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James O'Brien has given an absolutely brutal assessment of Boris Johnson's Brexit motives

Picture: CHRIS RATCLIFFE/GETTY
Picture: CHRIS RATCLIFFE/GETTY

LBC radio host James O'Brien has lambasted Boris Johnson's decision to throw in his lot with Leave EU as a cynically motivated ploy to increase his chances of becoming leader of the Conservative party.

You can see the mayor of London's ambition in his eyes, O'Brien said in a two-minute rant from Monday, "Dripping from every pore."

He’s not really in politics, Boris Johnson, to make your life better. He’s certainly not in politics to make my life better. Boris Johnson is in politics to make Boris Johnson’s life better. First, last and always...

Johnson has broken more than one "cast iron election pledge" since he became mayor, O'Brien says, such as closing Tube ticket offices and lack of funding for fire services.

He’s come into politics to feed his own ego and achieve as much as he can achieve in a shorter period of time as possible. And it’s all gone pretty well actually. I don’t imagine he ever dreamt of being Mayor of London but it certainly has a much bigger cache and media presence than being a senior cabinet minister.

But being mayor - and an MP again - isn't enough for Johnson, O'Brien muses, as he warms to his theme.

So he’s looked at his two cards - his two sixes, shall we say. And he knows they’re not the strongest hand in the world... but he's got to go all in now otherwise there's no prize to play for...and he’s made a decision based on entirely personal ambition.

There was much speculation about Johnson's fence-sitting until the weekend, when he announced a change of heart in joining the Leave camp.

If he sits on the fence or stays quiet on the stay side he doesn't have a prayer. He'll never be prime minister.

This is his last chance, he's even said it himself. And yet, this is a big gamble.

David Cameron has announced that the in-out EU referendum will be held on June 23rd.

A Daily Mail poll held after the PM came back from Brussels with reform deals in hand last week put a vote to remain ahead by 15 points.

James: How "Personal Ambition" Is The Only Thing That Matters ...

James O'Brien delivers his stinging verdict on why Boris Johnson is backing the Leave campaign.

Posted by LBC on Monday, 22 February 2016

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