SNAPCHAT is planning to open a European base in London in a move hailed as a huge "vote of confidence" in Brexit Britain.

The American firm that owns the photo-sharing app, Snap Inc, how vowed to pay U.K. corporation tax on its international profits in a move that is highly unusual in the tax-averse tech world.

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The British wing of the firm will be called Snap Group Limited.

Claire Valoti, CEO, said: "We believe in the UK creative industries.

"The UK is where our advertising clients are, where more than 10 million daily Snapchatters are, and where we've already begun to hire talent."

Snap's decision runs counter to that of tech giants like Apple and Google, who have chosen lower tax bases like Ireland.

It also comes amid public frustration over alleged tax avoidance schemes of multinational corporations.

Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital and Culture, welcomed the move.

He tweeted: "Another vote of confidence in our tech economy as Snapchat establishes its international HQ in UK."

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The announcement also prompted excitement at Leave.EU, which tweeted a bizarre image showing Nigel Farage along with the words: "Brexit and chill later?"

Snap has 150 million users a day worldwide and is planning a U.S. stock flotation with a reported valuation of up to $25 billion.