Former London mayor Boris Johnson on Sunday called for an amnesty of illegal immigrants who have been in the UK for more than 12 years, the Daily Mail reported.

At a rally in London, Johnson, who is also a lead figure in the Vote Leave campaign, insisted voting to cut ties with Brussels would 'neutralise' extremists who scaremonger about immigration.

"I'm not only pro-immigration, I'm pro-immigrants," he said."And I am in favour of an amnesty of illegal immigrants who have been here for more than 12 years, unable to contribute to this economy, unable to pay taxes, unable to take proper part in society."

"i'll tell you why. Because it is the humane thing to do. It is the economically rational thing to do, and it means taking back control of a system that is at the moment completely out of control," he added.

'If we take back control of our immigration system with an Australian-style points based system, we'll be dealing fairly and justly with every part of the world and we will be neutralising people in this country and across Europe who wish to play politics with immigration and who are opposed to immigrants," Johnson said. "That is the way forward. To neutralise the extremists."

Source ; MENA