Yahoo News Strictly will survive Brexit, Downing Street insists
Brexit will pose no threat to Strictly Come Dancing, Downing Street has declared.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable – who appeared on a Strictly Christmas special in 2010 – has claimed that immigration restrictions could deprive the show of talented foreign professional dancers.
Cable warned that a “cack-handed” immigration policy could prevent dancers from European Union states appearing on the show after Brexit.
But a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “I think Strictly will be fine.”
During a visit to Brussels on Thursday for talks with EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, Sir Vince Cable told the Telegraph.
“As British society falls apart it could pose a risk to Strictly.”
“If we have a cack-handed immigration policy like what we have for non-EU citizens, all kinds of perverse decisions could be made,” Cable added.
75-year-old Cable has been criticised and mocked for his remarks, with several opposing MPs accusing him of enticing ‘Project Fear with tassels’.
“This is more desperate Project Fear with tassels on it from Vince Cable. It is surely time that he waltzes off into retirement,” said Conservative MP Andrew Brigden.
Meanwhile fellow Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Moggs branded Vince’s claims as ‘simply silly.’
“I wouldn’t hold myself up as an expert on Strictly. I watched it when Ed Balls was on it but never since. But it is hard to see that immigration rules are key to the success of Strictly or otherwise.”
“There are already effective immigration provisions for artists such as opera singers and ballet dancers,” Rees-Moggs elaborated.
In addition to his Strictly stint, Cable continues to practice ballroom dancing regularly and even reached the final of the over-65’s British ballroom competition in 2015.
Strictly Come Dancing remains one of the UK’s most popular television series, with this year’s series reaching up to 12 million viewers a show.
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