US President Donald Trump waded into the British election campaign on Thursday, launching a stinging attack on the country's main opposition leader and warning Prime Minister Boris Johnson that his EU divorce deal could imperil a future US-UK trade agreement.

In unprecedented criticism of a candidate to be British premier from a sitting president, Trump said that Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn would be "so bad" in the role.

He also urged Johnson to unite with eurosceptic hardliner Nigel Farage, a key figure in the 2016 referendum on European Union membership who now leads the newly-founded Brexit Party, to deliver Britain's departure from the bloc.

"Corbyn would be so bad for your country," Trump told Farage during a phone interview broadcast on his talkshow on British radio station LBC.

"He'd take you in such a bad way. He'd take you into such bad places.

"I'd like to see you and Boris get together... I think it'd be a great thing," Trump added.

Farage, whose new party is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU without any deal in place, has urged Johnson to form an electoral alliance but has so far been rebuffed.&nbsp;

Within minutes of the interview airing, Corbyn shot back on Twitter that "Trump is trying to interfere in Britain's election to get his friend Boris Johnson elected".

But the president, whose impeachment in the United States moved a stage closer on Thursday following a key vote in Congress, also criticised Johnson's Brexit deal, saying it made it impossible to strike a future trade agreement.

"This deal... you can't do it, you can't trade. We can't make a trade deal with the UK," he added.

Trump's comments appear at odds with his previous pledge in September that he was working closely with Johnson to strike a "magnificent trade deal" once Britain left the EU.

'Failure is his alone'

Johnson agreed new divorce terms with the bloc's leaders earlier this month, ahead of the country's scheduled departure on Thursday. &nbsp;

But he was unable to push the plan through parliament and instead opted to hold a snap pre-Christmas election, blaming his Labour rivals for the latest Brexit delay and promising to now take the country out by a new January 31 deadline.

"If you vote for us and we get our programme through, which we will... we can be out, at the absolute latest, by January next year," Johnson said during a campaign stop Thursday at a hospital.

The Conservative leader is riding high in opinion polls going into the December 12 vote that will be Britain's third in four years.&nbsp;

But he risks a backlash over his unkept "do or die" promise to deliver Brexit on October 31 -- and has again set himself up for another potential fall by promising to meet the next deadline.

"He said he would rather be dead in a ditch than delay beyond today. But he has failed. And that failure is his alone," Corbyn said at his own campaign event.

Brexit divisions

Pro-EU campaigners and business executives have breathed a sigh of relief that Britain avoided a Halloween Brexit nightmare that could have seen it crash out of the EU after 46 years without a plan.

Johnson confounded expectations by securing a revised divorce deal but was forced to ask EU leaders for more time after Labour mustered enough cross-party support to extend parliamentary debates and delay a final vote.

Labour has vowed to throw out Johnson's plan and get Brexit "sorted" within the first six months of taking power by negotiating more EU-friendly separation terms.

It would then put its deal up for a vote against the option of simply staying the 27-nation bloc.

Corbyn has been accused of seeking to shift the debate onto more domestic subjects such as health and social care to avoid scrutiny of his much-criticised position on Europe.

Meanwhile, business leaders warn that Labour's plan to reimpose state ownership over railways and other major industries would cost at least £196 billion ($253 billion, 228 billion euros).

But a National Institute of Economic and Social Research study suggested Wednesday that Johnson's Brexit deal could leave Britain £70 billion worse off in 10 years.&nbsp;

Divisions over Brexit have seen sometimes toxic rhetoric on all sides. Death threats against lawmakers and attacks on social media have risen in recent years.

Almost 60 members of the 650-seat lower House of Commons have announced they will not stand in the coming election.

The number has raised eyebrows because -- while dozens usually leave before general election -- many came from the more moderate and wing of Johnson's party. 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump waded into the British election campaign on Thursday, launching a stinging attack on the country's main opposition leader and warning Prime Minister Boris Johnson that his EU divorce deal could imperil a future US-UK trade agreement.

US President Donald Trump waded into the British election campaign on Thursday, launching a stinging attack on the country's main opposition leader and warning Prime Minister Boris Johnson that his EU divorce deal could imperil a future US-UK trade agreement. In unprecedented criticism of a candidate to be British premier from a sitting president, Trump said that Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn would be "so bad" in the role. He also urged Johnson to unite with eurosceptic hardliner Nigel Farage, a key figure in the 2016 referendum on European Union membership who now leads the newly-founded Brexit Party, to deliver Britain's departure from the bloc. "Corbyn would be so bad for your country," Trump told Farage during a phone interview broadcast on his talkshow on British radio station LBC. "He'd take you in such a bad way. He'd take you into such bad places. "I'd like to see you and Boris get together... I think it'd be a great thing," Trump added. Farage, whose new party is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU without any deal in place, has urged Johnson to form an electoral alliance but has so far been rebuffed. Within minutes of the interview airing, Corbyn shot back on Twitter that "Trump is trying to interfere in Britain's election to get his friend Boris Johnson elected". But the president, whose impeachment in the United States moved a stage closer on Thursday following a key vote in Congress, also criticised Johnson's Brexit deal, saying it made it impossible to strike a future trade agreement. "This deal... you can't do it, you can't trade. We can't make a trade deal with the UK," he added. Trump's comments appear at odds with his previous pledge in September that he was working closely with Johnson to strike a "magnificent trade deal" once Britain left the EU. 'Failure is his alone' Johnson agreed new divorce terms with the bloc's leaders earlier this month, ahead of the country's scheduled departure on Thursday. But he was unable to push the plan through parliament and instead opted to hold a snap pre-Christmas election, blaming his Labour rivals for the latest Brexit delay and promising to now take the country out by a new January 31 deadline. "If you vote for us and we get our programme through, which we will... we can be out, at the absolute latest, by January next year," Johnson said during a campaign stop Thursday at a hospital. The Conservative leader is riding high in opinion polls going into the December 12 vote that will be Britain's third in four years. But he risks a backlash over his unkept "do or die" promise to deliver Brexit on October 31 -- and has again set himself up for another potential fall by promising to meet the next deadline. "He said he would rather be dead in a ditch than delay beyond today. But he has failed. And that failure is his alone," Corbyn said at his own campaign event. Brexit divisions Pro-EU campaigners and business executives have breathed a sigh of relief that Britain avoided a Halloween Brexit nightmare that could have seen it crash out of the EU after 46 years without a plan. Johnson confounded expectations by securing a revised divorce deal but was forced to ask EU leaders for more time after Labour mustered enough cross-party support to extend parliamentary debates and delay a final vote. Labour has vowed to throw out Johnson's plan and get Brexit "sorted" within the first six months of taking power by negotiating more EU-friendly separation terms. It would then put its deal up for a vote against the option of simply staying the 27-nation bloc. Corbyn has been accused of seeking to shift the debate onto more domestic subjects such as health and social care to avoid scrutiny of his much-criticised position on Europe. Meanwhile, business leaders warn that Labour's plan to reimpose state ownership over railways and other major industries would cost at least £196 billion ($253 billion, 228 billion euros). But a National Institute of Economic and Social Research study suggested Wednesday that Johnson's Brexit deal could leave Britain £70 billion worse off in 10 years. Divisions over Brexit have seen sometimes toxic rhetoric on all sides. Death threats against lawmakers and attacks on social media have risen in recent years. Almost 60 members of the 650-seat lower House of Commons have announced they will not stand in the coming election. The number has raised eyebrows because -- while dozens usually leave before general election -- many came from the more moderate and wing of Johnson's party.

