The Brexit Party MEP was cut off after spilling over his allotted time to speak as he delivered a scathing attack on the European Commission. Mr Tennant addressed his plea for democracy to Finnish President Antti Rinne as he inaugurated Finland’s six-month presidency of the European Council – during which the Brexit deadline is set. The British MEP told Mr Rinne: “Finland’s Presidency of the Council will mark 25-years since the Finnish people voted to join the EU in 1994 but as you celebrate your silver anniversary, the silver is being tarnished.

“The democratic values that you supported are being eroded as the Commission undermines democracy by, in effect, seeking to annex Northern Ireland against the wishes of the UK.

“The Commission needs reminding they are not mentioned in Article 50 – it is the Council who are the decision-makers, and you hold the symbolic residency of that Council.”

Mr Tennant continued: “The priority of your presidency is common values and the rule of law. I urge you to be strong, be brave, stand up for democracy, for our decision to leave and dare to treat us as friends and neighbours.

“That is and always was the desire of British eurosceptics. The attitudes of the Commission risks the good relations between us. Step up to the plate, uphold democracy.”

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However, Mr Tennat was cut off midway the word democracy as European Parliament Vice-President Rainer Wieland intervened to allow other MEPs to deliver their speeches.

Northern Ireland has emerged as a key area of contention during the Brexit negotiations, with Theresa May and the EU in October agreeing to a so-called backstop to ensure no hard border was installed on the island of Ireland in the event of a no deal. 

However, the insurance policy included in the withdrawal agreement has been interpreted by some Brexiteers as an attempt to keep Britain closely aligned to the EU through Northern Ireland. The backstop would include measures to maintain frictionless trade through by preserving current regulation. 

The Brexit Party has been adamant they will serve for as long as Britain remains in the European Union to represent Britons who voted for Brexit. 

Party leader Nigel Farage welcomed the confirmation of German Ursula von der Leyen as the next President of the European Commission because of her firmly pro-EU agenda.

Mr Farage told Sky News: “We have got a German running the Commission and a French woman who is going to run the European Central Bank and things carry on in that sense as they were before.

“But, the urgency with which they want a centralised power and take away the ability of nation-states to set their own agendas has now reached a level where I have to say where I have this strange ironic feeling.

“I voted against her but as a Brexiteer, I’m very pleased she has won.”

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He continued: “She is now the pin-up girl for the eurosceptic movement and for the Brexit movement. If we had a second referendum she would be on every single leaflet of the Leave campaign.”

Mrs von der Leyen was appointed as the next European Commission President on Tuesday night with a majority of nine votes.

Professor and author James Crabtree argued the former German Defence Minister would have an uphill battle when trying to unite dealing with a divided EU. 

Prof Crabtree insisted her slim victory emphasises the divisions in the European Union and would spell trouble for her as she tries to resolve Brexit.

He said: “She comes in as a weakened Commission President. The European Commission has become stronger over recent years but she only scraped by, she doesn’t have much of a mandate – she faces a Europe that is increasingly divided.

“Ursula von der Leyen’s room for manoeuvre, whether that is on fiscal rules or Brexit is a little bit complicated.”

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