Michael Gove is locked in a furious row with Brexit critics after he is accused of comparing the UK’s departure from the EU to the fall of the Berlin Wall
- Michael Gove made speech at German Embassy last night on German Unity Day
- Mr Gove said ‘modern Germany reminds us how important it is to come together’
- He then referred to the 2016 EU referendum when Britain voted to leave the EU
- Critics claimed Mr Gove was comparing Brexit to the ‘fall of the Berlin Wall’
- But Mr Gove hit back hard at critics and said he had made no such comparison
Michael Gove is locked in a furious row with his Brexit critics after he was accused of comparing the UK’s departure from the European Union to German reunification and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The minister in charge of the government’s No Deal contingency planning last night delivered a speech at the German Embassy to mark German Unity Day.
Mr Gove said that ‘modern Germany reminds us how important it is to come together’ before then referring to the UK’s ‘democratic decision three years ago to leave the European Union’.
Critics pounced on the remarks and claimed the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was suggesting that Brexit was ‘on par’ with the fall of the Berlin Wall and ‘East Germans’ quest for freedom’.
But the accusations prompted an angry response from Mr Gove who said he had made no such comparison and that he was being misinterpreted.
Michael Gove hit back hard after critics claimed he had compared Brexit to the fall of the Berlin Wall during a speech at the German Embassy last night
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster accused academic Peter R. Neumann of trying to ‘weaponise’ his remarks
Mr Neumann then told the Cabinet minister that he had ‘summarised’ what had been said
Mr Gove said during his remarks that there were ‘always challenges that pull us apart’.
‘There are temptations for people to pull apart rather than come together,’ he said.
‘Well, the example of modern Germany reminds us how important it is to come together.
‘And as the Ambassador also reminded us, it also shows that we can come together quickly when we recognise how important it is to set aside divisions.
‘Britain made its democratic decision three years ago to leave the European Union – and I know there will be many people in this room who will deeply regret that decision.’
He then went onto say that ‘Britain and Germany have so much in common’ which reportedly prompted one heckler to shout ‘nonsense’.
But Mr Gove continued: ‘I think Britain and Germany do have much in common – but my view is that both of us are robust and successful democracies, both of us are examples of how you can combine commitment to a free enterprise economy with a commitment to social justice.’
His decision to talk about Brexit during an address on German Unity Day prompted Peter R. Neumann, a professor at King’s College London, to tweet along with a photo of the event: ‘So here’s Michael Gove standing next to Luftwaffe band on Day of German Unity, telling German audience that decision to leave EU on par with fall of Berlin Wall and East Germans’ quest for freedom.
‘Shouts from audience: “Nonsense”.’
Mr Gove hit back on Twitter and said: ‘Dear Peter – I realise there were lots of people in the room so you may have misheard me – but in a speech which celebrated the example of modern Germany can you provide the precise quotes in context which justify this claim – or if not then perhaps clarify?’
Mr Neumann replied: ‘Please, by all means, correct me if I misheard or misunderstood.’
Mr Gove then responded: ‘You did! Please reflect the whole speech in context – I’d be in your debt to see an academic reflect the truth of an event rather than weaponise it for their own agenda.’
Mr Neumann then appeared to make reference to Mr Gove’s famous remark from the 2016 EU referendum campaign that people had ‘had enough of experts’.
Mr Gove, pictured in Downing Street on October 2, has been put in charge of the government’s No Deal Brexit contingency planning
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw said Mr Gove’s address was ‘shameless and totally ill-judged’ before Mr Gove then claimed it has been Mr Bradshaw who had heckled him
He said: ‘I summarised. My sincere apologies for any misunderstandings. I’m only an “expert”, after all.’
Meanwhile, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw labelled Mr Gove’s remarks ‘shameless’ and ‘totally ill-judged’.
Mr Gove then claimed that it was actually Mr Bradshaw who had heckled him at the event.
He tweeted: ‘Dear Ben – I appreciate you enjoyed heckling but what part of my praise for modern Germany did you disagree with?’
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