Nigel Farage 'acting like a juvenile delinquent' by continuing to lobby against Europe, says EU Commissioner

'He demanded the Prime Minister should produce a plan — but he has none himself,' says Hogan

Commissioner emphatically rejected Nigel Farage's claims Ireland would follow Britain out of the UK (Getty)

EU Commissioner Phil Hogan has said Nigel Farage is “acting like a juvenile delinquent” by continuing to seek to influence the UK’s relationship with the EU following the Brexit vote.

Mr Hogan called on the MEP to resign from his job in Brussels and said he should not play an active role in deciding the future direction of Britain.

The Commissioner also emphatically rejected claims made by Mr Farage that Ireland may follow Britain out of the EU, saying the Eurosceptic “completely underestimates Irish people's deep and longstanding links with the peoples of mainland Europe”.

The controversial former Ukip leader had said earlier in January he believed public opinion in Ireland was "going to move in our [Britain's] direction" after Article 50 was triggered.

But in an interview with the Irish Independent, Mr Hogan dismissed the Eurosceptic as a "juvenile delinquent hanging around corners in Brussels telling others what to do about the EU".

While admitting Mr Farage had played a pivotal role in the Brexit vote, he said: "Now, he has no clue how the country should proceed.

"He has demanded that the Prime Minister should produce a plan — but he has none himself."

Mr Hogan also told the paper that if the Mr Farage was serious in his negative views about the EU, he should resign his position.

In early January, Britain's ambassador to the European Union abruptly resigned, without immediately giving any reason.

He was the second senior British EU official to quit, after Jonathan Hill stood down as Britain's European Commissioner in June.

In further statements made in the Irish Times, Mr Hogan said the Republic of Ireland's relationship with the UK would have to change in a post-Brexit Europe.

He said: "Our common interest with the UK in many areas has been a defining characteristic of our EU membership to date."

But he said this would now be an "enormous mistake" in Brexit negotiations.

In June's referendum, the UK voted to leave the EU by 52 per cent to 48 per cent, although Northern Ireland voted to remain by a 56 per cent majority.