The UK cannot reasonably stand in the way of any potential "EU Army" after voting for Brexit, Boris Johnson has said.

The Foreign Secretary said we should be prepared to be "supportive" of the European Union creating its own defence capability should it come to that.

Speaking to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, he said that rather than trying to block attempts to develop a common EU defence policy, the UK should instead be looking at ways to offer support.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has made it clear he takes the opposite view, saying the UK would oppose any proposal for an 'EU Army' or centralised headquarters.

Mr Johnson said that while any defence pact which undermined the power of NATO was a "bad idea", the UK should be prepared to co-operate militarily with the EU once it has left the bloc.


Image: Michael Fallon says NATO must remain 'a cornerstone of our defence'

"If our friends want to go ahead with a new security architecture, as they have pledged to do many times over the past four decades, I don't think, post-Brexit, we can reasonably stand in their way," he said.

"What we might suggest is that given that we are the biggest military player in the area, the only other nuclear power, it wouldn't be a bad idea, if they do genuinely go ahead with such things, (to consider) a way in which Britain could be supportive, involved in the enterprise."

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Mr Fallon has said an EU Army would undermine NATO.

"We agree Europe needs to step up to the challenges of terrorism and of migration," he said previously.

"We are going to continue to oppose any idea of an EU army or EU army headquarters, which would simply undermine NATO.

"NATO must remain a cornerstone of our defence and the defence of Europe."

Proposals to drastically boost military co-operation in the bloc could see a new joint EU military command, as well as increased defence spending and joint development of assets such as helicopters and drones.