Nigel Farage gave what he hopes is his last ever speech in the European parliament. Here's what he said

Nigel Farage delivered what he hoped to be his last speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week.

During a mid-term review of the EU Investment Plan on Wednesday, he criticised the European Commission's actions and advocated Britain voting to leave in the EU referendum.

He told the European Parliament:

I came in here in 1999 and sat at the back and there were only three of us in the whole building who thought our member state should leave the European Union.

But it is grand projects that have turned the tide of public opinion, in particular the introduction of the Euro.

And what has happened to Greece now? Well they’re facing the next bailout in probably July of this year and because you want to hold your project together you are forcing them bit by bit to become a third world country and all I can say frankly is shame on you.

What was most attention-grabbing about his speech, however, was the manner in which he ended it.

I hope on June 23rd it is not just independence day for the United Kingdom, I hope it brings an end to this entire project and in a few years’ time we can be sovereign, democratic nation states that work and trade together. I hope this is the last time I’ll be speaking in this parliament from a member state and I hope that we are going to leave this union on June 23rd.

So I’m going out now, I may be some time.

Of course, Farage was recalling the words of Captain Lawrence Oates.

Oates was a part of the infamous 1912 Terra Nova Expedition to become the first people to reach the south pole.

After being beaten by a team of Norwegians, on their way back to base camp the British team faced worsening conditions, limited supplies and almost certain death.

Oates had severely frostbitten and gangrenous feet, and all were sure his death was imminent - he suggested to the team that they should continue and leave him in his sleeping bag.

The team refused, and after some time Oates, without putting on his shoes for the pain, told his colleagues:

I am just going outside and may be some time.

A comparison between the humility, bravery and understatement of both utterances is... apt.

Watch the full video, below:

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