A Brexit will still mean Britain gives the EU money, says Nigel Farage

REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

Britain can make compromises to secure continued access to the EU's single market, including possibly a contribution to the bloc's budget, but compromises on immigration are out of the question, Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage told Le Figaro.

Asked by the French daily if Britain would keep benefiting from access to the single market once it has left the European Union, even if it put up obstacles to EU migration, Farage, the head of Britain's anti-EU UK Independence Party, said:

"Absolutely. There can be compromises with the EU, including on a possible British contribution to the EU budget, even if I don’t quite see the logic for it. But there will be no compromises on what Europe calls "freedom of movement".

He added: "Putting the brakes on EU immigration, this is what 17.5 million voters asked us to do."

Asked when Britain should trigger the Article 50 clause to kick off official talks on leaving the bloc, he said: "I'm starting to think that uncertainty is having a cost, and that we need to move forward and activate Article 50 before September or October. Maybe not tomorrow, but without delay."