Boris Hits Back At Juncker On EU Reality Jibe

Boris Johnson has hit back at Jean-Claude Juncker after the European Commission president accused him of needing a reality check on his EU facts.

The former London mayor dismissed Mr Juncker's jibe saying that what he was telling British people during the EU referendum campaign was "in line with reality".

Mr Johnson's attacks on the EU have included him comparing its ambitions for European unity to those of Hitler.

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Mr Juncker invited Mr Johnson to Brussels to try to understand how the organisations work - and went on to suggest he would struggle to work with him if he became Britain's prime minister.

But Mr Johnson hit back, telling Sky News: "I'm afraid what I am saying to the British people is in line with reality, and if we vote to remain - which I sincerely hope we don't - then they will go on with measures that will take us further into a federal European superstate.

"The whole exercise in Europe is now aimed at propping up the euro, that is the entire mission of the European Union. They will try to create a fiscal union, a political union."

Speaking at the G7 summit in Japan, Mr Juncker said: "I'm reading in (the) papers that Boris Johnson spent part of his life in Brussels.

"It's time for him to come back to Brussels, in order to check in Brussels if everything he's telling British people is in line with reality ... he would be welcome in Brussels at any time."

Asked about the relationship if Mr Johnson were to become prime minister, he said: "The atmosphere of our talks would be better if Britain is staying in the European Union."

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The G7 leaders are gathering in Japan where David Cameron is expected to discuss the EU referendum on the sidelines - Brexit is not on the official agenda.

All seven nations, which will also be joined by the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, are urging British voters to stay in the union.

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Vote Leave says it is little more than a global elite attempting to maintain its self-interest, and ignoring the advantages a Brexit could deliver to the British people.

The meeting is being held in Ise-Shima near one of Japan's holiest Shinto shrines amid tight security and a list of pressing international problems.

Leaders of Germany, Italy, the US, Japan, the UK, France and Canada are dividing their two-day meeting into three main sections: economy and trade, foreign policy and climate change.