British foreign minister johnson defends brexit

You're likely referring to Boris Johnson, the former Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, who was a prominent advocate for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit).

As Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018, Johnson was a key figure in the UK's Brexit negotiations with the EU. He was a strong supporter of the Leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum and has consistently argued that the UK should leave the EU's single market and customs union.

In his capacity as Foreign Secretary, Johnson defended the UK's decision to leave the EU, arguing that it would allow the country to regain control over its laws, borders, and trade policies. He also claimed that the UK would be able to negotiate new trade deals with other countries, including the United States, and that the country would be better off outside the EU.

Some of Johnson's notable statements defending Brexit include:

• "We are not leaving the EU because we are anti-European. We are leaving because we are pro-British." (2017)
• "The idea that we are going to be somehow less prosperous, less influential, less respected, less loved, because we are leaving the EU, is just absurd." (2017)
• "We are not going to be a vassal state, we are not going to be a colony, we are going to be a fully independent, sovereign nation." (2018)

However, Johnson's views on Brexit have been criticized by many, including some of his former colleagues and opponents, who argue that the UK's departure from the EU will have negative economic and political consequences.