Brexit Party will demand seats on EU negotiating team if it comes top in European elections, Nigel Farage says

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage
EPA
Katy Clifton21 May 2019
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The Brexit Party will demand to have places on the EU negotiating team if they come top in this week’s European elections, Nigel Farage has said.

Speaking at a packed rally in Kensington, Mr Farage said if his party tops the polls in Thursday’s vote, representatives “must join the EU negotiating team”.

The Brexit Party is currently topping the polls, with a seven-day rolling average now predicting they will take home 34% of the vote.

The former Ukip leader also speculated that Brexit Party wins could impact the Tory and Labour leaderships, saying: “We will quickly get rid of the worst prime minister in the history of our nation.

“You never know, given the way we are smashing the Labour vote in Wales and the Midlands, a big Brexit win might get rid of Jeremy Corbyn as well.”

Nigel Farage speaks during a Brexit Party rally
EPA

Mr Farage also commented on the Electoral Commission's investigation into the party's funding. Its premises were searched by commission staff on Tuesday.

He told the 3,000-strong crowd: "After seven hours, the Electoral Commission has not found a single misdeed by the Brexit Party. Let me make clear to all the conspiracy theorists. Our money comes from this growing mass movement of people."

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage
AFP/Getty Images

He did not address the news of a European Parliament committee investigation into a complaint that he allegedly failed to declare £450,000 in donations to him by Leave campaigner Arron Banks.

President Antonio Tajani said the Brexit Party leader has been referred to the advisory committee, the body responsible for implementing the members' code of conduct.

The allegation was made by Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder following reports by Channel 4 News that Mr Banks spent around £450,000 on Mr Farage in the year following the EU referendum.

Arron Banks 
Victoria Jones/PA

Under EU rules, MEPs must declare payments made to them, or other support given by third parties.

Before Mr Farage spoke at the Kensington rally, the audience also heard from Brexit Party candidate Anne Widdecombe, and former president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus.

Mr Klaus, who greeted the crowd as his "dear Brexit friends" said the Czech Republic share the "same or similar criticisms" of the EU to the UK.

The 77-year-old a eurosceptic, who was president of the Eastern European nation from 2003 - 2013, also described the 2017 referendum as a "fatal blow" and a "historic event" that "changed Europe".

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