Anti-Brexit protesters offer to help Boris Johnson move out of 'grace-and-favour lad pad' after cabinet resignation

Mr Johnson dramatically quit as foreign secretary in protest at Theresa May's Brexit strategy

Anti-Brexit campaigners have offered to help Boris Johnson move out of his "grace-and-favour lad pad" as the ex-foreign secretary remains at his official residence nearly three weeks on from his resignation from the cabinet.

Protestors dressed as removal men arrived at Carlton Gardens, in central London, with cardboard boxes and a van emblazoned with the slogan "Leave Means Leave Removals Ltd", in a cheeky attempt to persuade the Brexiteer to move on.

The Independent has launched its Final Say campaign to call for a referendum on the Brexit deal, which has attracted more than 194,000 signatures in support in the first 24 hours.

Campaigners from pro-EU groups, For our Future's Sake (FFS) and Our Future our Choice (OFOC), rang the bell to speak to Mr Johnson on Thursday but he failed to materialise.

Mr Johnson dramatically walked away from government in protest at Theresa May's Chequers plan, saying he could not support a strategy that left the UK as a "colony" of the EU.

However the Tory MP remains at his official residence and is understood to be due to stay there until the end of the month.

Richard Brooks, co-founder of FFS. said: "In typical Boris Johnson fashion, he wants to have his cake and eat it.

"We at FFS know how important leaving is to Boris so we're here today to help him move out.

"We've got the van, the boxes, the bubble wrap and though we're not quite the professional photographers he's used to, we've got decent camera phones.

"Our future’s are being screwed by Boris so we might as well get some clarity on his.”

Mr Brooks, 26, from Dover, was one of four campaigners at the stunt, and said the main objective of the groups, under the umbrella of People's Vote, is to get a vote on the final Brexit deal.

Femi Oluwole, co-founder of Our Future Our Choice, said: "Boris Johnson seems to think the official Foreign Secretary residence is his own personal hotel despite quitting the role of Foreign Secretary.

"Once again, Boris has told the UK he wants to leave, even though he knows it’s better to stay.

"We don’t need a discount Donald Trump stepping on the British people to get to Number 10. We need a People's Vote."

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Former ministers are expected to leave official residences as quickly as practicable at the end of their tenure, taking into account their personal circumstances and family requirements; we can confirm there is no additional cost to taxpayers involved."

Mr Johnson is not the first foreign secretary to stay on at Carlton Gardens after his tenure was over.

When ex-Labour foreign secretary Robin Cook was demoted to Commons leader in 2001, he was allowed to retain an upstairs flat for two years.