Brexit leader Nigel Farage caused uproar in the Brussels parliament after teasing the Belgian Prime Minister Thursday, and blasted the European Union for having failed to heed the lessons of Brexit, saying that for the crumbling project “Brexit is the first brick out of the wall”.
Speaking at the European Parliament plenary session, Farage took advantage of the presence of Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in the chamber to tease the nation, calling it an artificial construct and a product of 19th century British foreign policy.
Mr Farage caused a Ruckus in the chamber when he said the majority of European nations and European peoples didn’t consider themselves European citizens first, before their national identities. He continued: “There may be one exception and that could be Belgium, because nobody ever dares tell the truth about Belgium, Belgium is not a nation.
“It’s an artificial creation, I know the Brits did it, maybe once again we can be blamed. But the truth is there are two parts of Belgium, they speak different languages, they dislike each other intensely, there’s no national TV station, there’s no national newspaper, Belgium is not a nation.
“And maybe that is why you’re happy to sign up to a higher European level, well if Belgium wants it that’s fine and you can scream and shout all you like, just look at the election result. You’re losing votes, you’re losing.”
On the debate going on Thursday morning, Farage blasted the Eurocrats present for continuing with business as if nothing had happened, stating: “It is quite extraordinary that we can have in this room the head honchos of Brussels… to discuss the future of the European project and there’s barely been a mention of the biggest, most dramatic event that has ever happened since the foundation of the European treaties sixty years ago, namely Brexit. You don’t want to talk about Brexit.”
“Brexit is the first brick out of the wall, you’ve learnt none of the lessons. The days of this project are over, we want to live in nation states not false, artificial creations,” said the former UKIP leader.
Stating that no matter the problem within Europe the answer the Eurocrats would push was simply “more Europe… on taxation, on regulation, no member state can make their own decision, it’s all got to be decided here in Brussels because we need more Europe”, Farage said the bloc had fatally failed to read the feelings of the people it claims to represent.
He said: “Is any wonder that there are countries now, voters everywhere, waking up to the idea that you cannot be an independent, democratic nation-state and a member of this union. Brexit, I think, is going to prove to be just the first brick that is knocked out of the wall.
“Just look at results in Italy a few weeks ago, look at the stunning results in Hungary the other week, that magnificent victory of Viktor Orbán and about seventy per cent of voters in Hungary voting for parties that want the nation-state to be the key to everything.”
Pointing to the enormous EU flag hung at the head of the debating chamber, Farage ridiculed the idea of the Union having managed to create a single European identity anywhere in the continent outside of Belgium, and among those already on the EU payroll.
He continued: “The peoples of Europe do not identify with that flag, they do not identify with these institutions. If you’re on the payroll it’s easy to say it works, isn’t it? But actually out there in the real world there is not a European demos, there is not a European identity.”
Farage’s comments were met with howls of anger from the chamber, but also with applause from right-wing and pro-freedom MEPs.
One who challenged the former UKIP leader directly was Italian politician and President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, who hit back immediately after the speech and accused Farage of drawing his MEP’s salary despite campaigning against the European Union.
Yet Mr. Farage responded in his characteristically illustrative fashion, giving in riposte: “With respect Mr. President, I supported leaving the European Union – therefore, my job ending. I am the Turkey that voted for Christmas.”