Brexit voter witnesses his argument for Leave unravel on the radio

James O'Brien on his LBC radio programme. Photograph: LBC/Global. - Credit: Archant

A Brexiteer was left red-faced when his primary reason for voting to leave the EU was instantly quashed by radio presenter James O’Brien.

Calling into James O’Brien’s LBC show, Martin said he’s known the European Union is “toxic” since he was a teenager, because his dairy farmer friend told him about EU milk quotas which had made his business difficult.

O’Brien highlighted the quotas he spoke about had expired the year before the EU referendum.

The caller went on to say freedom of movement meant that too many foreigners were filling up jobs in the NHS, taking employment away from people in the UK.

Determined to shut down the Brexiteer’s argument, host O’Brien pointed out the NHS currently has more than 40,000 vacancies.

O’Brien said: “There’s tens of thousands of vacancies in the NHS. How can there be too many foreigners in it?”

Martin responded: “The reason there are all those vacancies is because our training infrastructure has been run down by successive governments using the free movement of people as an excuse so they can fill those vacancies from the EU.”

O’Brien added: “So it had nothing to do with the EU then?”, something that, remarkably, Martin agreed to.

Rounding up the call O’Brien said: “Your reason for voting leave had absolutely nothing to do with the EU. And your other reason for voting leave ceased to be true in 2015.

“And I know that you haven’t budged one millimetre. You still think the EU is toxic because of something about cows.”