Boris Johnson’s father is applying for an EU passport

Boris Johnson sits next to his father Stanley (left) on the Bakerloo Line while mayor of London. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA. PA Archive/PA Images

Boris Johnson’s father Stanley is applying for a French passport to allow him to work and move freely throughout Europe after Brexit.

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Johnson, a former Remainer who went on to back Brexit, has applied to become a French citizen because his mother was born in the country.

The revelation came in the new book of Rachel Johnson - Rake’s Progress - where she revealed her father is “en route to becoming a French citizen, as his mother had been born in Versailles and his grandmother had been in Paris”.

The pro-European sibling of the prime minister added: “This is good news — I might be able to become French too.”

It means Boris Johnson ould also in theory apply for EU citizenship, making them the latest family of a Brexiteer to retain EU citizenship after Nigel Farage did something similar.

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The Sunday Times reports that Stanley Johnson applied so his grandchildren can work and live in the EU after Brexit.

Last year he appeared to be considering the plan. He said: “It’s a nice thought. These things are always among the options — members of my family might be [interested].”

Stanley Johnson backed Remain in the EU referendum but changed course in 2017 claiming “the time has come to bail out”.