Nigel Farage has used his Ukip conference speech to accuse Tory ministers of fighting to remain in the EU

He will remain in political life as an MEP while supporting the new Ukip leader

(Getty)

Nigel Farage has accused elements in the Conservative cabinet of “still fighting the referendum” to keep Britain in the EU.

The former Ukip leader made a valedictory speech at Ukip’s conference in Bournmouth on Friday in which he warned Ukip had “won the war” on Brexit but must “now win the peace”.

Outlining three tests that he said would make good Theresa May’s promise of “Brexit means Brexit”, the MEP warned that Tory voters would flock to Ukip if the PM did not take a strong eurosceptic position.

“We have a new Prime Minister who, when she started, looked to be very surefooted on this issue [of Brexit] – but I have a feeling that things are beginning to change,” he told rapt delegates at the party's first conference since the referendum result.

“When I saw her at the G20 she said the British people voted for ‘some control of immigration from the European Union’. No, Prime Minister, we voted to take back control of our borders. Simple as.

“We have cabinet members like the Home Secretary still fighting the referendum … half this Cabinet did not only fail to support the referendum, but it seems like they want to do their utmost to keep us part of the single market. There is going to be a great political battle ahead.”

In contrast to the tone of the EU referendum campaign, Mr Farage also pivoted strongly in explicitly calling for Britain to leave the EU single market. He said he favoured a “hard Brexit” rather than a “soft Brexit”.

Mr Farage said his three tests of whether “Brexit means Brexit” were whether Britain opted out of the common fisheries policies, whether it completely left the single market and its regulations, and whether the cover of British passports returned to a blue colour and dropped any reference to the European Union.

He said that in the event of a so-called “soft Brexit” that “very large number of Conservatives” would see Ukip as the only party they could support.

The MEP also announced he would continue to lead his party’s European Parliament grouping and would continue to support Ukip’s new leader.

Mr Farage’s speech was well received by his audience and took a triumphalist tone throughout. He received a standing ovation upon taking the stage, followed by a two-minute ovation upon finishing his speech.

“Without us there would have been no referendum,” he told Ukip delegates.

“Without you and the people’s army there would have been no ground campaign and together we have changed the course of British history.

“We’ve brought down a Prime Minister, we’ve got rid of the Chancellor, and we’ve got rid of the European Commissioner.

“I said four years ago, I predicted that Ukip would cause an earthquake in British politics. Well, we have.”

Britain voted to leave the European Union by 52 per cent to 48 per cent in a referendum help on 23 June this year.