Trump wades into UK election with attack on opposition leader and Brexit warning

Anti-EU populist Nigel Farage's new <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/theresa-mays-successor-must-abandon-her-deal-with-european-union-and-leave-on-october-31-pro-brexit-conservatives-224551">Brexit Party failed to win </a>its first seat in Britain's parliament as it lost out to the main opposition Labour Party in a crunch by-election, results on Friday showed.

The poll in the eastern English city of Peterborough was triggered after the sitting MP, Fiona Onasanya, was dumped by voters after being jailed for lying over a speeding offence.

The Brexit Party's candidate Mike Greene, a local entrepreneur, came in second with nearly 29 per cent of the vote, behind Labour's Lisa Forbes.

The ruling Conservatives came third with 21 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats won 12 per cent.&nbsp;

Friday's result is a setback for the Brexit Party -- founded by eurosceptic figurehead Farage only a few months ago -- which came out on top in the European elections in May with 31.6 per cent of votes cast.&nbsp;

It had been seeking to capitalise on that momentum as well as voter disillusionment with the main Conservative and Labour parties, who have historically shared the Peterborough seat.

Prime Minister Theresa May is stepping down after delaying Brexit twice as she tried and failed to get her EU divorce deal through parliament.

Farage, who has called for Britain to leave the bloc without a deal, said last weekend while campaigning he saw the by-election as "the opportunity for the next chapter in this great story".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called said that the result "shows that despite the divisions and deadlock over Brexit, when it comes to a vote on the issues that directly affect people's lives, Labour's case for real change has strong support across the country."&nbsp;

The Brexit Party had been heavy favourites to win the Leave-voting seat, but despite losing, their performance will still be a concern to the two main parties.

Labour's vote share fell by 17 per cent from 2017, and was the lowest ever to win a British by-election, while the Conservatives plunged by 25 per cent.&nbsp;

Leading pollster John Curtice told the BBC said the result showed the country was now in a "different political world".

"A lot of constituencies are now looking at four-party politics and perhaps in others five party politics," added Farage. 
&nbsp;

Anti-EU populist Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party failed to win its first seat in Britain's parliament as it lost out to the main opposition Labour Party in a crunch by-election, results on Friday showed.

Anti-EU populist Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party failed to win its first seat in Britain's parliament as it lost out to the main opposition Labour Party in a crunch by-election, results on Friday showed. The poll in the eastern English city of Peterborough was triggered after the sitting MP, Fiona Onasanya, was dumped by voters after being jailed for lying over a speeding offence. The Brexit Party's candidate Mike Greene, a local entrepreneur, came in second with nearly 29 per cent of the vote, behind Labour's Lisa Forbes. The ruling Conservatives came third with 21 per cent, while the Liberal Democrats won 12 per cent. Friday's result is a setback for the Brexit Party -- founded by eurosceptic figurehead Farage only a few months ago -- which came out on top in the European elections in May with 31.6 per cent of votes cast. It had been seeking to capitalise on that momentum as well as voter disillusionment with the main Conservative and Labour parties, who have historically shared the Peterborough seat. Prime Minister Theresa May is stepping down after delaying Brexit twice as she tried and failed to get her EU divorce deal through parliament. Farage, who has called for Britain to leave the bloc without a deal, said last weekend while campaigning he saw the by-election as "the opportunity for the next chapter in this great story". Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called said that the result "shows that despite the divisions and deadlock over Brexit, when it comes to a vote on the issues that directly affect people's lives, Labour's case for real change has strong support across the country." The Brexit Party had been heavy favourites to win the Leave-voting seat, but despite losing, their performance will still be a concern to the two main parties. Labour's vote share fell by 17 per cent from 2017, and was the lowest ever to win a British by-election, while the Conservatives plunged by 25 per cent. Leading pollster John Curtice told the BBC said the result showed the country was now in a "different political world". "A lot of constituencies are now looking at four-party politics and perhaps in others five party politics," added Farage.

UK: Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party fails to win by-election against Labour

Britain's two main parties promised on Monday to work to resolve the deadlock over Brexit, hoping to win back voters who abandoned them for a new movement led by eurosceptic Nigel Farage at European elections.

After a punishing night when Britain's deepening <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-ever-more-polarised-as-brexit-party-storms-to-eu-vote-win-221974">Brexit divisions </a>were on show, the governing Conservatives said the results were a demand for the country to follow through on plans to exit the European Union no matter what.

Taking a different tack, the opposition Labour Party described a public vote - a new national election or second referendum - as a way to reunite the country.

With Farage's Brexit Party capturing the greatest number of votes for seats in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/blow-for-president-emmanuel-macron-as-le-pen-tops-european-union-election-in-france-221915">European Parliament</a>, followed by a group of fervently pro-EU parties, Conservatives and Labour were under pressure to commit clearly to either side of the debate.

Almost three years since Britain voted narrowly to leave the EU and just under two months after the originally planned departure date, lawmakers are still arguing over how, when or even whether the country will leave the club it joined in 1973.

For the Conservatives, who will appoint a new leader by the end of July, many of the contenders will see the European vote outcome as proof that they must seek a cleaner break with the EU. For Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pressure will mount to embrace a second referendum without qualification.

But what is clear for both from a vote which many used as a protest, Brexit, which has already forced Prime Minister Theresa May to say she will resign on June 7 over her failure to deliver Brexit, risks shattering their election prospects.

Britain's interior minister Sajid Javid, one of several Conservatives who hope to replace May, described his party's performance in the election as "hugely disappointing".

"This is a verdict on our delivery of Brexit," Javid said on Twitter. "There's a clear lesson: people want us to get on with it."

Labour's finance chief, John McDonnell, also said it was time to unite but offered a different solution - a "public vote" to help pin down where most Britons stood on the way forward.

He caused a short-lived sensation in seeming to signal a shift in Labour policy to unequivocally back a second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.

McDonnell later clarified that his, and his party's, first priority was to try to force a new election.

"Can't hide from hit we took last night. Bringing people together when there's such a divide was never going to be easy," he said on Twitter.

"Now we face the prospect of Brexiteer extremist as Tory (Conservative) leader (replacing May) and threat of no deal, we must unite our party and country by taking issue back to people in a public vote."

No deal?

After May announced on Friday that she was stepping down after failing three times to secure parliamentary approval of her EU withdrawal plan, many of her would-be successors have said they wanted Britain to leave the EU with or without a transition deal on the new exit date of Oct. 31. [nL8N2320QM]

The response seemed to be a direct challenge to Farage, a former commodities broker whose campaigning helped force May's predecessor, David Cameron, to stage the 2016 referendum.

After the Brexit Party came out tops with 31.6% of the vote, the 55-year-old Farage said on Monday he wanted to be included in any new negotiation to leave the EU.&nbsp;

"If we don't leave on Oct. 31 then the score that you have seen for the Brexit Party today will be repeated in a general election and we are getting ready for it," Farage said in Southampton, southern England.

But while the Brexit Party came first, three emphatically pro-EU parties - the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Change UK - also performed well, combining for more than 30% of the vote.

In total, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland elects 73 MEPs (members of the European Parliament) to the 751-seat assembly. They will not contribute directly to British policymaking on domestic issues like Brexit, but will have a say in EU-wide policy as long as they remain in the assembly.

Pro-Europeans fear Brexit will make them poorer, undermine London's position as a global financial capital and weaken the West as it grapples with Donald Trump's unpredictable U.S. presidency and growing assertiveness from Russia and China.

The Liberal Democrats, who campaigned under the slogan "Bollocks to Brexit", oppose Brexit and want a second referendum to stop it.

Supporters of Brexit admit there may be some short-term pain for the UK’s $2.9 trillion economy but say that long-term it will prosper when cut free from the EU, which they describe as a failing German-dominated experiment in European integration.

