Farage warns of ‘a political earthquake’
Print Edition
NIGEL Farage, acting leader of the UK Independence Party, has predicted a political earthquake in Britain if Prime Minister Theresa May’s government fails to leave the European Union before the 2020 general election.
The pro-Brexit leader, who is closely allied with US President-elect Donald Trump, said on Wednesday that there will be a “seismic shock” if Brexit is delayed.
At a party at London’s Ritz hotel, he complained that Britain is lagging behind the United States in changing its political leadership despite the June 23 referendum vote in favor of taking Britain out of the 28-nation EU bloc.
America has had a total revolution, he said, while Britain has kept the same elite in power.
“In this country, the people have spoken, but the same players have just been shuffled around the chess board and we are still being run by the career professional political class,” Farage said at a gathering called by supporters to pay tribute to his role in winning the Brexit referendum after years of campaigning against EU bureaucracy.
Despite the Brexit success, UKIP has not made much progress in Britain’s Parliament, winning only one seat in the general election last year — and Farage lost his own bid for a seat.
His unusual closeness to Trump prompted the incoming US leader to suggest that Britain appoint him as the country’s ambassador to Washington — a proposal that raised Farage’s profile at home even as it was quickly rejected by May and senior figures in her government.
Yesterday, Treasury chief Philip Hammond reiterated that the government is not looking to replace its ambassador.
“It isn’t for other countries to decide who we appoint as ambassadors and if I ever need any advice from Nigel Farage, I’ve got his number, and I’ll give him a call,” Hammond said. “Tell him not to hold his breath.”
Farage had earlier criticized May for refusing to capitalize on his good relations with Trump.
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