Nigel Farage takes aim at ‘pathetic’ Boris Johnson as Reform UK leader marks Brexit anniversary: ‘He was in shock’
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has launched a pointed attack at former Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he gave a poignant speech to mark the fifth anniversary of Brexit.
Speaking to party supporters in North West Essex, the constituency of current Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, Farage claimed that the UK leaving the European Union was the “greatest constitutional victory” for the country in “centuries”.
However, Farage took aim at Johnson and told the audience that it was a case of “game playing” for the former Conservative premier at the time of Brexit.
Farage said: “Five years ago, I was getting ready to go to Parliament Square, where Richard Tice and I had organised the big rally and about 100,000 people turned up. The joy in the crowd was incredible. We had achieved something remarkable.
“It was the greatest constitutional victory against the establishment seen for many centuries in Britain. And yet, where was Boris Johnson?”
Criticising Johnson, Farage fumed: “He was in 10 Downing Street, rather pathetically banging a gong. Do you remember the faces of Michael Gove and Boris Johnson the morning after the referendum? They looked in total shock.
“They didn’t really want to leave the European Union. It was all a game about who leads the Conservative Party.”
Delivering his verdict on whether Brexit was a “success” for Britain, Farage admitted that although it worked out “constitutionally”, it has been a failure on tackling migration.
Farage stated: “Constitutionally it is a success. We are out and we will not be rejoining, that’s fundamentally important.
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“In terms of foreign policy, we stand far taller on the world stage with Brexit than we ever did before. The lead we took over Ukraine, whether you agree with it or not, was not something we could have done under a common European foreign policy.
“The rollout of the vaccine, whether you’re a vaccine fan or not, we were able to do being free of the European Union. So there are successes, however many, many millions of people voted Brexit because they thought this was the way to take back control of our borders.”
Hitting out at the growing crisis facing Britain five years on from Brexit, Farage explained: “130,000 young men crossing the English Channel in dinghies. Net migration going up in 2023 to one million a year. There are so many people out there who feel literally betrayed.
“But my message to them is this. They weren’t betrayed by Brexit, they were betrayed by a Conservative government elected on the back of Brexit, with considerable help from myself, who never ever believed in it in the first place, who never really intended to deliver lower numbers coming into our country, and who thought they could get away with it.”
In a pointed attack at current Tory leader Kemi Badenoch from her constituency, Farage concluded: “Well folks, I’m back and they won’t get away with it. And frankly, they should never be forgiven for what they’ve done.
“Isn’t it great here in North West Essex? And I checked the numbers just before coming on to the stage. We now in this constituency alone, have 490 paid up members and 460 registered supporters. That in North West Essex alone.
“And I tell you what, folks. I think we can build on these numbers. There is momentum behind this party, there is optimism and energy behind this party. And we know what we stand for – family, community and country.”