"Far from providing a clear verdict, the result simply underlined how difficult it is likely to be to find any outcome to the Brexit process that satisfies a clear majority of voters," said John Curtice, a leading polling expert.

Britain's two main parties promised on Monday to work to resolve the deadlock over Brexit, hoping to win back voters who abandoned them for a new movement led by eurosceptic Nigel Farage at European elections.

Britain's two main parties promised on Monday to work to resolve the deadlock over Brexit, hoping to win back voters who abandoned them for a new movement led by eurosceptic Nigel Farage at European elections. After a punishing night when Britain's deepening Brexit divisions were on show, the governing Conservatives said the results were a demand for the country to follow through on plans to exit the European Union no matter what. Taking a different tack, the opposition Labour Party described a public vote - a new national election or second referendum - as a way to reunite the country. With Farage's Brexit Party capturing the greatest number of votes for seats in the European Parliament, followed by a group of fervently pro-EU parties, Conservatives and Labour were under pressure to commit clearly to either side of the debate. Almost three years since Britain voted narrowly to leave the EU and just under two months after the originally planned departure date, lawmakers are still arguing over how, when or even whether the country will leave the club it joined in 1973. For the Conservatives, who will appoint a new leader by the end of July, many of the contenders will see the European vote outcome as proof that they must seek a cleaner break with the EU. For Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pressure will mount to embrace a second referendum without qualification. But what is clear for both from a vote which many used as a protest, Brexit, which has already forced Prime Minister Theresa May to say she will resign on June 7 over her failure to deliver Brexit, risks shattering their election prospects. Britain's interior minister Sajid Javid, one of several Conservatives who hope to replace May, described his party's performance in the election as "hugely disappointing". "This is a verdict on our delivery of Brexit," Javid said on Twitter. "There's a clear lesson: people want us to get on with it." Labour's finance chief, John McDonnell, also said it was time to unite but offered a different solution - a "public vote" to help pin down where most Britons stood on the way forward. He caused a short-lived sensation in seeming to signal a shift in Labour policy to unequivocally back a second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. McDonnell later clarified that his, and his party's, first priority was to try to force a new election. "Can't hide from hit we took last night. Bringing people together when there's such a divide was never going to be easy," he said on Twitter. "Now we face the prospect of Brexiteer extremist as Tory (Conservative) leader (replacing May) and threat of no deal, we must unite our party and country by taking issue back to people in a public vote." No deal? After May announced on Friday that she was stepping down after failing three times to secure parliamentary approval of her EU withdrawal plan, many of her would-be successors have said they wanted Britain to leave the EU with or without a transition deal on the new exit date of Oct. 31. [nL8N2320QM] The response seemed to be a direct challenge to Farage, a former commodities broker whose campaigning helped force May's predecessor, David Cameron, to stage the 2016 referendum. After the Brexit Party came out tops with 31.6% of the vote, the 55-year-old Farage said on Monday he wanted to be included in any new negotiation to leave the EU. "If we don't leave on Oct. 31 then the score that you have seen for the Brexit Party today will be repeated in a general election and we are getting ready for it," Farage said in Southampton, southern England. But while the Brexit Party came first, three emphatically pro-EU parties - the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Change UK - also performed well, combining for more than 30% of the vote. In total, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland elects 73 MEPs (members of the European Parliament) to the 751-seat assembly. They will not contribute directly to British policymaking on domestic issues like Brexit, but will have a say in EU-wide policy as long as they remain in the assembly. Pro-Europeans fear Brexit will make them poorer, undermine London's position as a global financial capital and weaken the West as it grapples with Donald Trump's unpredictable U.S. presidency and growing assertiveness from Russia and China. The Liberal Democrats, who campaigned under the slogan "Bollocks to Brexit", oppose Brexit and want a second referendum to stop it. Supporters of Brexit admit there may be some short-term pain for the UK’s $2.9 trillion economy but say that long-term it will prosper when cut free from the EU, which they describe as a failing German-dominated experiment in European integration. "Far from providing a clear verdict, the result simply underlined how difficult it is likely to be to find any outcome to the Brexit process that satisfies a clear majority of voters," said John Curtice, a leading polling expert.

After European election disaster, Britain's main parties to offer Brexit clarity

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party stormed to victory in a European election, riding a wave of anger at the failure of Prime Minister Theresa May to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union.

A European Parliament election that the United Kingdom only took part in because May delayed Brexit showed a country even more polarised over the EU divorce nearly three years since a 2016 referendum in which it voted 52% to 48% to leave.

The United Kingdom was supposed to have left on March 29 but it remains a member of the EU and its politicians are still arguing over how, when or even whether the country will leave the club it joined in 1973.

May on Friday announced she was stepping down, saying it was a matter of deep regret that she could not deliver Brexit. The Conservative Party was on course for one of its worst results in a nationwide election ever.

Across England and Wales, voters turned away in anger from May's Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn, which had sought a softer version of Brexit.

The Brexit Party came first while explicitly pro-EU parties - the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Change UK - were, combined, a few percentage points behind.

Farage, elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the South East of England, said he wanted to be involved in Brexit negotiations and warned that British politics was on the cusp of major upheaval unless Brexit took place on Oct. 31.

"We want to be part of that negotiating team," Farage said in Southampton, southern England.

"If we don't leave on Oct. 31 then the score that you have seen for the Brexit Party today will be repeated in a general election and we are getting ready for it."

Such a severe election drubbing for the two major parties will stiffen a belief among leading Conservatives vying to replace May that they must go for a more decisive split from the EU.

But it will also increase pressure on Labour's Corbyn to come out explicitly for a second referendum on EU membership.

"This issue will have to go back to the people, whether through a general election or a public vote," Corbyn said. "Over the coming days we will have conversations across our party and movement, and reflect on these results on both sides of the Brexit divide."

BBC projections put the Conservatives on around 10 to 12%, down from 23% in 2014. Labour came third in Wales. The Liberal Democrats even won in Corbyn's home constituency, Islington.

The Brexit Party won around 10 percentage points more than the UK Independence Party did in 2014, partial results showed.

In total, the United Kingdom elects 73 MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) to the 751-seat parliament. They will not contribute directly to British policymaking on domestic issues like Brexit, but will have a say in EU-wide policy as long as they remain in the assembly.

'Brexit betrayal'

Farage casts Britain's political system as broken and says parliament and the government are trying to thwart Brexit. He wants the United Kingdom to leave the EU as soon as possible and says the damage of a no-deal departure has been exaggerated.

Farage, who as UKIP leader persuaded May's predecessor, David Cameron, to call the Brexit referendum and then helped lead the campaign to leave the EU, has said that failure to implement Brexit would show Britain not to be a democracy.

While the United Kingdom remains deeply divided over Brexit, most agree that it will shape the future of the United Kingdom for generations to come.

Pro-Europeans fear Brexit will make them poorer, undermine London's position as a global financial capital and weaken the West as it grapples with Donald Trump's unpredictable US presidency and growing assertiveness from Russia and China.

The Liberal Democrats, who campaigned under the slogan "Bollocks to Brexit", oppose Brexit and want a second referendum to stop it.

Supporters of Brexit admit there may be some short-term pain for the UK’s $2.9 trillion economy but long-term it will prosper when cut free from the EU which they cast as a failing German-dominated experiment in European integration.

The loss of Britain for the EU is the biggest blow yet to more than 60 years of efforts to forge European unity after two world wars, though the 27 other members of the bloc have shown surprising unity during the tortuous negotiations.

