The leaders of the two British parties ahead in the polls for the European election went head-to-head on Wednesday, and complained about the level of abuse directed at candidates.
Nigel Farage of the Brexit Party was hit by a milkshake while out campaigning in Newcastle on Monday and said Remainers believe they can act without consequences.
“They’ve given the impression that those who voted for Brexit didn’t know what they voted for, we’re thick, we’re stupid, we’re ignorant, we’re racist. It’s given people a sense that those who voted Remain feel morally superior to those who voted Leave,” he said.
“I think that one of the reasons we’ve got such appalling behavior on our streets, this new militant Remainer type … is because they genuinely think because they are superior to the Leavers, they can do whatever they like. That’s why we have the division we have today.”
Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said he “condemned the attack” on Farage.
“In public life we get a lot of unpleasantness. I’ve had spitting in the street, excrement through the door.”
Farage and Cable were taking part in a debate hosted by the Telegraph on Wednesday morning.
The debate frequently turned into an opportunity for both leaders to bash the Tories and Labour, whose votes their parties are hoovering up. Farage even praised Cable for having a “clear” position, adding: “As for Labour and Conservatives, why would anyone vote for them because goodness knows what they stand for?”
Farage confirmed that he intends to stand as an MP at the next general election and that the Brexit Party would field candidates in all 650 constituencies (although this only seems likely to be the case if Brexit hasn’t happened at the time of the next election).
Cable, meanwhile, conceded that he would have “no problem” with a no-deal Brexit being on the ballot paper in the event of a second referendum.
POLITICO’s latest projection has the Brexit Party in the lead at 33 percent with 26 seats, and the Lib Dems in third place with 16 percent and 12 seats, just behind Labour who are on 17 percent with 14 seats. The Tories are down in fourth place with 10 percent of the vote and seven seats.
Another poll published Wednesday predicts an even more extreme outcome. YouGov’s final poll before the election has the Brexit Party on 37 percent, the Lib Dems in second place with 19 percent, Labour down to third with 13 percent and the Tories below the Greens, in fifth place, with just 7 percent of the vote.