Former UKIP Leader Nigel Farage warned that it was “entirely possible” that a new right-leaning political party could form if the British Parliament forces a second vote on “Brexit,” the referendum passed by the British public to leave the European Union.
Speaking to Express, the pro-Brexit leader warned, “There may well be a realignment of British politics coming out of all of this. The splits are so great now within the Conservative parliamentary party and out there in the country with many Labour voters too.”
While he added that it is his “first priority” not to start a new political party, he believes the pro-Brexit movement should be prepared in case Parliament votes to force a second referendum or makes a deal with the EU that favors the bloc.
“My first priority is to get Brexit and to get Brexit we can cross our fingers but at the same time prepare for what comes next,” he said. “So other political parties and a change in British politics… all entirely possible but it is not the top of my agenda.”
Farage opined that a new party will form if British Prime Minister Theresa May forces a deal through Parliament that favors the “Remainers,” those who oppose Brexit. Her measure failed to pass Parliament and she barely survived a vote of “no confidence” against her leadership.
“I fear when it really comes to it, Parliament may well force us into a second referendum,” he continued. “Most of my colleagues say, ‘Nigel, don’t say it – it’s all going to be fine.’ But I’m not sure it is going to be fine. My message now is let’s get ready just in case.”
Brexit is extremely opposed by the Left in England and the European Union.
VOA News reports that European Commissioner Guenther Oettinger expressed his dismay with how Brexit has proceeded and hopes that there will not be a messy “divorce.”
“It is not entirely unlikely that the British parliament will vote for the divorce agreement in January,” he said. “There is certainly no majority for a disorderly Brexit or for a new referendum.”
The commissioner added that he does not believe the embattled May will be able to get a Brexit deal through Parliament by the end of March, when Britain is scheduled to officially part ways with the EU.
“Nevertheless, I assume that it will come to an exit at the end of March,” Oettinger said.
Farage has been a strong proponent of Brexit, even while serving as a member of European Parliament in Brussels.
In a June 2016 speech to EU lawmakers following Brexit’s passage, Farage did not hold back his criticism of the European Union.
“Isn’t it funny,” he said. “When I came here 17 years ago and I said that I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union, you all laughed at me. Well, I have to say, you’re not laughing now, are you?”
He added, “The biggest problem you’ve got and the main reason the UK voted the way it did is because you have by stealth and deception, and without telling the truth to the rest of the peoples of Europe, you have imposed upon them a political union.”
Farage resigned as the leader of the UKIP following the Brexit vote.