In the 2014 EU Parliament election, what was then Farage's UK Independence Party won with 26.8%, followed by Labour on 24.7% and the Conservatives on 23.3%. The Greens won 7.7% in 2014 and the Liberal Democrats 6.7%. Turnout was 35.6%.

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party stormed to victory in a European election, riding a wave of anger at the failure of Prime Minister Theresa May to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union.

Nigel Farage's Brexit Party stormed to victory in a European election, riding a wave of anger at the failure of Prime Minister Theresa May to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union. A European Parliament election that the United Kingdom only took part in because May delayed Brexit showed a country even more polarised over the EU divorce nearly three years since a 2016 referendum in which it voted 52% to 48% to leave. The United Kingdom was supposed to have left on March 29 but it remains a member of the EU and its politicians are still arguing over how, when or even whether the country will leave the club it joined in 1973. May on Friday announced she was stepping down, saying it was a matter of deep regret that she could not deliver Brexit. The Conservative Party was on course for one of its worst results in a nationwide election ever. Across England and Wales, voters turned away in anger from May's Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party of Jeremy Corbyn, which had sought a softer version of Brexit. The Brexit Party came first while explicitly pro-EU parties - the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Change UK - were, combined, a few percentage points behind. Farage, elected as a Member of the European Parliament for the South East of England, said he wanted to be involved in Brexit negotiations and warned that British politics was on the cusp of major upheaval unless Brexit took place on Oct. 31. "We want to be part of that negotiating team," Farage said in Southampton, southern England. "If we don't leave on Oct. 31 then the score that you have seen for the Brexit Party today will be repeated in a general election and we are getting ready for it." Such a severe election drubbing for the two major parties will stiffen a belief among leading Conservatives vying to replace May that they must go for a more decisive split from the EU. But it will also increase pressure on Labour's Corbyn to come out explicitly for a second referendum on EU membership. "This issue will have to go back to the people, whether through a general election or a public vote," Corbyn said. "Over the coming days we will have conversations across our party and movement, and reflect on these results on both sides of the Brexit divide." BBC projections put the Conservatives on around 10 to 12%, down from 23% in 2014. Labour came third in Wales. The Liberal Democrats even won in Corbyn's home constituency, Islington. The Brexit Party won around 10 percentage points more than the UK Independence Party did in 2014, partial results showed. In total, the United Kingdom elects 73 MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) to the 751-seat parliament. They will not contribute directly to British policymaking on domestic issues like Brexit, but will have a say in EU-wide policy as long as they remain in the assembly. 'Brexit betrayal' Farage casts Britain's political system as broken and says parliament and the government are trying to thwart Brexit. He wants the United Kingdom to leave the EU as soon as possible and says the damage of a no-deal departure has been exaggerated. Farage, who as UKIP leader persuaded May's predecessor, David Cameron, to call the Brexit referendum and then helped lead the campaign to leave the EU, has said that failure to implement Brexit would show Britain not to be a democracy. While the United Kingdom remains deeply divided over Brexit, most agree that it will shape the future of the United Kingdom for generations to come. Pro-Europeans fear Brexit will make them poorer, undermine London's position as a global financial capital and weaken the West as it grapples with Donald Trump's unpredictable US presidency and growing assertiveness from Russia and China. The Liberal Democrats, who campaigned under the slogan "Bollocks to Brexit", oppose Brexit and want a second referendum to stop it. Supporters of Brexit admit there may be some short-term pain for the UK’s $2.9 trillion economy but long-term it will prosper when cut free from the EU which they cast as a failing German-dominated experiment in European integration. The loss of Britain for the EU is the biggest blow yet to more than 60 years of efforts to forge European unity after two world wars, though the 27 other members of the bloc have shown surprising unity during the tortuous negotiations. In the 2014 EU Parliament election, what was then Farage's UK Independence Party won with 26.8%, followed by Labour on 24.7% and the Conservatives on 23.3%. The Greens won 7.7% in 2014 and the Liberal Democrats 6.7%. Turnout was 35.6%.

United Kingdom ever more polarised as Brexit Party storms to European Union vote win

Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain's Brexit Party, was doused in milkshake by a protestor on Monday (May 20), the latest anti-EU figure to be targeted during campaigning for the European parliament elections. Farage, one of the leading figures in the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, was covered in the milkshake at an event in the northern English city of Newcastle.

Brexit Party's Nigel Farage doused with milkshake on campaign

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives are facing a battering at this month's European Parliament elections amid the Brexit impasse, presenting their candidates with quite a challenge in the campaign for votes.

With May's authority hanging by a thread, Brexit postponed, voters fed up and eurosceptics deserting the party in droves, according to opinion polls, Ashley Fox, who leads the Conservatives in the outgoing European Parliament, concedes that this election campaign is "difficult".

"I understand why people are angry," the 49-year-old MEP said, drinking a cup of tea in the Conservative Party offices in Bristol, southwest England.

In June 2016, 52 per cent of voters were in favour of Britain leaving the European Union.

Brexit was originally set to happen on March 29 this year. But MPs could not agree on the divorce deal May struck with Brussels and now the departure date has been set back to October 31.

As a result, Britain must take part in the European Parliament elections, being held in the UK on May 23, to elect MEPs who may take their seats for a few months only.

Protest vote fears

The election "will be difficult for my party because electors are frustrated, and we saw that in the local elections," said Fox.

In the local authority polls on May 2, both main parties -- the Conservatives and the Labour opposition -- took a pounding as exasperated voters switched elsewhere.

The Brexit Party, newly formed by eurosceptic figurehead Nigel Farage, is leading the opinion polls for the European Parliament elections.

"We would prefer that they wouldn't be taking place. But we will fight them," said Fox, as he urged voters not to defect to Farage's single-issue start-up.

A survey by pollsters Opinium, out Sunday in The Observer newspaper, put the Brexit Party on 34 per cent, Labour on 21 per cent, the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats on 12 per cent and the Conservatives on 11 per cent.

The campaigning enthusiasm shown by Fox is not matched by Conservative headquarters in London.

Perhaps sensing which way the wind is blowing, the centre-right party is yet to hold an official campaign launch, leaving the battle to the footsoldiers.

Standing for re-election in the southwest England constituency, which returns six MEPs, Fox has planned a limited campaign focused on social media rather than doorknocking.

He insists that is not out of fear of meeting the voters, but due to the lack of time between now and polling day for elections, he never expected to be standing in.

With less than a fortnight to go until the polls, Stephen Williams, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats, is hoping the centrist party can maintain the impressive resurgence it witnessed in the local elections.

He is out knocking on doors almost every day.

"My main message is: we want to stop Brexit," Williams told AFP while out campaigning in Redcliffe in the heart of Bristol.

Calling at one opulent house, he is met by a young man who seems startled by the knock and uninterested in the election.

But Williams, 52, is used to the hazards of doorknocking: he has been doing it for 35 years and was the Bristol West member of the British parliament from 2005 to 2015.

Brexit 'mess'

The next house offers a more enthusiastic welcome. On the porch, Dan Tyndall, a reverend, willingly shares the candidate's pro-European outlook.

"I hope for something that gives us a very clear indication as to how we can get ourselves out of this mess," the cleric said of the elections.

With a thick wad of leaflets, Williams goes tirelessly from door to door and does not encounter a single Brexiteer.

In Bristol, 62 per cent of voters wanted Britain to remain in the EU.

"The Liberal Democrats are the largest pro-remain party," Williams tells Elizabeth Davies, 57, as her little black dog barks.

Here again, his message falls on receptive ears.

"I have never ever voted Conservative in my entire life and I now can't vote for the Labour Party because they haven't come out as an opposition party," she said.

