Ukip has urged Britons not to join the armed forces until after Brexit because they are “under a foreign military command”.

Gerard Batten, the party’s leader, was branded “ridiculous” after reacting with fury to UK soldiers on operations in Bosnia wearing the European Union flag on their uniforms.

“No one should now join the British army until we have left the EU and this has all been reversed,” Mr Batten said.

“Our soldiers are no longer fighting for Queen and Country but under a foreign military command.

"Our ancestors, the heroes of The Armada, Waterloo, Trafalgar, Passchendaele, El-Alamein, and others too numerous to mention, did not fight so that their descendants could serve under the flag of a foreign power.”

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “For goodness sake, this is ridiculous. We’d have lost the war if we’d have refused to work with our allies.”

But Mr Batten said it was only after the UK left the EU that “we will be able to rebuild our military into a force which serves the interests of our nation first and foremost. Meanwhile, British men and women should vote with their feet and not join the armed forces.”

Key Faces of UKIP Show all 11 1 /11 Key Faces of UKIP Key Faces of UKIP Nigel Farage Getty Key Faces of UKIP United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Migration spokesman Steven Woolfe addresses supporters and media personnel in central London Getty Key Faces of UKIP Robert Kilroy-Silk, former television presenter and newly elected member of the European Parliament for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), shows a placard against the European Constitution in front of the Houses of Parliament Getty Key Faces of UKIP Mark Reckless, Director of Policy Development addresses party members during the UK Independence Party annual conference at Doncaster Racecourse Getty Key Faces of UKIP Gerard Batten MEP poses with protesters outside parliament Creative Commons Key Faces of UKIP Diane James gives an address at the UKIP Autumn Conference in Bournemouth Getty Key Faces of UKIP Douglas Carswell MP speaks to party members and supporters during the UK Independence Party annual conference Getty Key Faces of UKIP Suzanne Evans, Deputy Party Chairman of UK Independence Party (UKIP) speaks during the launch of UKIP's election manifesto Getty Key Faces of UKIP Peter Whittle, the UK Independence Party Member of the London Assembly, is interviewed in central London Getty Key Faces of UKIP MEP Mike Hookem during a visit to Concept Metal Products & Co Ltd Getty Key Faces of UKIP Paul Nuttall, Deputy Leader of the UK Independence Party speaks at a Say NO, Believe in Britain debate at Carn Brea Leisure Centre in Pool near Redruthon Getty

The comments come as Ukip still struggles to rebuild after imploding over the past three years, losing no fewer than three leaders.

It was forced to turn to members to raise emergency funding to meet huge legal bills which threatened the party with bankruptcy.

Mr Batten is an interim leader – having vowed to resign by next April, serving just one year – but has claimed his party is "now safe" after raising more than £300,000 from supporters.