Britain is ‘already reaping all the benefits’ of Brexit, French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen says

The far-right leader was being interviewed by Nigel Farage

Britain is “already reaping all the benefits” of Brexit, the far-right candidate for the French presidential election has said.

In an interview conducted by Ukip’s Nigel Farage on the LBC radio station, Marine Le Pen said Britain could now proceed without the EU “poking a knife in your ribs”.

“It’s a very strong signal. It shows that there is at least one way of finding the keys of the jail because we have been told that it was impossible to leave the EU and the UK has just demonstrated that when people want it, well, you can set up the conditions to exit the EU,” she told the radio station.

“So thank you for showing us the way out from this huge prison which is the EU for the people.

“It is very lucky for the UK and everybody knows that because beyond the strategy of fear implemented before Brexit, Great Britain is already reaping all the benefits of this bold decision that the people made.

“It makes it possible to be free and to move forward without the EU poking a knife in your ribs and obliging you to go somewhere you may not want to go. It makes you able to control your borders, your economy. You can negotiate trade agreements in the interest of your country.”

Ms Le Pen went on to describe the EU’s approach to the UK as “blackmail” and “constant threat”.

Current polls suggest the National Front candidate will scrape first position in the first round of the coming French presidential election but lose badly in the second round, when all but the top two candidates from the first round are eliminated.