The two main parties are continuing to negotiate on a possible Brexit compromise, and Labour is pursuing what has been dubbed "constructive ambiguity" on the topic.

Satisfied, Williams presses on with his campaigning, in the hope of securing a seat -- and keeping it if Britain does a U-turn on its Brexit decision.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives are facing a battering at this month's European Parliament elections amid the Brexit impasse, presenting their candidates with quite a challenge in the campaign for votes.

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives are facing a battering at this month's European Parliament elections amid the Brexit impasse, presenting their candidates with quite a challenge in the campaign for votes. With May's authority hanging by a thread, Brexit postponed, voters fed up and eurosceptics deserting the party in droves, according to opinion polls, Ashley Fox, who leads the Conservatives in the outgoing European Parliament, concedes that this election campaign is "difficult". "I understand why people are angry," the 49-year-old MEP said, drinking a cup of tea in the Conservative Party offices in Bristol, southwest England. In June 2016, 52 per cent of voters were in favour of Britain leaving the European Union. Brexit was originally set to happen on March 29 this year. But MPs could not agree on the divorce deal May struck with Brussels and now the departure date has been set back to October 31. As a result, Britain must take part in the European Parliament elections, being held in the UK on May 23, to elect MEPs who may take their seats for a few months only. Protest vote fears The election "will be difficult for my party because electors are frustrated, and we saw that in the local elections," said Fox. In the local authority polls on May 2, both main parties -- the Conservatives and the Labour opposition -- took a pounding as exasperated voters switched elsewhere. The Brexit Party, newly formed by eurosceptic figurehead Nigel Farage, is leading the opinion polls for the European Parliament elections. "We would prefer that they wouldn't be taking place. But we will fight them," said Fox, as he urged voters not to defect to Farage's single-issue start-up. A survey by pollsters Opinium, out Sunday in The Observer newspaper, put the Brexit Party on 34 per cent, Labour on 21 per cent, the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats on 12 per cent and the Conservatives on 11 per cent. The campaigning enthusiasm shown by Fox is not matched by Conservative headquarters in London. Perhaps sensing which way the wind is blowing, the centre-right party is yet to hold an official campaign launch, leaving the battle to the footsoldiers. Standing for re-election in the southwest England constituency, which returns six MEPs, Fox has planned a limited campaign focused on social media rather than doorknocking. He insists that is not out of fear of meeting the voters, but due to the lack of time between now and polling day for elections, he never expected to be standing in. With less than a fortnight to go until the polls, Stephen Williams, who is standing for the Liberal Democrats, is hoping the centrist party can maintain the impressive resurgence it witnessed in the local elections. He is out knocking on doors almost every day. "My main message is: we want to stop Brexit," Williams told AFP while out campaigning in Redcliffe in the heart of Bristol. Calling at one opulent house, he is met by a young man who seems startled by the knock and uninterested in the election. But Williams, 52, is used to the hazards of doorknocking: he has been doing it for 35 years and was the Bristol West member of the British parliament from 2005 to 2015. Brexit 'mess' The next house offers a more enthusiastic welcome. On the porch, Dan Tyndall, a reverend, willingly shares the candidate's pro-European outlook. "I hope for something that gives us a very clear indication as to how we can get ourselves out of this mess," the cleric said of the elections. With a thick wad of leaflets, Williams goes tirelessly from door to door and does not encounter a single Brexiteer. In Bristol, 62 per cent of voters wanted Britain to remain in the EU. "The Liberal Democrats are the largest pro-remain party," Williams tells Elizabeth Davies, 57, as her little black dog barks. Here again, his message falls on receptive ears. "I have never ever voted Conservative in my entire life and I now can't vote for the Labour Party because they haven't come out as an opposition party," she said. The two main parties are continuing to negotiate on a possible Brexit compromise, and Labour is pursuing what has been dubbed "constructive ambiguity" on the topic. Satisfied, Williams presses on with his campaigning, in the hope of securing a seat -- and keeping it if Britain does a U-turn on its Brexit decision.

Theresa May's Conservatives battle Brexit ballot bloodbath

Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage fears that a vote for Britain to leave the European Union could be overturned by a powerful group of the bloc&#39;s supporters.

In an interview with Britain&#39;s Observer newspaper, Farage, former head of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, said a well-organised and funded group of campaigners that wants to remain in the EU was drowning out those who want to leave.

&quot;The Remain side are making all the running,&quot; said Farage. &quot;They have a majority in parliament, and unless we get ourselves organised we could lose the historic victory that was Brexit.&quot;

Last week, Farage said he was warming to the idea of holding a second vote on Britain&#39;s membership of the EU to settle the argument - an idea written off by other Brexit campaigners who urged the government to press on with exit talks with the bloc.

In 2016, Britons voted 52 to 48 percent in favour of ending its membership of the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out a second referendum, saying her government was seeking an amicable divorce with the EU which will safeguard the economy and enable Britain to secure trade deals with other countries.

But some Brexit campaigners fear her approach has led to the watering down of several of their demands, including the ability to reduce immigration and to reclaim sovereignty by leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Several pro-EU campaigners say the need for a second referendum has become more pressing because public opinion is showing some signs of turning against Brexit as the difficulty of negotiations to leave the bloc becomes increasingly clear.

On Thursday, a ComRes poll for the Daily Mirror newspaper of 1,049 adults showed that although more people think there should not be a second referendum (51 to 43 percent), if there were to be a re-run, voters say they would opt to stay in the EU by 55 to 45 percent.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

In 2016, Britons voted 52 to 48 percent in favour of ending its membership of the EU

Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage fears that a vote for Britain to leave the European Union could be overturned by a powerful group of the bloc's supporters. In an interview with Britain's Observer newspaper, Farage, former head of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, said a well-organised and funded group of campaigners that wants to remain in the EU was drowning out those who want to leave. "The Remain side are making all the running," said Farage. "They have a majority in parliament, and unless we get ourselves organised we could lose the historic victory that was Brexit." Last week, Farage said he was warming to the idea of holding a second vote on Britain's membership of the EU to settle the argument - an idea written off by other Brexit campaigners who urged the government to press on with exit talks with the bloc. In 2016, Britons voted 52 to 48 percent in favour of ending its membership of the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out a second referendum, saying her government was seeking an amicable divorce with the EU which will safeguard the economy and enable Britain to secure trade deals with other countries. But some Brexit campaigners fear her approach has led to the watering down of several of their demands, including the ability to reduce immigration and to reclaim sovereignty by leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Several pro-EU campaigners say the need for a second referendum has become more pressing because public opinion is showing some signs of turning against Brexit as the difficulty of negotiations to leave the bloc becomes increasingly clear. On Thursday, a ComRes poll for the Daily Mirror newspaper of 1,049 adults showed that although more people think there should not be a second referendum (51 to 43 percent), if there were to be a re-run, voters say they would opt to stay in the EU by 55 to 45 percent. (With inputs from Reuters)

Brexit vote may be reversed, says British campaigner Nigel Farage

Britain&#39;s anti-EU&nbsp;UK Independence party (UKIP) elected a new leader Paul Nuttal to replace Brexit firebrand Nigel Farage.

A former history lecturer, Nuttal defeated former deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans and former soldier John Rees-Evans.

Nuttal pledged unity in the party and said he would make it the &quot;the voice of patriotic Britain&quot;.

&quot;The country needs a strong UKIP more now than ever before,&quot; he said, urging the party to keep pressuring the government for &quot;real Brexit&quot;.

Nuttall&nbsp;joined the UKIP in 2004 and was the party&#39;s deputy leader from 2010. He has been a Member of European Parliament (MEP) since 2009.

