Nigel Farage, who led the Brexit charge that resulted in an independent United Kingdom, made the stunning declaration that the withdrawal from the European Union “has failed.”
Speaking on the BBC’s “Newsnight” program on Monday, Farage’s comments were seized by mainstream media sources. However, the context of those remarks was largely omitted.
The former leader of both the U.K. Independence Party and the Brexit Party placed blame squarely on leadership. “What Brexit has proved, I’m afraid, is that our politicians are about as useless as the commissioners in Brussels.” He added, “We’ve mismanaged this totally.”
Farage pointed towards Britain’s Conservative Party. He charged it has put a regulatory burden on U.K. businesses that is more stringent than when they were members of the E.U.
He also asserted that a spike in immigration led to the downturn.
‘Brexit has failed’ GB News presenter Nigel Farage admits after he is read a list of negative facts about the UK economy https://t.co/P0zxS1DNGF pic.twitter.com/mUrnHee5mb
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) May 15, 2023
He concluded that Tories let the nation down “very, very badly.” However, Farge does not believe that the U.K. would be better off if it were still part of the E.U.
Some of his statements came as a response to financial data showing the U.K. has not benefited from separating itself from the continent politically.
Political observers note the United Kingdom has dealt with a broad array of economic shocks for the past few years. There was the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic along with last year’s Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rattling of the energy sector it brought with it.
Now there are bleak predictions for the near future for the U.K. economy. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development predicted that only Russia’s financial situation is more dire pertaining to GDP growth.
And critics point towards the systemic friction caused by the U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U. Some note that British conservatives have strayed far from their ideological home in recent years.
That was the message from former U.S. President Donald Trump when he recently spoke with Farage concerning the current Conservative Party.
Farage now hosts a program on the GB News channel and has not dismissed the idea of a return to politics. He also presently serves as the honorary president of the Reform U.K. Party, which is described as a conservative and populist-based organization.
