Nigel Farage has declared that ‘The war is over’ now a trade deal has been signed with the EU.
The leader of the Brexit Party spoke out to celebrate that Brexit is finally happening – but was criticised for his choice of words by the prime minister.
Mr Farage said: ‘However unhappy I might be about some of the detail, in 100 years time, kids in school will read that the people beat the politicians.
‘The deal is not perfect but it is a big moment. This victory is a tribute to the ordinary men and women who stood up against the Westminster establishment — and won.
‘There is no going back.
Boris Johnson was asked at a press conference about the declaration that the ‘war’ was over, and didn’t seem to be very impressed by it.
He said: ‘The EU was – and is – an extraordinary concept. It was born out of the agony of the Second World War and founded by idealistic people, France and Germany and Italy, who never wanted those countries to go to war with each other again, and other countries, Belgium, Holland and others.
‘In many ways it was – and is – a very noble enterprise, so I don’t recognise the kind of language that you talk of.
‘The UK’s own relationship with it was always difficult. We always found some of the language about ever closer union, the idea of this political union, this very dense ideology of endless integration, we found quite hard. There was quite a lot of friction involved.
‘What we’ve got here is the basis of a new long term friendship and partnership that basically stabilises that relationship. ‘
It was not clear whether Mr Farage was referring to a war between ‘ordinary’ people and the establishment, between the UK and the EU trade negotiators, or both.
Mr Johnson stressed the need for harmony after hammering out the deal.
He said: ‘In so far as the UK needs to be, and always must be a great European power, we’re outside the main body of the EU, but we’re there as a friend and supporter, as a flying buttress if you like, to make sure we’re able to lend our voice when it’s needed and to be of value to our European friends and partners in a strategic way.
‘The very dense programme of integration wasn’t right for the UK and that’s why it was right to take back control in the way that we have.
‘This deal expresses what the country voted for in 206 and I think there was a wisdom in what they decided, and we’ll be able to go forward on this basis.’
Read the full story on the historic deal here.
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