How failure to deliver on Brexit led to surge in support for Farage’s Brexit Party
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The shadow international trade secretary, Barry Gardiner, has said parliament’s refusal to deliver Brexit has led directly to the surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Brexit party, and is allowing him to dictate what the departure terms should be.
The Guardian reports that Gardiner, who is among those on the Labour frontbench most sceptical about the idea of a second referendum, criticised the former prime minister Tony Blair for recommending in an Observer opinion piece that voters could opt for anti-Brexit parties in the European elections on 23 May.
“People in this country are angry, they’re angry that the referendum result has not been delivered on by a incompetent government,” Gardiner told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show, pointing to polls indicating major support for the Brexit party.
“And there’s a protest that is being signalled by those figures, 34% saying they would go for the Brexit party. There’s no policies in this party, just one.”
Farage has argued the UK must leave the EU without a deal. Gardiner accused the former Ukip leader of seeking to “redefine what the referendum was about”, saying: “The referendum was about leaving the EU. At that time, there was no talk of no deal, there was no talk of going onto WTO terms.”
