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Bitter exchanges as EU parliament debates Brexit

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Update: 2016-06-28 07:01:08
Bitter exchanges as EU parliament debates Brexit Photo Courtesy: BBC

DHAKA: There have been bitter exchanges in the European Parliament during a debate on the UK’s vote to leave the EU.

Much of the anger was aimed at leading Leave campaigner, UKIP’s Nigel Farage, who was at one point accused of using ‘Nazi propaganda’, reports the BBC.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to meet European Union leaders for the first time since the UK voted to leave later on Tuesday.

He is stepping down to allow his successor to conduct exit negotiations.

Opening the session at the European Parliament, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker urged the UK to clarify its position on Brexit as soon as possible.

He said he has imposed a ban on any EU commissioner talking to the British government before it formalizes its intention to withdraw from the bloc.

Cameron has said it will be up to the next prime minister when to trigger the formal method by which a country leaves the EU, Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

In his statement to the parliament, Juncker said the will of the British people must be respected, prompting applause from UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage, a key campaigner behind the leave vote.

‘You were fighting for the exit, the British people voted in favor of the exit. Why are you here?’ Junker said to him.

Others went much further. Belgian ex-PM Guy Verhofstadt, and leader of the liberal group in the European parliament, said Farage had used ‘Nazi propaganda’ in the campaign, referring to a poster showing lines of refugees.

BDST: 1655 HRS, JUN 28, 2016
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