Mr Farage walked away from talks to join the Italian deputy prime minister’s anti-Brussels super bloc. Mr Salvini was keen to secure the services of the 29 Brexit Party MEPs in order to gain a superior foothold in the EU Parliament’s decision-making processes. But the Brexit Party chief announced he would not be joining the Italian’s Europe of Nations and Freedom when the new Parliament sits for the first time in July.

Mr Farage said: “I can confirm that this is not the case and that the Brexit Party will not be joining the ENF Group.

“Following a brief social meeting with a member of the ENF group last week there has been much speculation, fuelled by that individual, that the Brexit Party will join them in their European Parliament group.”

Express.co.uk understands the Brexiteer is keen to rebuild his former Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy bloc, of which he is chairman.

Mr Farage is keen to secure high-profile talking slots during Parliament sessions, only afforded to group leaders.

A number of Brexit Party MEPs have privately raised concerns about joining Mr Salvini and French eurosceptic Marine le Pen’s National Rally in a group because of their hardline views.

Mr Salvini is struggling to recruit numbers for his supergroup, with Poland’s Law and Justice and Hungary’s Fidesz.

PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski ruled out joining the bloc based on Mr Salvini and Ms Le Pen’s pro-Russian stance.

Mr Kaczynski said: “When it comes to Mr Salvini, here we have a problem that he wants to create a new group with formations that we aren’t able to accept.”

He added: “This is a group called National Rally belonging to Ms Le Pen. It’s also the Alternative for Germany.

“This is something that we cannot accept under any circumstances.”

Pieter Cleppe, of the Open Europe think tank, said: “It looks like a lot will stay the same in the new European Parliament.

“Salvini hasn’t managed to attract Nigel Farage, who’s quite keen to continue successfully using the EP as a platform to influence public opinion, which is easier if he has his own group.

“Also, Hungarian prime minister Orban may well simply stay in the centrist EPP, while also Polish governing party PiS isn’t about to move, enjoying the fact that the Conservatives are still around, even if there are less of them.

“Even Spanish VOX isn’t likely to join Salvini and may instead join ECR.”

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