The 39-year-old from Liverpool played football&nbsp;for Tranmere Rovers in his youth.&nbsp;

He went on to be a lecturer at Liverpool Hope University.

The UKIP, a driving force behind the Brexit campaign, has been struggling with infighting for the last few months. Tensions within the party came out in the open after newly-elected party leader Diane James stepped down in October days after winning the leadership.

Farage had acted as interim leader in the intervening period.

Will not be backseat driver: Farage

In his farewell speech, Farage promised he would not be a &quot;backseat driver&quot; in the party but would complete his term as a European Parliament lawmaker till 2019.

Farage also claimed that the European project was now &quot;fatally weakened&quot; and said the UKIP was the leading eurosceptic group across the continent.

&quot;Be in no doubt that it is UKIP that is seen as the leading eurosceptic group across the entire continent,&quot; he said at a conference in London after the result of the party election was announced.

Since announcing his resignation following the EU referendum in June, Farage has ridden the wave of his campaign&#39;s success to the United States where he appeared at a Trump rally in Mississippi.

He was the first British politician to meet Trump after he was elected president. Trump even suggested his name for British ambassador to the US, ruffling feathers in 10 Downing Street, with British Prime Minister Theresa May retorting there was &quot;no vacancy.&quot;

UKIP emerged from the fringes of British politics after playing a key role in the push for a referendum on EU membership.

Advocating an anti-mass immigration agenda, the party scored the third-highest number of votes in the 2015 general election, taking 12.7 per cent of the vote.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

Paul Nuttal asked the party to keep pressuring the government for 'real Brexit'

Britain's anti-EU UK Independence party (UKIP) elected a new leader Paul Nuttal to replace Brexit firebrand Nigel Farage. A former history lecturer, Nuttal defeated former deputy chairwoman Suzanne Evans and former soldier John Rees-Evans. Nuttal pledged unity in the party and said he would make it the "the voice of patriotic Britain". "The country needs a strong UKIP more now than ever before," he said, urging the party to keep pressuring the government for "real Brexit". Nuttall joined the UKIP in 2004 and was the party's deputy leader from 2010. He has been a Member of European Parliament (MEP) since 2009. The 39-year-old from Liverpool played football for Tranmere Rovers in his youth. He went on to be a lecturer at Liverpool Hope University. The UKIP, a driving force behind the Brexit campaign, has been struggling with infighting for the last few months. Tensions within the party came out in the open after newly-elected party leader Diane James stepped down in October days after winning the leadership. Farage had acted as interim leader in the intervening period. Will not be backseat driver: Farage In his farewell speech, Farage promised he would not be a "backseat driver" in the party but would complete his term as a European Parliament lawmaker till 2019. Farage also claimed that the European project was now "fatally weakened" and said the UKIP was the leading eurosceptic group across the continent. "Be in no doubt that it is UKIP that is seen as the leading eurosceptic group across the entire continent," he said at a conference in London after the result of the party election was announced. Since announcing his resignation following the EU referendum in June, Farage has ridden the wave of his campaign's success to the United States where he appeared at a Trump rally in Mississippi. He was the first British politician to meet Trump after he was elected president. Trump even suggested his name for British ambassador to the US, ruffling feathers in 10 Downing Street, with British Prime Minister Theresa May retorting there was "no vacancy." UKIP emerged from the fringes of British politics after playing a key role in the push for a referendum on EU membership. Advocating an anti-mass immigration agenda, the party scored the third-highest number of votes in the 2015 general election, taking 12.7 per cent of the vote. (WION with inputs from AFP)

UK Independence Party elects new leader to replace Nigel Farage

Britain on Tuesday dismissed US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s unprecedented expression of support for Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage to be made British ambassador to Washington, saying pointedly that there is no vacancy for the job.

Trump, who after his election victory met Farage before any EU leaders, said on Twitter that &quot;many people&quot; would like to see the former metals trader turned politician as Britain&#39;s ambassador.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Many people would like to see <a href="https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage">@Nigel_Farage</a> represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/800887087780294656">November 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Prime Minister Theresa May, who congratulated Trump on his victory, was swift to reject such an undiplomatic proposal, with a spokesman saying Britain already had an excellent ambassador to Washington and that London would appoint its own envoys.

&quot;We have first rate ambassador in Washington,&quot; Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who campaigned for Brexit, told the British parliament. &quot;There is no vacancy for that position.&quot;

It is highly unusual in the modern era for leaders to publicly suggest to foreign nations whom they would like to see as ambassador, though during strained relations they sometimes reject or expel envoys.

Trump`s suggestion provoked anger, support and even hilarity in Britain, with one lawmaker, Conservative Simon Burns, joking that perhaps Britain should suggest Hillary Clinton as its preferred choice as ambassador to London.

But the apparent public suggestion about who to appoint as ambassador by the man who will lead Britain&#39;s most powerful ally puts Prime Minister May in a difficult position just as she tries to build ties with Washington ahead of leaving the EU.

London is trying to gauge whether Trump would support a special trade deal with Britain as it negotiates a divorce from the EU. Britain also places great store on what it calls its &quot;special relationship&quot; with the United States.

&quot;Mind your own business&quot;

Farage, who spent decades campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union and helped force former Prime Minister David Cameron to call the June referendum that brought the Brexit vote, spoke at a Trump rally during the U.S. campaign and visited the president-elect after his victory.

As leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and one of the key figures of the successful Brexit campaign, Farage has repeatedly angered EU leaders by predicting the collapse of the EU, which he says is run by an out-of-touch elite of &quot;idiots&quot;.

Farage said Trump`s suggestion that he serve as ambassador had come &quot;like a bolt from the blue&quot; but Trump understood loyalty in a way that those in the &quot;cesspit&quot; of career politics did not.&nbsp;

&quot;I am in a good position with the President-elect&rsquo;s support to help. The world has changed and it`s time that Downing Street did too,&quot; Farage said in an article written for the Breitbart news website.

&quot;I would do anything to help our national interest and to help cement ties with the incoming Anglophile administration,&quot; Farage said.

A photograph of Trump greeting Farage in front of a gilded elevator shortly after the US election caused consternation in EU capitals, many of whom view Trump with a mixture of fear and puzzlement.

His suggestion of Farage also provoked anger among some British lawmakers.

&quot;Many people think you should mind your own business and talk about pussy-grabbing less, but hey, life is a constant disappointment,&quot; Jess Phillips, a lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter in a reference to Trump`s previous vulgar comments about groping women.&nbsp;

&quot;No vacancy&quot;

Accused by his critics of being a racist and a bigot, Farage peppers his speeches with jokes and the odd expletive while railing against what he calls the doomed European superstate and immigration into Britain.

He is a member of the European parliament but has failed in his efforts to win election to the British parliament.

Farage said Trump would be a great president after &quot;the political revolution&quot; that brought Brexit in Britain and Trump to power in the United States.

&quot;In the United Kingdom the people have spoken but the players at the top have, I am afraid, stayed the same,&quot; Farage, 52, said.&nbsp;

&quot;Those who supported Remain now hold senior positions. Worst still, those who were openly abusive about Trump now pretend to be his friend,&quot; said Farage.&nbsp;

Farage has urged May to build ties with Trump, who provoked criticism in Britain with his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. Queen Elizabeth might invite Trump for a state visit to Britain next year.

Farage made light of allegations of sexual assault against Trump during the US campaign by encouraging him to &quot;come and schmooze&quot; May but adding &quot;don&#39;t touch her for goodness sake&quot;.

