Leading Brexiteer Nigel Farage visited Caerphilly town on Tuesday, April 30, ahead of the European elections.
Mr Farage, who launched the Brexit Party less than a month ago, received a mixed welcome as he visited the town centre.
Pro-Brexit and anti-Brexit campaigners alike took to the streets to greet the former UKIP leader.
Mr Farage, who joined the four Brexit Party candidates for Wales on the campaign trail, visited a number of local businesses, including Nicola Downie Florist and the Grazing Ground.
While at the Cardiff Road cafe, a passing motorist slowed their car and shouted out: “Tell Nigel to fuck off.”
Rounding off his visit with a pint and a cigarette at the Malcolm Uphill, Mr Farage told Caerphilly Observer: “We’re a democracy with some very strong opinions on both sides of this argument. There are some militant remainers who just think we should overturn the result, but there are a lot more people who say: ‘You know what, here in Caerphilly, we voted Brexit’.
“They promised us again in a General Election, both Labour and the Conservatives, that they would deliver Brexit. We’re three years on and it’s not been delivered.
“Bear in mind that this party is only three weeks old, I’m finding tremendous support for it.”
Mr Farage added: “I’ve got a message to leave voters in these constituencies and indeed for remainers who believe in democracy, which is what I thought is what this county was based on.
“My message is – I’m back. I’ve got a great gang of new people with me, we’re going to represent you, we’re going to fight for you and however long it takes, we are going to win. That’s my message to them.”
Mr Farage continued: “The Brexit Party would have a voice, but let’s be clear, this European election, I’m not asking for a protest vote, this is the first step of a new political movement that is here to change British politics for good.
“We are coming after the old two parties. They don’t represent this country, they represent little but themselves, and we are a new peaceful revolutionary political movement. We want the whole of British politics to change, it is rotten to the core, it doesn’t work and it’s led to this – the greatest betrayal in the history of our country.”
“It’s very clear isn’t it? All four Labour candidates on the list for Wales are remainers and disrespect the result of the referendum and want people to vote again. So if you’re a Labour voter and a Brexiteer, to quote Lord Adonis; ‘don’t vote Labour’.
“Brexiteers, don’t vote Labour, you can come and vote for the Brexit Party. We are your new home.”
“I’m a supporter of Brexit. I just want Brexit. I’m perfectly happy for a free trade deal, the trouble is Theresa May never asked for it, so in those circumstances, let’s leave on WTO terms, let’s deliver a clean Brexit and do you know what, very shortly after that, the EU will come running to us saying ‘please sir, can we have a deal.’ That’s the way it works, that’s how deals work.”
When questioned further, Mr Farage responded: “That’s fine there’s a great big world out there, the Eurozone is now 15% of the global economy, it’s declining every year, Germany, France and Italy, if you look at their economies, they’re in a pretty poor state, they’ll come to us for a deal.”
Brexit Party candidate James Wells, who lives near Risca, said: “We’ve had massive support so far. We’re standing to send a message to Westminster – we voted Leave first time.”
Mr Wells added:”It’s a bit ironic that if I’m elected I’ll be campaigning to lose my job, but I left my job at the Civil Service last week so I could stand.”
Brexit Party member Gawain Towler said: “We’re here to support the Welsh candidates but also to remember Sam Gould [former chairman of Caerphilly UKIP, who died in 2017 aged 33 from bowel cancer]. He has a special place in our hearts and was larger than life.”
Former Cardiff Central MP Jon Owen Jones, who recently defected from Labour to the breakaway group Change UK, was in Caerphilly to challenge Mr Farage.
Mr Owen Jones, who used to be a science teacher at St Cenydd Comprehensive before entering politics, said: “Mr Farage is very plausible. But unfortunately he’s presenting a simple answer to a very complicated question.
Mr Owen Jones, who is a Change UK candidate in the upcoming elections, added: “There isn’t a deal that takes us out of the EU that is better than what we already have.”
Change UK candidate, Matthew Paul, said: “It’s an ego-trip for one man. When you push down the facade of Farage, the Brexit Party has nothing behind it.”
Mr Paul added: “Brexit has nothing to offer Wales.”