‘Farage is finished’ says stood down Brexit Party candidate

He called Farage’s decision to not contest Tory-held seats a “disgrace to politics”.

He added: “It’s putting Nigel before the country. He will go down in infamy, letting down so many good people with whom he sought their trust. He is finished as a politician.

“All that Farage has exposed is his duplicity to so many supporters who had put their faith in him.”

Mr Wheal said Leave supporters could “kiss goodbye” to Brexit following the decision and vowed to spoil his ballot paper.

Speaking to LBC radio on Tuesday morning, he said: “My aim has always been to get out of Europe. Clean break.”

He added: “I’ve always been very critical of the (Brussels) regime.

“It’s unelected, as you all know. It spends our money as it sees fit – wastes most of it.

“It was made very clear to us all at the first Brexit Party rally that we will put country before party and that, if Farage managed to arrange a deal with Boris Johnson that he would agree to drop his rotten Withdrawal Agreement and take on a no-deal, we would all stand down and support him.

“But what we have here is absolute codswallop.”

He continued: “Farage hasn’t even got a deal. This was a golden opportunity to get Brexit. The Tories aren’t offering Brexit. They’re offering ‘Brino’ – Brexit in name only.”

His outburst comes in the wake of the former Brexit Party candidate for Harlow’s decision to stand as an independent Brexiteer.

Neil Greaves said the Brexit Party leader had been “outmanoeuvred” and encouraged his fellow candidates to follow his example.

The 52-year-old told the PA news agency: “Nigel has let Brexiteers down … he should be standing up for the 17.4 million people who voted for Brexit.

“I don’t regard Boris Johnson’s deal as Brexit. It’s not even close.

“Farage has been totally outmanoeuvred and out-negotiated without Boris (Johnson) even having to say anything.”