Brexit Party MEP calls Guy Verhofstadt ‘the Darth Vader of Europe’

At a debate in the EU parliament, a Brexit Party MEP has managed to build in references to Star Wars, the Second World War, a football analogy and Edith Piaf into a one-minute speech about leaving the EU.

Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney called the EU's chief Brexit negotiator "Emperor Verhofstadt" as well as "Darth Vader of Europe" in his contribution to a debate considering whether or not to grant a further extension to Article 50.

While Brexit Party MEPs booed and heckled contributions they disagreed with, they had nothing but cheers for Daubney after he referred to the EU parliament as Verhofstadt's "Death Star".

He then moved seamlessly to an obligatory reference to the Second World War. "75 years ago my forefathers fought and died on European soil fighting fascism," he said. "Today, we are here to liberate the United Kingdom from the European Union."

He claimed the UK has been treated with "nothing but contempt" and positioned himself and said he would "hate to play football" against Michel Barnier because "the match would be rigged".

"Today we are expected to be voting to call Brexit a 'regrettable event'. Well let me put it into language you understand," said Daubney. "Je ne regrette rien!"

Tweeting 40 minutes before the debate, Daubney posted a video of a mostly-empty EU parliament. "We are here for the EU Brexit debate - but where are the other British MEPs?" he wondered.