When US President Barack Obama said before the referendum that Britain would be at the back of the queue for a trade deal, Farage said it was disgraceful to intervene in the sovereign affairs of Britain.&nbsp;

In a radio interview after the US election, Farage described the US president as: &quot;That Obama creature &ndash; a loathsome individual who couldn`t stand our country.&quot;

The way ambassadors are chosen in the United States and Europe differ significantly.

It is common practice for the United States to appoint celebrities or campaign donors as envoys, for example when Richard Nixon appointed Shirley Temple as his envoy to Ghana in 1974.

European states mostly appoint career diplomats or officials with long experience as ambassadors.

Kim Darroch, the current British ambassador in Washington, did not reply to emails from Reuters requesting comment on Trump`s remarks. His email bounced back with an out of office reply saying that the ambassador was travelling.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

Trump had tweeted that 'many people' would like to see Nigel Farage as Britain's ambassador to the US

Britain on Tuesday dismissed US President-elect Donald Trump's unprecedented expression of support for Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage to be made British ambassador to Washington, saying pointedly that there is no vacancy for the job. Trump, who after his election victory met Farage before any EU leaders, said on Twitter that "many people" would like to see the former metals trader turned politician as Britain's ambassador. Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016 × Prime Minister Theresa May, who congratulated Trump on his victory, was swift to reject such an undiplomatic proposal, with a spokesman saying Britain already had an excellent ambassador to Washington and that London would appoint its own envoys. "We have first rate ambassador in Washington," Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who campaigned for Brexit, told the British parliament. "There is no vacancy for that position." It is highly unusual in the modern era for leaders to publicly suggest to foreign nations whom they would like to see as ambassador, though during strained relations they sometimes reject or expel envoys. Trump`s suggestion provoked anger, support and even hilarity in Britain, with one lawmaker, Conservative Simon Burns, joking that perhaps Britain should suggest Hillary Clinton as its preferred choice as ambassador to London. But the apparent public suggestion about who to appoint as ambassador by the man who will lead Britain's most powerful ally puts Prime Minister May in a difficult position just as she tries to build ties with Washington ahead of leaving the EU. London is trying to gauge whether Trump would support a special trade deal with Britain as it negotiates a divorce from the EU. Britain also places great store on what it calls its "special relationship" with the United States. "Mind your own business" Farage, who spent decades campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union and helped force former Prime Minister David Cameron to call the June referendum that brought the Brexit vote, spoke at a Trump rally during the U.S. campaign and visited the president-elect after his victory. As leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and one of the key figures of the successful Brexit campaign, Farage has repeatedly angered EU leaders by predicting the collapse of the EU, which he says is run by an out-of-touch elite of "idiots". Farage said Trump`s suggestion that he serve as ambassador had come "like a bolt from the blue" but Trump understood loyalty in a way that those in the "cesspit" of career politics did not. "I am in a good position with the President-elect’s support to help. The world has changed and it`s time that Downing Street did too," Farage said in an article written for the Breitbart news website. "I would do anything to help our national interest and to help cement ties with the incoming Anglophile administration," Farage said. A photograph of Trump greeting Farage in front of a gilded elevator shortly after the US election caused consternation in EU capitals, many of whom view Trump with a mixture of fear and puzzlement. His suggestion of Farage also provoked anger among some British lawmakers. "Many people think you should mind your own business and talk about pussy-grabbing less, but hey, life is a constant disappointment," Jess Phillips, a lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party, said on Twitter in a reference to Trump`s previous vulgar comments about groping women. "No vacancy" Accused by his critics of being a racist and a bigot, Farage peppers his speeches with jokes and the odd expletive while railing against what he calls the doomed European superstate and immigration into Britain. He is a member of the European parliament but has failed in his efforts to win election to the British parliament. Farage said Trump would be a great president after "the political revolution" that brought Brexit in Britain and Trump to power in the United States. "In the United Kingdom the people have spoken but the players at the top have, I am afraid, stayed the same," Farage, 52, said. "Those who supported Remain now hold senior positions. Worst still, those who were openly abusive about Trump now pretend to be his friend," said Farage. Farage has urged May to build ties with Trump, who provoked criticism in Britain with his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. Queen Elizabeth might invite Trump for a state visit to Britain next year. Farage made light of allegations of sexual assault against Trump during the US campaign by encouraging him to "come and schmooze" May but adding "don't touch her for goodness sake". When US President Barack Obama said before the referendum that Britain would be at the back of the queue for a trade deal, Farage said it was disgraceful to intervene in the sovereign affairs of Britain. In a radio interview after the US election, Farage described the US president as: "That Obama creature – a loathsome individual who couldn`t stand our country." The way ambassadors are chosen in the United States and Europe differ significantly. It is common practice for the United States to appoint celebrities or campaign donors as envoys, for example when Richard Nixon appointed Shirley Temple as his envoy to Ghana in 1974. European states mostly appoint career diplomats or officials with long experience as ambassadors. Kim Darroch, the current British ambassador in Washington, did not reply to emails from Reuters requesting comment on Trump`s remarks. His email bounced back with an out of office reply saying that the ambassador was travelling. (Reuters)

'No vacancy' for Farage as ambassador: Britain turns down Trump's suggestion

Britain&#39;s UK Independence Party on Friday elected deputy chairwoman Diane James as its new leader, replacing Nigel Farage who stepped down in June. 
 
A member of the European parliament, James was announced as the new party head at its annual conference in the coastal town of Bournemouth following a ballot of UKIP&#39;s 40,000 members, Reuters reported. 
 
&quot;We are the political change movement of the United Kingdom,&quot; James said. 
 
The new party chief has pledged to ensure that the government exits from the European Union resulting in tighter immigration controls and more free trade. 
 
A close ally of Farage at the conference announced joining the ruling Conservative Party, saying that Prime Minister Theresa May had delivered on the key elements of the UKIP manifesto. 
 
The UKIP had won nearly four million votes at a general election in 2015 and played a key role in persuading people to vote for Britain&#39;s exit from the EU.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

James, who replaced Nigel Farage, was announced as the new party head following a ballot of UKIP's 40,000 members

Britain's UK Independence Party on Friday elected deputy chairwoman Diane James as its new leader, replacing Nigel Farage who stepped down in June. A member of the European parliament, James was announced as the new party head at its annual conference in the coastal town of Bournemouth following a ballot of UKIP's 40,000 members, Reuters reported. "We are the political change movement of the United Kingdom," James said. The new party chief has pledged to ensure that the government exits from the European Union resulting in tighter immigration controls and more free trade. A close ally of Farage at the conference announced joining the ruling Conservative Party, saying that Prime Minister Theresa May had delivered on the key elements of the UKIP manifesto. The UKIP had won nearly four million votes at a general election in 2015 and played a key role in persuading people to vote for Britain's exit from the EU. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Diane James elected new chief of Britain's anti-EU party

Britain&#39;s anti-EU UK independence party (UKIP) was plunged into disarray Wednesday after the favourite to take over its leadership was barred from the race for submitting his application 17 minutes late. 
 
Immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe was excluded from the contest to replace Nigel Farage, who stood down after achieving his life&#39;s mission of Brexit in the June 23 referendum on Britain&#39;s EU membership. 
 
The decision triggered immediate chaos within UKIP - Britain&#39;s third-biggest party by the popular vote - with three members of their ruling national executive committee (NEC) resigning in protest. 
 
Woolfe, a member of the European Parliament (MEP), said he suffered technical problems submitting his papers ahead of the midday Sunday deadline. 
 
UKIP&#39;s Adam Richardson, who is overseeing the election process, said a panel led by the NEC sat on Tuesday to discuss the eligibility of candidates. 
 
