Brexiteer Nigel Farage launches new 'Brexit Party'
February 8, 2019
Former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader and prominent Brexit supporter Nigel Farage announced Friday that a new "Brexit Party" has been formed with his approval
Writing in London's The Telegraph newspaper, Farage stated, "The party was founded with my full support and with the intention of fighting the European elections on May 23 if Brexit has not been delivered by then."
British electoral authorities confirmed they had recognized the party, which Farage formed with Brexiteer and UKIP former economic spokeswoman Catherine Blaiklock, meaning it can contest elections in the UK.
'Worst deal in history'
Britain is currently set to leave the EU on March 29, but many in the UK have called on Prime Minister Theresa May to ask the EU for an extension to avoid the prospects of crashing out of the bloc without a deal.
May has been unsuccessful in her attempts to convince parliamentarians at home of the merits of the deal she agreed to with the EU in November. Now she has been tasked with winning concessions from Brussels, something lawmakers there say will not happen.
Farage lambasted May's withdrawal agreement as "the worst deal in history" and added that his new party will hit the ground running, with hundreds of candidates and "significant" funds.
Blaiklock said she expects "thousands" of defectors from May's Conservatives to join the new Brexit Party.
Hopes parties see him as a 'threat'
Farage wrote of his potential candidacy: "I sincerely hope that this prospect is recognized by both the Conservative party and Labour party as a threat. All they have to do is deliver a proper Brexit — one that 17.4 million people voted for in June 2016. Otherwise, this threat will turn into a promise."
Some 52 percent of UK citizens voted to leave the EU in the 2016 referendum, 48 percent voted to remain.
js/sms (AFP, Reuters)