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Nigel Farage today called for the government to put up a statue of Emmanuel Macron if the French president vetoes a Brexit delay.

The MEP suggested the tribute to Mr Macron could be erected next to Nelson's Column in central London - making him a 'French all-British hero'.

But Mr Farage told MailOnline he expects EU leaders to sign off a long delay - and warned that the standoff could last for months longer.

Mr Farage also said he was still 'absolutely' ready to strike an electoral pact with the Tories to deliver Brexit, but they would have to ditch Mr Johnson's deal and agree to a 'clean break' from Brussels.

The plea to Mr Macron came as it emerged the EU have decided to grant a Brexit delay - but will not say how long until it knows whether MPs will back an election in a crunch vote on Monday.

Mr Macron is holding up consensus on a three-month delay, with suggestions he wants a shorter period to increase the pressure on MPs.

The Elysee is worried that if an election does not take place and Mr Johnson cannot get his deal through the Commons, the three-month extension will be wasted.

French European affairs minister, Amélie de Montchalin, said last night: ‘We need facts in order to make a decision... We will not deal in political fiction.’

The bewildering manoeuvres came after the PM made a bold bid to force a resolution by offering Parliament more time to scrutinise his Brexit deal, in return for the House of Commons approving a December 12 election date.

Nigel Farage admitted he expects EU leaders to sign off a delay - and warned that the standoff could last for months longer

Mr Farage today called for the government to put up a statue of Emmanuel Macron (pictured this week) if the French president vetoes a Brexit delay

Mr Farage said today that he feared the standoff at Westminster was just going to get worse. 'I think it is going to go on for ages - stalemate,' he said.

'The first thing Boris needs to do is apologise to the country for telling us endlessly we were definitrely leaving on 31st October.

'He cannot just ignore the fact he's told us for ever and ever we are definitely leaving do or die, come what may.

'Beyond that I think it is likely the stalemate could last quite a long time and public trust in our entire political system will continue to deteriorate.

'This could go on for a couple of months. It is horrible and people are increasingly turning against politicians and against politics.'

Mr Farage said the UK's only hope seemed to be the resistance to an extension from Mr Macron.

'We will put a statue up to him in London if he vetoes our extension,' the Brexit Party leader said.

'We will put it alongside Wellington and Nelson and he will become a French all-British hero.'

He added: 'I can't see the point of a short extension. Either they extend or they don't.'

Mr Farage said he was still 'absolutely' ready to strike an electoral pact with Boris Johnson (pictured in No10 last night) to deliver Brexit - but they would have to agree to a 'clean break' from Brussels

Mr Johnson's Brexit deal was like a 'piece of cheese' that had come out of the fridge looking good, but was increasingly smelling 'rotten', he said.

'Appetising at first, but the longer it stays out of the fridge the more rotten it becomes. People are beginning to say, "I didn't realise it said this",' Mr Farage insisted.

'I would like to see him fight an election having dropped the treaty that he wants to put before the house of Commons. I think a really clear Brexit message would be an election winner.

'At the moment the route he has gone down just is not Brexit and will not solve anything.'