The Brexit Party leader appeared in high spirits on his LBC show as America honoured its 243rd year of independence from Britain. He said: “I’d just like to say: 243 years ago today, a population on the Western fringe of a union decided they were not being properly represented. So, they tried to get a voice.

“They were ignored, in the end there was an attempt militarily to put them down.

“Do you know what they did? They took control of their own futures and they left the union… without a deal.”

Mr Farage said they went on to “dominate the world” as the richest and most powerful country on Earth.

He added: “Today is, of course, July the 4th – it’s America’s Independence Day.

JUST IN: Ann Widdecombe now ‘chief clown of the Brexit Party’

“You see, you actually can become independent and do pretty well.”

The former UKIP leader also dished out high praise to follow MEP Ann Widdecombe, whose maiden speech in the European Parliament bombed this morning after she compared Brexit to the emancipation of slaves.

But Mr Farage said he was “sitting next to her and laughing”, adding that Ms Widdecombe is “very forthright.”

Ms Widdecombe had said: “If I needed any convincing at all that the best thing for Britain was to leave here as soon as possible, it was the way that those elections were conducted yesterday.

“Because if that is this place’s idea of democracy then that is a serious betrayal of every country that is represented here.”

She continued: “There is a pattern that is present throughout history of oppressed people turning against their oppressors: Slaves against their owners. The peasantry against the feudal barons.

She then specifically called out the parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, when she referenced “colonies” rising “against their empires”.

“And that is why Britain is leaving, and it doesn’t matter which language you use: we are going, and we are glad to be going,” she continued.

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After the speech, Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: “Ann Widdecombe just compared Britain leaving the EU to “slaves” rising up “against their owners”.

“It is impossible to explain how offensive and ahistorical it is for you to equate my ancestors tearing off their chains with your small-minded nationalist project. Shame on you.”

Fellow Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan tweeted: “It is disgusting that Ann Widdecombe would reference slavery and colonisation to describe our relationship with the EU. Her and Farage are bankrolled by elites – she’s part of the establishment which has created such a divide in this country.”

And Mr Verhofstadt responded: “Nigel Farage facing some stiff competition as chief clown of the Brexit Party in the @Europarl_EN. By the way, when Widdecombe talks about “colonies liberating themselves from their empires”, is she really referring to the American Revolution of 1776?”

Asked about Theresa May’s view of Ms Widdecombe’s comments, a No 10 spokeswoman said: “I think it is safe to say that isn’t a characterisation that she would recognise nor is it a phrase that she would ever use to describe leaving the European Union.”

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