Brexit party makes 'cheerfully defiant' entrance to EU parliament

The Brexit Party's "cheerfully defiant" deputies took their seats Tuesday in the new European Parliament, turning their backs on the European anthem and insisting they will be gone by October 31, Britain's new EU exit deadline.

Nigel Farage, wearing a purple tie and light coloured suit, made a triumphant arrival as leader of the Brexit Party, which won more votes than any other national party in the European elections in May.

"Brexit MEPs have arrived in Strasbourg to be cheerfully defiant. They'll know we're here!," the brash Farage tweeted for parliament's inaugural session.

And the 29 MEPs were quick to show their defiance, standing up and turning away from a performance of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", the European anthem, by several musicians in the 751-seat chamber.

The MEPs have castigated Britain's Conservative government for failing to take Britain out of the bloc by the original March 29 deadline and insist their election results show the wind is behind their sails.

Farage, a ...