Do you understand why we voted to quit? Farage challenges Eurocrat face to face
NIGEL Farage is set to challenge Michel Barnier face to face today asking: “Do you understand why Britain voted for Brexit?”
The Ukip MEP was due to meet the European Union’s chief negotiator in Brussels for talks.
He revealed yesterday that he wants to use the meeting to see if the diplomat has fully grasped the reason for so many people voting Leave in the 2016 EU referendum.
He said: “My concern is the 17.4 million have not had their voices heard.
“I will endeavour to start a process of doing that tomorrow.
“Once I’ve been, there’ll be others from the Leave side. A good thing.”
The former Ukip leader invited listeners to his LBC radio show to send their suggestions for issues to raise with Mr Barnier, and chose three:
Does he understand voted for Brexit?”
What happens to the EU’s economy if there’s no trade deal with Britain?
How does he view mass migration into the EU?
Mr Barnier is due to hold talks on Wednesday with other Brexit campaigners led by independent MEP Steven Woolfe, a former Ukip member.
They also include former business leaders Lord Digby Jones and John Longworth.
They demanded the meeting after Mr Barnier met leading opponents of Brexit, including Tony Blair and Sir Nick Clegg.
Mr Woolfe said: “A number of Remain voices, including Blair and Clegg, are spearheading a campaign to try to why Britain water down Brexit or keep the UK in the single market and the customs union. That is not acceptable and the European chief negotiator needs to know that the will of the British public remains completely unchanged.”
Mr Longworth, co-chairman of the pressure group Leave Means Leave, said: “The meeting is an opportunity to make clear that the UK is not prepared to negotiate away our newly won freedoms. No trade deal is better than a bad trade deal for the UK.”
John Mills, chairman of Labour Leave, said: “It must be made clear to Barnier that staying in the single market is simply not an option.
“It wouldn’t give the UK control over its borders or judicial system and is not what the British people voted for.”