Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party MEPs turn their backs on EU Parliament as they are sworn in three years after leave vote
NIGEL Farage’s Brexit Party turned their backs on the EU today as they were sworn in – three years after Britain voted to leave.
The 29 MEPs faced away from the European Parliament as its anthem Ode To Joy was played in Strasbourg.
Mr Farage’s Brexit party led its newly elected politicians into the building for their first time earlier today, following their success in the EU elections last month.
Fuming European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said “you stand for the anthem of another country” as he watched on.
They held a photoshoot outside the building in Strasbourg as MEPs from across the bloc made their way to their new jobs.
Mr Farage said this morning he had a “funny feeling” his MEPs might all still be there come November 1, the day after Britain is scheduled to exit the EU.
“We’ll see!” he joked.
“We’re not here to cause damage, we’re just here to be cheerfully defiant, to stand up for the people of the UK that clearly want to leave.
“There’s a lot of evidence that eurosceptic opinion has hardened over the last couple of months
“We’re not going to sit in there and listen to our country be talked down.
“At the first sign of insult, they will know we’re here, don’t worry about that.”
Micheal Heaver MEP tweeted earlier: “Brexit party MEPs have arrived in the EU Parliament. Here to get us out.”
Meanwhile, Lib Dem MPs took to their seats wearing bright yellow ‘b****cks to Brexit” T-shirts.
THE SUN SAYS: MUPPET SHOW
OUR MEPs disgrace us with their juvenile antics in Strasbourg.
It is stomach-churning to see Lib Dems flaunting snarky little “B***ocks to Brexit” shirts — as pathetic an act of virtue-signalling as we have ever seen.
And we thought the Brexit Party were above the moronic displays we used to expect from Ukip. We don’t like the EU’s “national anthem” either. But turning your back, like sporting a sweary T-shirt, is for fifth-form protest rabbles.
It is not Brexit that makes Britain look foolish to the world. It is politicians acting like kids for social media “likes”.
Grow up, you muppets.
At the weekend Mr Farage finally revealed a set of policies for the new party, as it gears up for a general election later this year.
It wants to spend £200billion on new infrastructure for the country including re-opening old railway lines, improving roads and extending Crossrail to the midlands.
The party also wants to make free wi-fi available for all, scrap business rates for firms outside the M25 and halve the foreign aid bill.
The party is currently vetting candidates to stand to be MPs for the party, and has got 100 ready to go.
Today it was revealed former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe would stand to be an MP once again, alongside several of the other MEPs and MEP candidates.
A Brexit Party source confirmed to The Sun: “A number of Brexit party MEPs and candidates will be standing.”
The news comes as the Brexit Party formed an unlikely alliance with the Lib Dems to call for a major shake-up of the UK voting system.
The new organisation set up by Mr Farage just a few months ago signed a cross-party pact calling for a more fair voting system.
Brexit Party chairman Richard Tice MEP said: “We need to bring in Proportional Representation to change politics for good – and this agreement will help bring that about.”
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.