Nigel Farage says Britain’s political revolution is ‘incomplete’ and calls for radical overhaul of the gloomy Foreign Office
NIGEL Farage has said that Britain's political revolution is "incomplete" because "the same people are still in charge" of the country.
The ex-Ukip leader said today that there should be a total overhaul of the Foreign Office staff, replacing them with people who believe in a positive Brexit.
Mr Farage told Sky News this afternoon that he "can't wait" to get over to the US for Donald Trump's inauguration later this month.
"It's going to be a great historic event," he said.
He added that in America, "they've had a great political revolution and it's complete... the problem in Britain is, our revolution in Britain is not complete as the same people are still in charge."
And the MEP said that Sir Ivan Rogers, the UK's ambassador to the EU who resigned unexpectedly yesterday, should have stepped down months ago.
"This fella, his whole career has been committed... to the process of European integration," Mr Farage said.
"We shouldn't have waited this long for his resignation, he should have gone the day after the referendum."
The Leave campaigner said that he hasn't met anyone who works for the Foreign Office that was impartial, and encouraged them to have a shakeup of staff and hire Brexit supporters.
"The fact that [Sir Ivan has] gone is just the start," he told Sky's Kay Burley.
"I think most of the Foreign Office should be got rid of and replaced by people who are with the majority of people in this country who want us... to embrace the rest of the world."
He went on: "I've yet to meet anybody... who works for the Foreign Office, who does not believe in the process of European integration.
"I used to think the civil service were supposed to be neutral... The Foreign Office have done more than anybody to give away our independence and our democracy in this country.
"We need wholesale change."
He called on Theresa May to appoint someone who could "reach out" and appeal to European businesses.
But he insisted that there was time to find a replacement - the PM has said she will trigger Article 50 before the end of March.
"We need somebody who is committed to Brexit, who is not going to get obsessed by process," Mr Farage said.
His unexpected decision to quit his high profile role yesterday has led to calls to replace him with a Brexiteer to lead negotiations in Brussels.
The diplomat resigned with a lengthy farewell email to his staff, in which he said civil servants still do not know the Government’s Brexit priorities and “serious multilateral negotiating experience is in short supply in Whitehall”.
The Prime Minister was urged to stand up for their integrity and impartiality by Dave Penman, leader of mandarins’ union the FDA, and warned not to surround herself with “yes men and women”.
He said: "The Prime Minister herself has publicly criticised civil servants, trivialised those who suggest that the civil service is being under-resourced and now sits back as key officials are pilloried by a succession of former ministers."