Boris Johnson’s former Remainer dad becomes a French citizen

Stanley Johnson used to be against Brexit but has recently changed his mind (Pictures: Getty)

Boris Johnson’s dad is keeping his ties to the EU after taking up French citizenship.

Stanley Johnson, 81, was famously an impassioned Remainer, despite his son being the face of the Brexit campaign.

But he’s recently renounced his views, writing that leaving the EU was ‘probably a good idea’ after all.

He also said he found the bloc’s response to the war in Ukraine disappointing, but he made sure to get his European citizenship first.

Mr Johnson, from Cornwall, started his application to ‘reclaim’ his identity as a Frenchman last November. His links to to the country come from his French mum, Irene Williams.

Typically, the descendants of French nationals cannot claim nationality if they have been in a different country for more than 50 years.

But people can still get citizenship if they can prove ‘concrete ties of a cultural, professional, economic or family nature’.

Stanley Johnson believed the UK should stay in the EU before changing his mind this year (Picture: Getty)

Mr Johnson, who is fluent in French, reportedly demonstrated this in his application.

France has six months to object to a citizenship application, and that deadline passed on Wednesday.

A French justice ministry source said: ‘Based on the facts in his application, and without a refusal by the justice minister, Mr Stanley Johnson acquired French nationality on 18th May, 2022.

‘This decision concerns only Mr Stanley Johnson and does not extend to his descendants.’ 

At the time of Mr Stanley Johnson’s application, he told France’s RTL radio: ‘It is not a question of becoming French.

‘If I understand correctly, I am French. My mother was born in France. Her mother was completely French, as was her grandfather.

Most of Mr Johnson’s family are Remainers, despite the PM being the face of ‘getting Brexit done’ (Picture: Getty) More: Boris Johnson

‘So for me it is a question of reclaiming what I already have. I will always be European. That is certain. You cannot tell the English, “You are not European”.

‘Europe is always more than the common market, more than the European Union. But having said that, yes, having a link like that to the European Union is important.’

Mr Johnson has long had close ties to the EU – he was a member of the European Parliament and went on to work for the European Commission.

The Prime Minister’s sister is also a Remainer, so much so that she left the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Democrats in protest of Brexit in 2017.

Their brother Jo Johnson, who called for a second referendum, quit his job as a minister and stepped down as an MP ahead of the December 2019 General Election.

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