&quot;By a clear majority of NEC members, Steven Woolfe MEP&#39;s application was considered to be ineligible as a result of a late submission and as such he did not meet the eligibility criteria,&quot; he said. 
 
The announcement immediately led to claims of foul play. 
 
Woolfe said he was &quot;extremely disappointed&quot; to have been excluded from the contest and said the NEC was &quot;not fit for purpose&quot;. 
Businessman Arron Banks, the party&#39;s main financial backer, said the decision to exclude Woolfe was the &quot;final straw&quot;, calling it effectively a &quot;coup&quot;. 
 
The three NEC members who quit said in a statement that the body was &quot;collectively in pursuit of oligarchy, self-promotion and cronyism&quot;, with some board members suffering from &quot;escalating megalomania&quot;. 
 
&quot;Steven Woolfe is a popular candidate among UKIP&#39;s members and should be permitted to represent those that wish to vote for him,&quot; they said. 
 
&quot;To purposefully trawl for technicalities upon which to base a decision to deny his inclusion is not in the best interests of the membership and truly injurious to UKIP.&quot; 
 
UKIP instrumental in Brexit 
 
Farage and the rise of UKIP, an anti-EU, anti-mass immigration party, played a key role in the push for a referendum on Britain&#39;s membership of the European Union. 
 
UKIP scored the third-highest number of votes in the 2015 general election, taking 12.7 per cent of the vote, but only won one constituency. 
 
They campaigned all-out for Britain to leave the EU in the June referendum on its membership of the bloc. 
 
Farage, who first became UKIP leader in 2006, stepped down after the vote to quit the EU, saying his &quot;I want my country back&quot; mantra was now &quot;I want my life back&quot;. 
 
The six candidates allowed to stand are MEPs Jonathan Arnott, Bill Etheridge and Diane James, local authority councillor Lisa Duffy, NEC member Elizabeth Jones and Phillip Broughton, who stood as a prospective member of parliament. 
 
Changes made in July ruled out several possible leadership candidates, including the party&#39;s only MP Douglas Carswell and former MP Mark Reckless. 
 
Bookmakers immediately installed home affairs spokeswoman James, who narrowly lost a high-profile parliamentary by-election in 2013, as their new odds-on favourite. 
 
Ballot papers are to be issued to members on September 1, with the new leader declared on September 15 at the party&#39;s annual conference. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The party said that Steven Woolfe had been excluded from the leadership race after submitting his nomination papers 17 minutes late

Britain's anti-EU UK independence party (UKIP) was plunged into disarray Wednesday after the favourite to take over its leadership was barred from the race for submitting his application 17 minutes late. Immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe was excluded from the contest to replace Nigel Farage, who stood down after achieving his life's mission of Brexit in the June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership. The decision triggered immediate chaos within UKIP - Britain's third-biggest party by the popular vote - with three members of their ruling national executive committee (NEC) resigning in protest. Woolfe, a member of the European Parliament (MEP), said he suffered technical problems submitting his papers ahead of the midday Sunday deadline. UKIP's Adam Richardson, who is overseeing the election process, said a panel led by the NEC sat on Tuesday to discuss the eligibility of candidates. "By a clear majority of NEC members, Steven Woolfe MEP's application was considered to be ineligible as a result of a late submission and as such he did not meet the eligibility criteria," he said. The announcement immediately led to claims of foul play. Woolfe said he was "extremely disappointed" to have been excluded from the contest and said the NEC was "not fit for purpose". Businessman Arron Banks, the party's main financial backer, said the decision to exclude Woolfe was the "final straw", calling it effectively a "coup". The three NEC members who quit said in a statement that the body was "collectively in pursuit of oligarchy, self-promotion and cronyism", with some board members suffering from "escalating megalomania". "Steven Woolfe is a popular candidate among UKIP's members and should be permitted to represent those that wish to vote for him," they said. "To purposefully trawl for technicalities upon which to base a decision to deny his inclusion is not in the best interests of the membership and truly injurious to UKIP." UKIP instrumental in Brexit Farage and the rise of UKIP, an anti-EU, anti-mass immigration party, played a key role in the push for a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. UKIP scored the third-highest number of votes in the 2015 general election, taking 12.7 per cent of the vote, but only won one constituency. They campaigned all-out for Britain to leave the EU in the June referendum on its membership of the bloc. Farage, who first became UKIP leader in 2006, stepped down after the vote to quit the EU, saying his "I want my country back" mantra was now "I want my life back". The six candidates allowed to stand are MEPs Jonathan Arnott, Bill Etheridge and Diane James, local authority councillor Lisa Duffy, NEC member Elizabeth Jones and Phillip Broughton, who stood as a prospective member of parliament. Changes made in July ruled out several possible leadership candidates, including the party's only MP Douglas Carswell and former MP Mark Reckless. Bookmakers immediately installed home affairs spokeswoman James, who narrowly lost a high-profile parliamentary by-election in 2013, as their new odds-on favourite. Ballot papers are to be issued to members on September 1, with the new leader declared on September 15 at the party's annual conference. (AFP)

Britain's UKIP faces dilemma after embarrassing exit for frontrunner Woolfe

The UK referendum results and possibility of Brexit has caught the world attention and back at home, head of the anti-European Union (EU) UK Independence Party (UKIP) is probably not too pleased with the early results hinting that country may remain with 28-member bloc. 
 
Britain may have voted to remain in the European Union at the membership referendum but the bloc is doomed regardless, Nigel Farage Thursday said. He also opined that Britain had voted to remain in the EU, possibly because of an extension of a deadline for people to register to vote. 
 
It may be recalled that the voter registration period for June 23 referendum was extended by 48 hours earlier this month, after a late surge in applications crashed a key website shortly before an original deadline. 
 
&quot;The eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle, and it will now not be put back,&quot; he told supporters, in comments carried on local television. 
 
&quot;If we do stay part of this union it is doomed, it is finished anyway. If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else.&quot; 
 
&quot;I hope and pray that my sense of this tonight is wrong,&quot; Farage said.&nbsp; 
 
He repeated his forecast that Remain would narrowly win even after official results which showed a better-than-expected performance for Leave in two northern cities, Sunderland and Newcastle, that nudged his camp just ahead of the Remain camp with five out of 382 areas declared. 
 
&quot;My sense of this is that the government&#39;s registration scheme, getting 2 million voters, the 48-hour extension, may be what tips the balance,&quot; he commented.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
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'If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else,' he said

The UK referendum results and possibility of Brexit has caught the world attention and back at home, head of the anti-European Union (EU) UK Independence Party (UKIP) is probably not too pleased with the early results hinting that country may remain with 28-member bloc. Britain may have voted to remain in the European Union at the membership referendum but the bloc is doomed regardless, Nigel Farage Thursday said. He also opined that Britain had voted to remain in the EU, possibly because of an extension of a deadline for people to register to vote. It may be recalled that the voter registration period for June 23 referendum was extended by 48 hours earlier this month, after a late surge in applications crashed a key website shortly before an original deadline. "The eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle, and it will now not be put back," he told supporters, in comments carried on local television. "If we do stay part of this union it is doomed, it is finished anyway. If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else." "I hope and pray that my sense of this tonight is wrong," Farage said. He repeated his forecast that Remain would narrowly win even after official results which showed a better-than-expected performance for Leave in two northern cities, Sunderland and Newcastle, that nudged his camp just ahead of the Remain camp with five out of 382 areas declared. "My sense of this is that the government's registration scheme, getting 2 million voters, the 48-hour extension, may be what tips the balance," he commented. (Reuters)

Britain may Remain but EU doomed anyway: UKIP chief

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