Nigel Farage has called for Brexit to be delayed after three years of saying the exact opposite.
The Brexit Party leader criticised Boris Johnson’s deal with the union, saying: “We will never be able to properly break free of the EU if we sign up to this”.
He went on to say:
“Would I rather accept a new European treaty that is frankly very bad for us? Or would I prefer for us to have an extension and a general election? I would always prefer the latter option.”
Can kicked down the road
Just a day earlier, addressing a caller to his LBC radio show suggesting a delay, Farage said: “How many more times are the public supposed to put up with a can being kicked down the road?”
He has also said the same thing repeatedly on Twitter, as the below receipts prove.
Do you want the French to veto any Brexit extension? #FarageOnLBC https://t.co/FCk89xHCI4
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) April 10, 2019
The new EU treaty has been rightly defeated for a third time.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 29, 2019
Extension and further battles now seem inevitable.
We are not downhearted, and will fight them again. pic.twitter.com/nEGIIsYXDI
The solution to avoid hordes of new Brexit Party MEPs being elected is for the European Council to veto any extension of Article 50 and ensure we leave on March 29. pic.twitter.com/jYLBAYjP3k
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 13, 2019
Junker rules out further extension
His comments come as Jean-Claude Juncker insisted that the EU will refuse to grant another Brexit extension.
It means MPs will effectively be faced with a choice between this deal and no deal. Or perhaps more unlikely, a vote to revoke Article 50.
Juncker was speaking to journalists on the red carpet for the press conference which he delivered with Boris Johnson.
Asked if he would rule out an extension if Boris Johnson requested one, Juncker replied:
“I gave a brief doorstop with Boris Johnson earlier on half an hour ago, and I was ruling out that there will be any kind of prolongation.
“If we have a deal, we have a deal, and there is no need for prolongation. That is not only the British view, that is my view too.”
Related: Backstop ditched but how will new Brexit deal solve Northern Ireland wrangle?
