Nigel Farage is facing mockery after he claimed the new European Commission president lacked "legitimacy" because she won just 52 per cent of the vote.

Mr Farage said Ursula von der Leyen had "power but no legitimacy" after she scraped in by nine votes in a ballot in the European Parliament on Tuesday.

Critics were quick to point out that the incoming head of the EU executive won by the same margin as the Leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum - when the result was 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

"Interesting to hear Nigel Farage describe a 52:48 victory as illegitimate..." independent MP Nick Bole said.

The former German defence minister won 383 votes in the parliament, with 733 votes cast. She needed 374 to win an absolute majority. She was opposed by 327 votes; there were 22 abstentions and 1 blank vote.

It is not the first time the Brexit Party leader has appeared to show double standards about the margin of results.

In 2016 before the referendum Mr Farage has previously suggested that such a result would be close - but only if it favoured remain.