Nigel Farage declares June 23 '˜independence day'

Nigel Farage has appeared to declare victory in the European Union referendum and said a vote to Leave had been won 'without a single bullet being fired'.

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UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty ImagesUK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images
UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images

The Ukip leader said June 23 will “go down in our history as our independence day” and that he hoped the win would bring down the entire “failed project” that is the EU.

His speech marked a remarkable turnaround from just hours before when he was predicting a victory for Remain, citing private polling by his friends in the City.

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Mr Farage told a jubilant Leave.EU rally in central London: “Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom.

UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty ImagesUK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images
UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images

“This, if the predictions now are right, this will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people.

“We have fought against the multinationals, we have fought against the big merchant banks, we have fought against big politics, we have fought against lies, corruption and deceit.

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UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty ImagesUK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images
UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage speaks to journalists at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London Picture: AFP PHOTO / GEOFF CADDICKGEOFF CADDICK/AFP/Getty Images

“And today honesty, decency and belief in nation, I think now is going to win.

“And we will have done it without having to fight, without a single bullet being fired, we’d have done it by damned hard work on the ground.”

Mr Farage praised Ukip donor Arron Banks along with Labour and Tory MPs and those of “no party” who have taken part in the Leave campaign.

He went on: “And we’ll have done it not just for ourselves, we’ll have done it for the whole of Europe.

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“I hope this victory brings down this failed project and leads us to a Europe of sovereign nation states, trading together, being friends together, cooperating together, and let’s get rid of the flag, the anthem, Brussels, and all that has gone wrong.

“Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day.”