NIGEL Farage has told supporters in the North-East to prepare for an ‘all-out political war’ with Jeremy Corbyn’s party to oust sitting MPs in traditional Labour heartlands across the region.

The Brexit Party leader said Leave supporters were being ‘betrayed’ by the two main parties and that the EU referendum had redrawn the political boundaries.

Mr Corbyn has recently committed to a second referendum but said he would also try to negotiate a deal with the EU so the public could decide.

But Mr Farage, speaking in Sedgefield, the constituency held by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, said: “The Labour Party promised in their 2017 manifesto they would not just respect the result of the referendum but they would, if they got into power, deliver the result of that referendum.

"Be in no doubt, in these northern constituencies, most of which have been voting Labour forever, we will be in an all-out political fight with a Labour Party who have broken their word, lied to the people and betrayed traditional voters.

"We will be in an all-out political war with the Labour Party.”

The We Are Ready rally was held on Wednesday night at Sedgefield Racecourse and Mr Farage was joined by MEPs from the Brexit Party as well as prospective parliamentary candidates, party chairman Richard Tice and JD Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin.

The event, held in a marquee, with a tight security operation in place, was attended by around 700 people.

Mr Farage said Prime Minister Johnson Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party, which has rejected his offer of a ‘non-aggression pact’ in any forthcoming General Election, could not be relied on to deliver a 'clean break' Brexit, one without any kind of deal with the EU.

He said: "It was a sensible grown up non-aggression pact where we would take on the Labour Party in areas where the Conservatives never have and never will win and we could stand aside and help them in areas where they are battling with the Lib Dems.

"Brexit is bigger than any petty party tribal issue.

This is the defining issue of our age."

The Northern Echo:

Members of Tees4Europe outside the rally 

Outside the grounds of the racecourse a small group of protestors from Tees4Europe held silent demonstration in opposition to the rally.

In a statement issued to The Northern Echo the group said: “We at Tees4Europe do not believe that the destruction of the North-East’s economy is something to aspire to.

“Neither is the privatisation of the health service and the charges for healthcare which have been proposed by Farage.

“The creation of a UK tax haven may provide grand opportunities for the world’s billionaires, but only at terrible cost to millions of people in this region and elsewhere.”

Sitting Sedgefield constituency Labour MP Phil Wilson said he was willing to put Brexit back to the people in a second referendum.

He said: “I think people have the right to compare the Brexit facts with what was promised in 2016.

“People like Nigel Farage are completely shameless about this.

“It is about people’s jobs and livelihoods, about them being able to receive medicine.

“It not a game. He’s prepared to see people lose their jobs. As the local MP, I haven’t done anything that will undermine the jobs, prosperity and aspirations of the local people, but he turns up, gives a speech and is then gone.

“He doesn’t have to live with the consequences of that speech.”