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Saturday 9 February 2019 - 17:18

UK risks facing violence if Brexit undermined: Key Brexiteer

Story Code : 777126
In this file photo taken on January 17, 2019, MEP and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage speaks at a political rally entitled “Let’s Go WTO” hosted by pro-Brexit lobby group Leave Means Leave in London. (AFP photo)
In this file photo taken on January 17, 2019, MEP and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage speaks at a political rally entitled “Let’s Go WTO” hosted by pro-Brexit lobby group Leave Means Leave in London. (AFP photo)

Nigel Farage, who is viewed by many as the architect of the Brexit referendum in June 2016, said Saturday that a government failure to meet the official EU withdrawal date, which is March 29, would cause Brexit supporters to take to the streets in protest.

“They (government) might have to introduce martial law if we don’t leave at all. So angry,” said Farage.

"If you go back through British history, we had examples – you know, the Poll Tax riots in Trafalgar Square were an example where these things can happen.”

Farage, a former leader of the UK Independence Party, has insisted like many other Brexiteers that the long-anticipated withdrawal from the EU should take shape at the end of March regardless of a current political stand-off in the parliament.

He said those who are pressing the government to delay the withdrawal date were absolutely wrong to think that a delayed Brexit would be better than a no-deal Brexit in terms of social and political repercussions.

“If Brexit gets delayed, or Brexit gets thwarted I will make sure people have some democratic choices they can take as opposed to moving towards violence,” he said.

The comments come as Prime Minister Theresa May is desperately seeking new concessions from the EU that could allow her Brexit deal to go through the parliament in the upcoming weeks.

May suffered a historic defeat on the deal in the House of Commons on January 15 and has repeatedly said that she would do her best to avoid a disorderly exit while suggesting at the same time that Britain must leave the EU on the official withdrawal date.
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