‘Who are the fruitcakes and loonies now? Nigel Farage blasts Remainers REFUSING to use Brexit 50p

Nigel Farage tore into hardline Remainers today over their refusal to use new Brexit 50p coins, saying they were now the ‘fruitcakes and loonies’.

The Brexit Party leader returned the insult first fired at Brexiteers by Remainer prime minister David Cameron, less than 48 hours after the UK left the EU.

Approximately three million commemorative Brexit 50p coins have entered circulation as part of efforts to formally mark the departure.

The coins, bearing the words ‘peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations’ as well as the Brexit date of January 31, 2020, have sparked a furious backlash among pro-EU campaigners.

Appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme this morning, Mr Farage raised their objections, saying: ‘Who are the fruitcakes and loonies now?’

Solid-gold Brexit coins (left) priced at £945 each sold out by lunchtime on Friday today after going on sale that morning. Also pictured are the silver coin (centre) and the ‘brilliant’ coin (right)

Mr Farage outside of the BBC with  a commemorative 50p coin. Approximately three million s have entered circulation as part of efforts to formally mark the departure.

The jibe echoed comments made by Mr Cameron when he was opposition leader in 2006. In an assault on Ukip – led then by Mr Farage – he described its members as ‘fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists’ in a radio interview.

Among those poo-pooing the coins was uber-Remainer  Lord Adonis, a Labour peer who has consistently fought to reverse Brexit.

He tweeted: ‘I am never using or accepting this coin.’

Meanwhile, Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former spin doctor, echoed a similar sentiment.

He said he will ask shops for alternatives to the coin if he is handed one in the future.

Solid-gold Brexit coins priced at £945 each sold out by lunchtime on Friday after going on sale that morning.

The commemorative coins – sold by the Royal Mint – were part of a limited edition of 1,500, but Brexiteers looking for memorabilia faced a queuing system to access the Royal Mint’s website. 

Mr Farage told the BBC that the prospect of Britain being a competitor ‘terrifies’ Brussels.

‘I got the sense (before leaving the European Parliament) that, for the first time since 2016, they are a little bit more frightened of us than we are of them,’ he said.

‘What they fear more than anything – and bear in mind Italy is in recession, Germany is very close to being in recession – what they fear is a competitor on their doorstep. That terrifies them.

‘What we should be doing, in our national interest, is to make sure we are a competitor on their doorstep.’

Mr Farage confirmed the Brexit Party will remain active as an ‘insurance’ against a slip-ups from the Government on the trade talks.