Police say they won’t take action over Nigel Farage’s call to ‘take the knife to the pen pushers’

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage speaks at a Brexit Party rally. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire. - Credit: PA

Police have probed Nigel Farage over his comments at a recent rally in which he said he wanted to ‘take the knife to the pen pushers in Whitehall’ after Brexit.

The Brexit Party leader made the comments about civil servants to several hundred supporters at a rally in Newport, South Wales.

He was commenting on the Yellowhammer documents which contradicted statements from officials at the Ports of Dover and Calais.

He said: “I suggest we listen to them and not the overpaid pen pushers in Whitehall who are not doing a neutral job, and once Brexit’s done, we will take the knife to them.”

To cheers, he added: “I’ve had enough of it. Had enough of all of it.”

It led Alliance Party MEP Naomi Long to complain that his remarks were “a clear case of incitement to violence against staff in the civil service”.

She tweeted: “Can you confirm that you intend to investigate this clear case of incitement to violence against staff in the Civil Service? Thank you.”

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In response Gwent Police launched an investigation – but shortly after said they were not taking any further action.

“We are aware of the heightened tensions that exist regarding use of language, and take all allegations and concerns from members of the public very seriously,” said assistant chief constable Rhiannon Kirk.

“However, following a thorough assessment, it is our view that the comments in the video do not constitute a criminal offence.”

Farage said after: “I should have said ‘take the axe’, which is a more traditional term for cuts.”

It follows a week in which the prime minister provoked a furious row after he dismissed the dangers of inflammatory language in the House of Commons as “humbug”.

In 2017 Nigel Farage said “if they don’t deliver this Brexit that I spent 25 years of my life working for, then I will be forced to don khaki, pick up a rifle and head for the front lines.”

This week it was revealed that OFCOM is investigating Nigel Farage’s radio show, questioning its impartiality when discussing matters surrounding the Brexit Party.