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Beers for Brexit Party MEPs after Farage’s final European Parliament speech

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Beers for Brexit Party MEPs after Farage’s final European Parliament speech
News

News

Beers for Brexit Party MEPs after Farage’s final European Parliament speech

2020-01-30 15:59 Last Updated At:16:00

Martin Daubney said there was a ‘carnival atmosphere’ at the bar in Brussels.

Brexit Party MEPs went to the bar to celebrate after their leader delivered a speech in the European Parliament for the last time.

Nigel Farage was pictured arm in arm with his fellow members as they drank in Brussels following his final address to the EU institution before the UK leaves the bloc on Friday.

Sharing the image, Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney tweeted: “Say what you like about us Brexiteers but we know how to have a good knees-up!

“Superb fun at this historic moment with ⁦@Nigel_Farage.”

Mr Daubney filmed the moment he and his colleagues bought “10 beers” at the bar, and added: “It’s a carnival atmosphere for jubilant Brexiteers!”


Earlier, after a speech in which he announced the UK “is never coming back”, Mr Farage had led his allies out of the European Parliament chamber waving Union Flags.

As he was rebuked from the chair for the display, the Brexit Party MEPs gave Mr Farage three cheers.

Mr Farage tweeted: “After 25 years of fighting for independence, this is my final contribution in the European Parliament.

“We were told to leave with our British flags, and that’s exactly what we did.”

German MEP Martin Sonneborn, leader of the satirical party Die PARTEI, recorded the moment Mr Farage waved goodbye to the chamber.

Tweeting in German, Mr Sonneborn said he was now the “only political clown” left in the European Parliament.

Brexit Party MEP Michael Heaver shared a video of himself at the bar with Nathan Gill, in which Mr Daubney could be seen behind them grinning into the camera and swigging from a beer.

Asked what he made of Mr Farage’s final speech, Mr Gill said: “It was absolutely historic… we walked out of that chamber with our flags.

“The president actually said to us take your flags and leave, so we picked up our flags and Nigel said, ‘Come on lads, we’re off’ and we left.

“We’ve Brexited, we have, there’s no returning from this and thank heavens… all I can say is roll on the 31st and roll on freedom.”

MEPs voted by 621 to 49 in favour of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, paving the way for Britain to leave on Friday with a deal in place.

MADRID (AP) — British and Spanish foreign ministers said a new round of talks held Friday over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain’s exit from the European Union were productive and significant progress was made.

The meeting was between Spain's José Manuel Albares, Britain’s David Cameron and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo also attended. It was the first time representatives from the four areas had come together for talks on the issue.

In a statement after the meeting, the parties said "discussions took place in a constructive atmosphere, with significant progress achieved.

“General political lines have been agreed (on), including on airport, goods and mobility. Negotiations will continue over the coming weeks to conclude the EU-UK Agreement,” it added.

All sides are eager to clinch a deal before European elections in June.

Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. Talks on a deal to ensure people and goods can keep flowing over the Gibraltar-Spain border have made halting progress in the 19 rounds of negotiations so far, but both Spanish and U.K. officials have recently expressed optimism about a deal.

In Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum, 96% of voters in Gibraltar supported remaining in the EU. The tiny territory on Spain's southern tip depends greatly on access to the EU market for its 34,000 inhabitants.

Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713, but Spain has maintained its sovereignty claim ever since. Relations concerning the Rock, as it is popularly referred to in English, have had their ups and downs over the centuries.

A major sticking point has been who controls Gibraltar’s airport, which under the proposed free-movement deal would be an external border of the EU. The U.K. and Gibraltar have resisted Spain’s insistence that Spanish border officials be based at the airport, which is also home to a Royal Air Force base.

The British Foreign Office said Thursday that while it did not expect a final agreement Friday, "getting senior political figures from the UK, European Commission, Spain and Gibraltar in one room is significant.”

Associated Press writer Jill Lawless reported from London.

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo stands outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo stands outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, center, walks with his delegation outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, center, walks with his delegation outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, right, walks outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, right, walks outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media outside EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, April 12, 2024. British and Spanish foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Friday with a top European Commission official for another round of negotiations over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

FILE - Aerial view of Gibraltar rock taken from the neighbouring Spanish city of La Linea, on Oct. 17, 2019. British and Spanish foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels on Friday April 12, 2024 in a bid to take a giant leap forward on talks over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. All sides are eager to clinch a deal before European elections in June which could set the clock back. Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo, File)

FILE - Aerial view of Gibraltar rock taken from the neighbouring Spanish city of La Linea, on Oct. 17, 2019. British and Spanish foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels on Friday April 12, 2024 in a bid to take a giant leap forward on talks over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. All sides are eager to clinch a deal before European elections in June which could set the clock back. Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo, File)

FILE - People walk past a Brexit information office at the British territory of Gibraltar, on Jan. 31, 2020. British and Spanish foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels on Friday April 12, 2024 in a bid to take a giant leap forward on talks over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. All sides are eager to clinch a deal before European elections in June which could set the clock back. Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo, File)

FILE - People walk past a Brexit information office at the British territory of Gibraltar, on Jan. 31, 2020. British and Spanish foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels on Friday April 12, 2024 in a bid to take a giant leap forward on talks over the status of the disputed territory of Gibraltar following Britain's exit from the European Union. All sides are eager to clinch a deal before European elections in June which could set the clock back. Britain left the European Union in 2020 with the relationship between Gibraltar and the bloc unresolved. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo, File)