Nigel Farage was criticised this morning after he said that the Brexit campaign had triumphed 'without a single bullet being fired'.

Some claimed that the statement was insensitive in the light of the murder of pro-EU Labour MP Jo Cox just a week before the referendum took place.

Voters accused the Ukip leader of having a 'very short memory' while some described his comments as 'disgusting' and even predicted that it could herald the end of his career.

Statement: Nigel Farage has been criticised for saying that the EU referendum was won 'without a single bullet being fired'

Victory: The Ukip leader was celebrating the referendum result at Leave.EU party in London this morning

However, others defended the veteran politician, pointing out that his statement came in the heat of the moment and in the early hours of the morning.

Mr Farage, who has been heralded as the big winner of last night's vote to leave the European Union, made his comments at a Leave.EU victory rally in Central London around 4.30am.

He was speaking shortly after it became apparent that Leave was going to win the referendum, taking victory with 52 per cent of all votes.

Fury: Green politician Patrick Harvie and author India Knight led the backlash to his comments

He told supporters: 'Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom.

'This, if the predictions now are right, this will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people.

Insensitive: Some said Mr Farage was ignoring the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox last week

'We have fought against the multinationals, we have fought against the big merchant banks, we have fought against big politics, we have fought against lies, corruption and deceit.

'And today honesty, decency and belief in nation, I think now is going to win.

'And we will have done it without having to fight, without a single bullet being fired, we'd have done it by damned hard work on the ground.'

Some observers criticised Mr Farage's choice of words, given that Mrs Cox was shot dead last week by an attacker who was reported to have shouted 'Britain first' during the assault.

The Labour MP's widower Brendan claimed that his wife was killed because of her 'political views'.

Patrick Harvie, leader of the Scottish Greens, wrote on Twitter: 'Did Farage actually claim that not a bullet was fired? Did he really just say that?'

Author India Knight was one of those who slammed Mr Farage, saying: 'We have become disgusting.'

Another angry web user wrote: 'He has a very short memory after last Thursday.'