UKIP planning big Brexit party when Britain leaves the EU and it will cost the taxpayer thousands

David Harding
·Contributor
Nigel Farage on the campaign trail during the EU referendum (Rex)
Nigel Farage on the campaign trail during the EU referendum (Rex)

UKIP plans to throw a Brexit party in Brussels on the final day of Britain’s membership of the EU – and get taxpayers pay for it.

MEPs belonging to the UK Independence Party are planning to bus in supporters to the Belgian capital to witness the ceremonial lowering of the Union flag on March 29, 2019.

It could cost taxpayers up to £28,600 as the EU will have to cover travel expenses.

The event is expected to be a solemn occasion but the presence of the celebrating UKIP supporters might change that.

Celebrating UKIP supporters at the party’s annual conference (Rex)
Celebrating UKIP supporters at the party’s annual conference (Rex)

But UKIP sources have told the Telegraph that they planned to cheer and pop champagne in front of the TV cameras.

British MEPs from other parties are expected to walk outside the building in the heart of Brussels’ European quarter to witness the UK flag being hauled down for the last time.

Britain voted in a 2016 referendum to leave the EU and after protracted negotiations that date is set to be formally next March.

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However, talks are continuing and the vexed issue about what to do about the Irish border has yet to be resolved and there are some predictions that the whole Brexit could be scuppered.

A survey last month found that those who voted Leave are disappointed with how Brexit is going, according to a poll from think tank Global Future.

Most of the respondents who opted to quit the bloc in the 2016 referendum felt that all the Brexit deals currently on the table are worse than what they had hoped for from the negotiations.

MEPs in the European Parliament are helping to organise the party (Rex)

They claimed that Britain’s divorce from Brussels was coming at ‘too high a price’.

It also showed both leavers and remainers were most keen on a ‘soft Brexit’ Norway-style deal where the UK remains in both the European Economic Area and European Free Trade Area.