IRISH MEP MAIREAD McGuinness and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage went head to head in the European Parliament this afternoon as MEPs debated the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.  

MEPs sitting in Brussels voted by 621 to 49 in favour of the Withdrawal Agreement, paving the way for Britain to leave on Friday with a deal in place.

Prior to the vote, while debating the withdrawal deal, Nigel Farage declared that the UK “is never coming back”.

The Brexit Party leader and his allies cheered and waved Union flags as he finished his address. 

“If we want trade, friendship, cooperation, reciprocity, we don’t need a European Commission, we don’t need a European court, we don’t need these institutions and all of this power.”

Farage was cut off as he told EU Parliament that “we look forward to working in the future to working with you as sovereign”. 

McGuiness, who is First Vice-President of the European Parliament, turned off Farage’s mic mid-sentence for disobeying parliament rules. 

“If you disobey the rules, you get cut off,” McGuinness told Farage. 

“Please sit down, resume your seats, put your flags away. You’re leaving, and take them with you if you are leaving now,” McGuinness said as the cheering Brexit Party MEPs walked out. 

In contrast, there were emotional scenes in the parliament as the result was announced with MEPs linking hands to sing a final chorus of Auld Lang Syne.

- With reporting from PA