Former London mayor Boris Johnson is a prominent supporter of a British exit from the European Union, and has said it would bring Australia and the United Kingdom closer together. “Act now before we see an Orlando-style atrocity here before too long”, read the slogan on a picture featuring what appeared to be Islamic State fighters.
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50 people were killed when Omar Mateen, who was allegedly repulsed after seeing two gay men kissing, opened fire at the popular nightclub in Florida.
First to respond on Twitter was education secretary Nicky Morgan who branded the advert “really shameful”.
Supporters of UKIP party hold placards to encourage people to vote to leave the European Union in London on May 23, 2016.
The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, a New York-born Florida resident and USA citizen who was the son of Afghan immigrants, was shot and killed by police who stormed the club early Sunday morning after a three-hour siege.
The survey was ended on June 10 and revealed that some 51% of the interviewees supported the “Remain” campaign while 49% backed the “Leave” camp.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn hit out at the “shameful and cowardly poster” and said: ‘Our best protection against terror is standing together whether in Orlando, Paris or Brussels’.
In another, though not unexpected, boost for “Leave”, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper called on its readers to vote to quit the 28-member EU.
And asked if he condemned the comments, he replied: “I think it is completely pointless to try and make something out of what is a tragedy in America”.
She later stated: “Using the tragic deaths of innocent people to make a political point is simply shameful”.
Labour MP Chris Bryant said in a statement released by Britain Stronger in Europe: “Leave.EU’s tweet is completely out of order”. They should take it down and apologise immediately.
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A series of weekend opinion polls suggest that the pro-Brexit “Leave” campaign is beginning to move clear, with an opinion poll commissioned by The Independent newspaper, carried out by ORB, finding that 55% of respondents now meant to vote “Leave”.
