'I Will Always Be a European': Boris Johnson's Father is Applying for French Citizenship

Stanley Johnson is a former member of the European Parliament and voted Remain in the 2016 referendum.

The father of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed that he's in the process of applying for a French passport.

Speaking to RTL radio in French, the 80-year-old Stanley Johnson explained his position:

"If I understand it correctly, I am French. My mother was born in France, her mother was totally French as was her grandfather. So for me, it's about reclaiming what I already have. And that makes me very happy...I will always be a European, that’s for sure. One cannot tell the British people: you are not Europeans. Having a tie with the European Union is important,” Johnson Sr. said.

This comes shortly after his son, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, signed a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU on Wednesday.

After the parliament approved the deal, Boris Johnson was quoted as saying: "This is not the end of Britain as a European country. We are in many ways the quintessential European civilisation... and we will continue to be that."

The United Kingdom officially leaves the EU on Thursday night, after 48 years as a member of the bloc.