Nigel Farage hails Brexit for making Britain a global superpower once again

Nigel still consider Brexit a success despite immigration let downs (Image: Getty) Politician-turned-pundit Nigel Farage believes the UK’s muscular standing on the world stage is further vindication of voting to leave. He credits the renaissance of British business, the striking of a slew of trade deals and new-found diplomatic respect to escaping the shackles of the Brussels straitjacket. But the former Ukip leader warned the long list of victories would count for nothing unless the deepening migration crisis on our doorstep was resolved. Delivering a state-of-the-nation assessment Mr Farage, 59, said: ‘In global terms, Brexit must be seen as a success. Britain is now a country other sovereign states can do business with, and there are many examples of this in action.” “Winning back self-government does not guarantee we will make the right decisions. It means we have the power to chart our own course.’ Britain is rightly regarded as the leading power aiding Ukraine ‘s fight against Russian despot Vladimir Putin , supplying military hardware and diplomatic and strategic counsel. Meanwhile, Brexit opponents have consistently claimed the UK economy had been the worst performing among the G7’s most prosperous nations since the Covid pandemic. But as Europe stutters and stumbles, the UK is thriving and pursuing a post- Brexit push to the Asia-Pacific region, forecast to account for 50 percent of global expansion by 2035. Kemi Badenoch (Image: Getty) UK exports to the EU and rest of world reached record highs of almost £400 billion in 2022, global investment in Britain outstrips comparable major economies, the IMF forecasts the UK economy will grow by 0.4 percent this year – an upward revision of 0.7 percent- and the limp Eurozone flirts with recession. The reality is a wake-up call to those who forecast a bleak future outside the closed-shop EU and a reality check to the harbingers of doom. Already Tata, the Indian-owned parent company of Jaguar Land Rover, is poised to invest £4 billion to build a new electric car battery factory in Somerset, in a move that will create 4,000 jobs. That comes on the back of commitments worth £32 billion agreed with America and Japan, pioneering new trade partnerships with Australia and New Zealand, and Britain’s recently-confirmed membership of The Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership – a club worth £12 trillion, or nearly one fifth of the world’s economy, giving immediate access to a market of 500 million upwardly mobile people. Joining the pact in the world’s fastest-growing economic region is a Brexit bonus that would have been impossible if the UK had remained shackled to the archaic rules and regulations of the protectionist Brussels cabal. Signing up has instantly removed costly tariff restrictions among member countries that include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. The UK remains the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world with annual output of £190 billion. Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade, said: ‘When Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016 there were many who forecast a grim existence awaiting us outside the bloc. We were told investment would dry up, jobs would leave our shores, and fewer countries would look to trade with an independent UK. ‘Those voices of doom have been proved decisively wrong. It’s possible because of Brexit and our ability to go out and strike new deals.’ Despite stunning successes gained by gaining independence, seven years on from the people’s victory many continue to try and drag us back to the bloc against the wishes of 17.4 million people. And just one year from a likely general election, the issue that tipped the balance in the 2016 EU referendum is set to decide the fate of the country when it goes to the polls, according to Mr Farage. Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy let slip Labour’s true colours, proposing regular meetings between UK and European Union ministers as part of a relationship reset under a Sir Keir Starmer government. It is claimed Labour would seek to strike an accord with Brussels as part of an EU scheme for migration burden-sharing, flying in the face of Brexit freedoms. The Tories say it would result in Britain being forced to take more than 100,000 illegal migrants every year. Net migration – the difference between people leaving and entering the UK – is already running at 606,000 a year. Mr Farage said: ‘There is no question it was the issue of immigration and border controls that tipped the balance and led to the shock Brexit result.” “Yet in this area, above all, many people feel that Brexit has been a total failure. The constant stream of small boats coming across the English Channel was something I was trying to warn against when I put up my now notorious Breaking Point poster – yet our government doesn’t have the courage or the guts to resolve the issue.” ‘And in terms of legal immigration, I think it’s truly astonishing 1.2 million people legally came and settled in our country last year with pressure on housing, the health service and schools. ‘But the important thing to remember is the power to oversee our futures is now in our hands. I still absolutely believe we were right to break free from the European Union. All we need are people in positions of power who believe in it as much as the 17.4 million [who voted leave].’ Disturbing estimates forecast the UK population will reach 83 million by 2046. YouGov polling revealed 60 per cent think immigration has been too high over the past 10 years. Just 8 percent think it has been too low. Some 73,364 have already signed a Migration Watch petition demanding net migration is reduced to less than 100,000 a year. The think tank said: ‘We believe everyone allowed to settle in our country should be treated fairly and equally so that they can integrate into British society. However, immigration, both by legal migrants coming for work or study, and by illegal Channel crossers is out of control. ‘The UK population has grown by nearly 8 million people in the past 20 years – 6.7 million of this increase is due to immigrants and their children. We are especially concerned about the difficulties in integrating rapidly growing immigrant communities into a cohesive society.’ The likelihood of a Labour-EU deal on migration comes as the European crisis becomes more profound, with small boat arrivals rising sharply in Europe. More ­than 7,000 arrived in Lampedusa, Italy, last week alone. Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick blasted Sir Keir’s proposals, saying: ‘It isn’t about tackling gangs overseas, which this Government is already doing – instead, it’s about handing the EU control of our borders. ‘Labour would fling open our doors to hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants, putting more pressure on communities at even greater cost to the taxpayer.’