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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Patrick Grafton-Green

Jim Davidson helps unveil portrait of Nigel Farage entitled Mr Brexit ahead of UK departure

Nigel Farage and Jim Davidson stand beside the portrait titled Mr Brexit (Picture: PA)

Comedian Jim Davidson has helped unveil a portrait of Nigel Farage entitled Mr Brexit with just over a day before the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Farage reflected on Brexit, which he earlier called "the achievement of my lifetime", at an event in Soho.

He said he "won't miss Brussels because it's a dump" but "will miss Strasbourg which has got lots of family-run restaurants".

The portrait was created by artist Dan Llywelyn Hall and was revealed at L'Escargot Restaurant. It will be auctioned to raise money for charity.

Mr Farage said: "I will miss the drama. I will miss being the pantomime villain who gets up and 500 people boo.

"I won't miss Brussels because it's a dump. But I will miss Strasbourg which has got lots of family-run restaurants and yeah, of course, I am going to miss that.

"I suppose my level of notoriety is relatively high at the moment and I am hoping we can auction this off for a magnificent charity."

Mr Farage said he wouldn't

The money raised by the painting will go towards veteran support charity Care After Combat.

Following his fiery departure speech at the European Parliament on Wednesday, which saw him having his microphone cut off and being told to leave "and take your flags with you" by the deputy speaker, Mr Farage said he found it hard to believe Brexit was happening.

He said: "As I walked out, for just a second, I did feel something. And then I thought, stiffen up, the cameras might get that.

"It has been a huge chapter of my life. I gave up a career in business to go up and becoming an MEP, arguably it had a very damaging effect on family life and other things."

He said he will now be spending more time in America: "There is a big election coming up in November. It is no great secret I am a friend of the president's, I want to see him elected. He may be a bit rough around the edges for some people but on the big stuff, I am joined at the hip with him."

Additional reporting by PA Media

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