Nigel Farage forced to admit that the EU referendum was only 'advisory'

'The politicians lied all the way through because they didn’t say that'

Nigel Farage was forced to admit the referendum on leaving the EU was only “advisory” after he clashed live on TV with the lead claimant in a legal challenge to the Government on the issue.

The Ukip leader and Gina Miller, whose efforts led the High Court to rule against Theresa May’s right to trigger Article 50 without consulting Parliament, both appeared on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning.

After the pair had both been interviewed separately, Mr Farage challenged Ms Miller saying: “I just want to ask her - what part of the word 'leave' don't you understand?”

Not rising to the bait, the investment manager and philanthropist explained that she was “not the politician here”, and that her case against the Government was designed to clear up the lack of “legal certainty” over how the process of Brexit should be begun.

Mr Farage said Ms Miller has “given all those in Parliament who argue that the referendum does not mean we should leave the single market the chance, effectively, to overturn the Prime Minister’s wish and mandate her”.

He added: "If that happens, you will have stirred up, I think, the biggest political upset we've ever seen."

Ms Miller insisted the UK has a representative democracy which ensures politicians have to debate issues, and suggested that if Parliament had wanted to give away its sovereignty over the choice to trigger Article 50 and leave the EU, “the Referendum Act would not have said it was advisory”.

“The politicians lied all the way through because they didn’t say that [it was advisory],” she said.

“Ah. Well… I take the advisory point,” Mr Farage said.

He said: “I would now wish to see constitutional change to make referendums binding and that would end this argument and there'd be no need for this case,” to which Ms Miller responded “absolutely”.

During his earlier interview with Marr, Mr Farage elaborated on his warnings that there will be disturbances on the streets if Parliament attempts to thwart Brexit.

The interim Ukip leader said "political anger the likes of which none of us in our lifetimes have ever witnessed" will emerge if voters feel they are going to be "cheated" over the result of June's referendum.

He called on Brexit backers to "get even" via peaceful protests and oppose at the ballot box anyone who seeks to overturn the process.