
On Wednesday, it was announced that British Steel had been put into compulsory liquidation, effectively putting 4,000 jobs at risk, as well as threatening 20,000 others in the company's supply chain.
This came after talks had reportedly broken down between the government and the company's private equity owners Greybull Capital. Business secretary Greg Clark said that they had worked 'tirelessly' to provide financial support but that there were no remaining options left.
The collapse of British Steel is already being hailed as one of the first major casualties of Brexit with insolvency experts warning that it could cause a 'tsunami effect' that could result in taxpayers footing the bill.
Pro-EU commentators will say that this could have been avoided if the government didn't decide to go through with Brexit but around three years ago one of the countries chief Brexiteers, Nigel Farage believed that leaving the EU would be the saviour of British Steel.
If we vote to Remain on June 23rd it is the end of the steel industry in this country. Simple as that. We must Leave EU.— Nigel Farage (@Nigel Farage) 1459586715
That is a real tweet that the current Brexit Party leader posted on April 2, 2016 and given today's news about British Steel, people aren't going to let him forget about his ill-judged prediction.
Simple as that? https://t.co/WYctZQZsc2— David Lammy (@David Lammy) 1558529206
Astonishing that his words somehow age even worse than his face. https://t.co/1sQbc1vlM8— James Felton (@James Felton) 1558529737
Remember this gem Nige? @Nigel_Farage @brexitparty_uk What a bullshitting charlatan you really are. https://t.co/le4J3jVBrM— General Joe ✋ 🏳️🌈🏴🇬🇧🇪🇺🇵🇸 (@General Joe ✋ 🏳️🌈🏴🇬🇧🇪🇺🇵🇸) 1558534015
How's that prediction looking, Nigel? https://t.co/NCxmdtfjvf— Ben Rosamond (@Ben Rosamond) 1558529574
@Nigel_Farage I’ve fixed that for you. You’re welcome. https://t.co/1wxaI2ZowB— Nick Harvey (@Nick Harvey) 1558528803
NigeL Farage on British Steel https://t.co/l0zF700Ojn— richard (@richard) 1558527381
@BBCBreaking But, but, we voted Leave which we were told would save Steel. Or was that yet another lie from… https://t.co/WsvJoqgGoY— James #3.5% #FBPA #FBPE (@James #3.5% #FBPA #FBPE) 1558519640
To make matters worse it has since emerged that Farage, who is an MEP, didn't bother to turn up when the European Parliament voted on the 'protection against steel dumping from third countries' in November.
When MEPs voted on ‘protection against steel dumping from 3rd countries’ last November, Nigel Farage didn’t bother… https://t.co/7MZua3PUlc— Catherine Bearder-former MEP🔶🕷 (@Catherine Bearder-former MEP🔶🕷) 1558529995
Richard Tice of the Brexit Party has since put out a video about British Steel and the Farage tweet has begun to crop up there too.
Richard Tice on British steel. https://t.co/Hj6LBb8gZ3— Reform UK (@Reform UK) 1558534919
@brexitparty_uk https://t.co/ex623IuQmw— ChrisVelvick 🔶🇬🇧🇪🇺🇲🇽 (@ChrisVelvick 🔶🇬🇧🇪🇺🇲🇽) 1558536467
@brexitparty_uk Nigel Farage on British Steel https://t.co/5IXkgblYh1— Howard Walker (@Howard Walker) 1558535453