because I want a better deal for the people of this country to save them money and to take back control.”

Earlier, Mr Cameron issued a last-ditch appeal for the mayor not to align with “outers” such as Ukip leader Nigel Farage and Respect’s George Galloway.

“I think the prospect of linking arms with Nigel Farage and George Galloway and taking a leap into the dark is the wrong step for our country,” he said.

“If Boris and if others really care about being able to get things done in our world, then the EU is one of the ways in which we get them done.”

Mr Johnson said he felt the European “political project” was “in danger of getting out of proper democratic control”.

“Sovereignty is people’s ability — the ability of the public — to control lives and to make sure that the people they elect are able to pass the laws that matter to them. The trouble is, with Europe that is being very greatly eroded,” he said.

“You have got a supreme judicial body in the European Court of Justice that projects down on this 500m people territory a single unified judicial order from which there is absolutely no recourse.

“In my view, that has been getting out of control. There is too much judicial activism, there is too much legislation coming from the EU.”

Mr Johnson

strongly denied claims he was positioning himself for a leadership bid with an appeal to the Tory grassroots who are fiercely Eurosceptic.

“Whatever happens at the end of this — and I’ve said this to the prime minister — he’s got to stay,” he said.

Critics, however, were quick to accuse him of putting his own ambition ahead of the national interest.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said Mr Johnson had had “more positions on Europe than the Kama Sutra”.

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said: “Boris Johnson has written a lot about the importance of staying in the EU and if he is actually thinking about putting his personal leadership ambitions above the national interest I don’t think it’s going to do him any good.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson says he is joining campaign to encourage Britain to leave the 28-nation European Union: https://t.co/OVTnzSuIwe

— The Associated Press (@AP) February 21, 2016