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Nigel Farage delivers letter to PM demanding Brexit party role in EU talks

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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage delivers letter demanding seat at EU negotiating table
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage holds a letter addressed to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May as he arrives to deliver it to 10 Downing Street in central London on June 7, 2019. - Anti-EU populist Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party failed in its bid to win its first seat in Britain's parliament, checking its momentum and raising questions about its ability to compete in Westminster. The by-election in the eastern English city of Peterborough on Thursday was triggered after the sitting MP, Fiona Onasanya, was dumped by voters after being jailed for lying over a speeding offence. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Nigel Farage has delivered his Brexit demands to the Prime Minister calling on his party to be given a seat at the EU negotiating table.

On Theresa May’s final day as Conservative party leader, a beaming Farage arrived at 10 Downing Street to hand the outgoing Prime Minister a letter.

Read more: Donald Trump tells UK: include Nigel Farage in Brexit talks

His Brexit Party demanded a place on the negotiating team following its success in last month’s EU elections. The Leave-supporting party swept to victory in the European elections with 32 per cent of the vote.

“The electorate have asked for us to come into the negotiating team and we are ready to do so immediately,” he said.

“This is especially the case given the lack of activity and focus, due to the leadership contest.

“We should firstly review the state of No Deal preparations and help advances as required, to give confidence to the nation that we will be fully ready,” he added.

Just hours earlier the Brexit Party was narrowly beaten by Labour in the Peterborough by-election.

Read more:Tories and Labour in a spin after disastrous EU election results

Labour’s Lisa Forbes won 10,484 votes in last night’s election, beating Farage’s party by less than 700 votes.

The Brexit Party came second with 9,801 votes followed by the Conservative party with just 7,243 votes.

But Farage said the EU election results mean the party had the “most recent and winning democratic mandate on Brexit.”

“I trust we will agree that the country should not suffer the further uncertainty of having to beg for another delay beyond 31 October 2019,” he wrote.

Theresa May will officially step down as leader of the Conservative party today but will remain Prime Minister until her successor is selected towards the end of next month.

Read more: Brexit Party on track to destroy Tories in EU elections

May announced her resignation two weeks ago after failing to deliver Brexit.

A total of 11 MPs are racing to replace her as leader, including former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, environment secretary Michael Gove and ex-Brexit secretary Dominic Raab.

The winner is expected to be announced in the week beginning 22 July.