Brexit row may lead to public unrest: Nigel Farage

UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage (Photo by AFP)

The leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage has warned that the recent attempts to undermine Britain's withdrawal from the European Union (EU) might result in “real disturbance on the streets.”

Speaking to BBC on Sunday, Farage said there was a “movement” to prevent the results of a June referendum to leave the EU from taking effect.

Nearly 52 percent of Britons voted to end the UK’s membership in the 28-bloc nation on June 23.

“If the people of this country think they’re going to be cheated, we will see political anger the like of which we have never seen in this country in our lifetime,” the UKIP leader said.

When asked if by anger he means “disturbance in the streets and so on,” he said: “Yeah I think that's right.”

“The temperature of this is very, very high,” Farage said, calling on Brexiteers to “get even” by launching protests in case their votes were ignored.

Farage, a fierce Leave campaigner, made the remarks days after a controversial ruling by the UK High Court, which required a parliamentary approval for Brexit before the government could set the process in motion.

Friday's ruling meant that British Prime Minister Theresa May would not be able to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty without parliamentary approval. She had planned to start the process by March 2017 and bring it to completion in two years.

May, who insists that a referendum needs no such approval according to the constitution, said she would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. A hearing would be held in December.

Following the ruling, Farage warned about a possible “betrayal” to the majority vote, and voiced concern at the prospect of a “half Brexit.”

On Sunday, Farage engaged in a lively discussion with Gina Miller, the investment manager who brought the case to the High Court.

Farage told Miller that by handing lawmakers the power of blocking or watering down Brexit, “You will have stirred up the biggest political upset you have ever seen.”

Aside from strong opposition in the Parliament, London’s decision to push ahead with Brexit has also been met with resistance from the other three devolved nations—Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.