Sir Michael Caine says he supports Brexit because he doesn’t want Britain to be controlled by European Union bureaucrats.
At the Venice Film Festival, the Oscar-winning actor said Britain was ‘being run by a man called Mr Juncker’ – European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a former prime minister of Luxembourg.
Sir Michael, 84, said on Tuesday that ‘up until I was 20, I thought Luxembourg was a radio station. I didn’t even know it was a country and now he’s running my country – and he doesn’t seem to like us.’
Oscar-winning actor Sir Michael Caine said Britain was ‘being run by a man called Mr Juncker’ – European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a former prime minister of Luxembourg in new comments about Brexit
Sir Michael said in his comments on Tuesday that Juncker ‘doesn’t seem to like’ the United Kingdom
The actor said his decision wasn’t based on immigration or economics, but because ‘I’d rather be a poor master of my own fate than a rich servant of someone else’s’.
This isn’t the first time that Sir Michael, who narrates Venice entry ‘My Generation,’ a documentary about the 1960s, has spoken out about his views on Brexit.
In April, Sir Michael said he was confident leaving the EU would be ‘all right’, adding: ‘I voted for Brexit. What it is with me, I’d rather be a poor master than a rich servant.
‘It wasn’t about the racism, immigrants or anything – it was about freedom.’
Speaking to Sky News, he added: ‘Politics is always chaotic. In politics, you’re always going into areas you’ve never been before, so you’re going to get lost and then you’re going to find your way, and then it’ll be all right.’
Speaking to Sky News, he added: ‘Politics is always chaotic. In politics, you’re always going into areas you’ve never been before, so you’re going to get lost and then you’re going to find your way, and then it’ll be all right.’
The Italian Job actor came out in support of leaving the EU before last year’s referendum, leading former Ukip leader Nigel Farage to recall his famous line from the film and proclaim: ‘Let’s blow the bloody doors off!’
Sir Michael made his comments at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday. He’s pictured above at the event with Director David Batty
In the run-up to the vote, Sir Michael admitted quitting the EU would be ‘scary’ but said the UK should not be dictated to by ‘thousands of faceless civil servants’.
He has previously been attacked for his pro-Brexit views, with people on social media questioning his opinions and some even wishing he would die.
Meanwhile, a blueprint for tough new immigration rules that mean an immediate end to free movement after Brexit were revealed on Tuesday in a massive Home Office leak.
An 82-page document leaked to the Guardian revealed plans to make all EU citizens show a passport when they visit Britain after Brexit.
New rules could be imposed forcing employers to recruit in Britain before looking abroad.
And the draft plan proposes measures to dramatically cut long-term migration by demanding all new arrivals demonstrate benefit to Britain overall.
The document, dated August 2017 and marked ‘extremely sensitive’ has not been agreed by Cabinet and could be significantly changed before being officially published.
It will also be subject to the Brexit negotiations underway in Brussels. EU negotiator Michel Barnier warned last week there was no ‘trust’ on how EU citizens living in Britain would be treated after Brexit.