GETTY Boris Johnson has unveiled his plans for post-Brexit Britain

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The former London mayor broke cover for the first time since reacting to the vote for Brexit to set out how the country may look if he wins the race to succeed David Cameron as prime minister. Mr Johnson sought to reassure Remain voters the UK will continue to "intensify" cooperation with the EU and told his fellow Leave supporters they must accept the 52-48 referendum win was "not entirely overwhelming". The Brexit campaign figurehead, who is the favourite to succeed Mr Cameron, insisted "the only change" will be to free the country from the EU's "extraordinary and opaque" law, which "will not come in any great rush".

We must reach out, we must heal, we must build bridges - because it is clear that some have feelings of dismay, and of loss, and confusion Boris Johnson

And he dismissed Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's calls for a second independence referendum, insisting he did not "detect any real appetite" for one, while claiming Britain can now have a "new and better" relationship with the EU based on free trade. Mr Johnson also signalled how he may cast himself in the Tory leadership election, saying: "We must pursue actively the one-nation policies that are among David Cameron's fine legacy, such as his campaigns on the living wage and life chances." The former London Mayor also suggested he would seek to unify a divided nation.

Writing his weekly column in the Telegraph, Mr Johnson said: "We who are part of this narrow majority must do everything we can to reassure the Remainers. "We must reach out, we must heal, we must build bridges - because it is clear that some have feelings of dismay, and of loss, and confusion." Mr Johnson expanded on his vision of post-Brexit Britain saying EU citizens will still be able to live and work in Britain and British people will enjoy the same privileges across the EU. He said: "I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be.

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"There will still be intense and intensifying European cooperation and partnership in a huge number of fields: the arts, the sciences, the universities, and on improving the environment. "EU citizens living in this country will have their rights fully protected, and the same goes for British citizens living in the EU. "British people will still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and to settle down. As the German equivalent of the CBI - the BDI - has very sensibly reminded us, there will continue to be free trade, and access to the single market."

REUTERS The former London Mayor wants a a points-based immigration system and access to the single market

He went on: "The only change - and it will not come in any great rush - is that the UK will extricate itself from the EU's extraordinary and opaque system of legislation: the vast and growing corpus of law enacted by a European Court of Justice from which there can be no appeal. "This will bring not threats, but golden opportunities for this country - to pass laws and set taxes according to the needs of the UK. "Yes, the Government will be able to take back democratic control of immigration policy, with a balanced and humane points-based system to suit the needs of business and industry.

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