GETTY Nigel Farage has branded Guy Verhofstadt a 'dangerous fanatic'

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The outgoing Ukip leader said Guy Verhofstadt was "anti-British to the core" and accused Brussels chiefs of deliberately stoking tensions with his controversial appointment. The former Belgian PM, who is a self-avowed and committed European federalist, will represent the EU Parliament during what are likely to be fraught Brexit talks.

Last night he reiterated his hardline position that the UK cannot have access to the single market without accepting freedom of movement, and also called for Brexit to be delivered "before 2019", meaning Article 50 would need to be triggered this year. Prime Minister Theresa May has already ruled out starting formal divorce proceedings with Brussels until at least next year, saying the Government needs time to formulate its negotiating strategy.

AFP Mr Farage has frequently clashed with the former Belgian PM

Bloomberg Mr Verhofstadt is a dedicated EU federalist

And speaking at the EU parliament in Strasbourg today Mr Farage described the appointment of the high-profile Belgian as a "declaration of war" on post-Brexit Britain. He blasted: "If you were to think of this building as a temple, well Mr Verhofstadt is the high priest. A fanatic. And turning to the federalist MEP, he added: "In fact there is only one real nationalist in the room, and it's you. Because you want flags, anthems, armies. You are an EU nationalist and I frankly think that this appointment amounts to pretty much a declaration of war on any sensible negotiating process." In a series of tweets last night Mr Verhofstadt called for the complete "integration of EU military forces" after Germany and France pushed for closer cooperation between European armies. WHO IS GUY VERHOFSTADT?

He is anti-British to the core, and not a man with whom we can have a grown up conversation Nigel Farage

They followed a number of inflammatory remarks about Britain's decision to leave the EU and his publication of a six-point plan to take advantage of Brexit and create a European superstate. Under his proposal individual member states would be scrapped and Europe would move towards a republican form of governance based on the system used in the United States. And Mr Farage blasted: “In today's State of the Union debate it will not just be Mr Juncker that British MEPs will be looking to. “The European Parliament’s choice of former Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, as the Parliament’s chief divorce lawyer following the Brexit vote in the UK places a dangerous fanatic in charge of the process. "He is anti-British to the core, and not a man with whom we can have a grown up conversation."

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